ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Security Operations Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

MedReview

Devops Engineer

Newport Beach, CA · On-site

$56.75 - $77.75/hr

This role partners closely with Development, Security, and Infrastructure teams to ensure efficient ... s Engineer plays a key role in delivering, faster, more stable releases and maintaining high ...

Calabria Group

DevOps Engineer

San Jose, CA · Remote

$61.75 - $84.75/hr

You will be responsible for owning and evolving our CI/CD infrastructure, driving SRE best ... security, availability, and disaster recovery planning. • Document operational processes ...

MedReview

Devops Engineer

Newport Beach, CA · On-site

$56.50 - $77.50/hr

This role partners closely with Development, Security, and Infrastructure teams to ensure efficient ... s Engineer plays a key role in delivering, faster, more stable releases and maintaining high ...

Applied Medical

DevOps Engineer

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA · On-site

$80K/yr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Implement security best practices including secrets management with Azure Key Vault, vulnerability ... s Engineer, or Kubernetes certifications (CKA, CKAD). * Experience with secrets management ...

Applied Medical

DevOps Engineer

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA · On-site

$57 - $78.25/hr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Implement security best practices including secrets management with Azure Key Vault, vulnerability ... s Engineer, or Kubernetes certifications (CKA, CKAD). * Experience with secrets management ...

Applied Medical

DevOps Engineer

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

$57 - $78.25/hr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Implement security best practices including secrets management with Azure Key Vault, vulnerability ... s Engineer, or Kubernetes certifications (CKA, CKAD). * Experience with secrets management ...

Kai

Senior DevOps Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$152K - $195K/yr

... s Engineer to design, build, and maintain secure, scalable, and reliable infrastructure for their ... security-driven environment. Responsibilities : • Design, implement, and manage cloud ...

Fortinet, Inc.

Security Operations Expert

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$120K - $145K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

We are seeking a dynamic and highly skilled Security Operations Expert to join our SOC team ... Strong understanding of detection engineering, fine-tuning alerting rules, and managing SIEM/EDR ...

previous page

Showing results 41-60

All JobsSecurity Operations Engineer JobsSecurity Operations Engineer Jobs in California

Security Operations Engineer information

See California salary details

$33.1K

$135.9K

$171.7K

How much do security operations engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for security operations engineer in California is $135,941.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $109,500.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Security Operations Engineer vs Security Analyst?

AspectSecurity Operations EngineerSecurity Analyst
CertificationsCompTIA Security+, CISSP, CEHCompTIA Security+, GIAC Security Essentials
Work EnvironmentHands-on security infrastructure management, incident responseMonitoring, analyzing security data, reporting
Employer & Industry UsageIT security teams in various industries, focusing on security operations

The Security Operations Engineer focuses on managing security systems and responding to incidents, while the Security Analyst primarily monitors security data and analyzes threats. Both roles require similar certifications and work closely within security teams, but their daily tasks differ in scope and focus.

What are some of the main challenges security operations engineers face when responding to security incidents?

Security Operations Engineers often face challenges such as quickly identifying genuine threats among large volumes of security alerts, coordinating responses across multiple teams, and containing incidents before they escalate. Balancing thorough investigation with the need for rapid action can be demanding, especially in high-pressure situations. Additionally, staying updated on emerging threats and ensuring compliance with security protocols are ongoing responsibilities that require continuous learning and adaptability.

What does a security operations engineer do?

As a security operations engineer, your job is to monitor a network or system and help implement new methods of protection and data recovery. In this role, you may conduct a vulnerability assessment for each emerging threat, coordinate with other security specialists, and help develop responses with industry peers. This job title refers to maintaining network security systems and should not be confused with non-electronic security operations, such as safeguarding VIPs or facilities. A security operations engineer works regular hours, but employers may call you in for emergency help as needed. This position usually reports to someone, such as a chief information security officer. You may occasionally brief executives or other managers on relevant topics, so presentation skills are helpful.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a security operations engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Security Operations Engineer, you need a solid understanding of network security, incident response, and vulnerability management, typically supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Experience with SIEM tools (like Splunk or QRadar), firewalls, IDS/IPS, and certifications such as CISSP or CompTIA Security+ are commonly required. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills help you quickly detect and respond to security threats while collaborating with teams. These skills are crucial to proactively safeguarding organizational assets, minimizing risks, and ensuring swift recovery from security incidents.
More about Security Operations Engineer jobs

What are popular job titles related to Security Operations Engineer jobs in California?

For Security Operations Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Security Operations Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Security Operations Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Security Operations Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Security Operations Engineer job openings:

What are popular job titles related to Security Operations Engineer jobs in CA?

For Security Operations Engineer jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Security Operations Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Security Operations Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 12% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 94% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $135,941 per year, or $65.4 per hour.

Security Operations Expert - AI Trainer

Mercor

San Francisco, CA • Remote

$80 - $90/hr

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

About the job

Mercor connects elite creative and technical talent with leading AI research labs. Headquartered in San Francisco, our investors include Benchmark, General Catalyst, Peter Thiel, Adam D'Angelo, Larry Summers, and Jack Dorsey.

Position: Cybersecurity Expert
Type: Contract
Compensation: $80–$90/hour
Location: Remote

Role Responsibilities

  • Construct cybersecurity scenarios spanning security operations center monitoring, incident response and forensics, vulnerability management, and security architecture design.
  • Build tasks across security operations and threat detection, incident response and digital forensics, vulnerability and penetration testing, security architecture and engineering, and governance/risk/compliance.
  • Develop scenarios involving tools such as SIEM platforms (Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel), EDR tools (CrowdStrike), vulnerability scanners (Tenable, Qualys), and GRC platforms used at major enterprises.
  • Apply cybersecurity methodologies (threat modeling, incident response playbooks, risk assessment) to the standards track a world targets (US: NIST CSF, SOC 2; International: ISO 27001, NIS2), and produce reference incident reports, security assessments, architecture designs, and compliance documentation.
  • Author rubrics that distinguish authentic security judgment from generic textbook or certification-exam-level recall.

Qualifications

Must-Have

  • 5+ years working as a security engineer or CISO at a major company or security firm (Mandiant, CrowdStrike, or an in-house CISO/security lead).
  • Direct ownership of incident response programs, security architecture, or compliance initiatives.
  • Fluency in security tooling, plus understanding of regulatory frameworks and the current threat landscape.

Preferred

  • A recognized professional credential is strongly preferred (CISSP, CISM, or an international equivalent); prior rubric or training authorship is a plus.

Application Process (Takes 20–30 mins to complete)

  • Upload resume
  • AI interview based on your resume
  • Submit form

Resources & Support

  • For details about the interview process and platform information, please check: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/welcome
  • For any help or support, reach out to: support@mercor.com

PS: Our team reviews applications daily. Please complete your AI interview and application steps to be considered for this opportunity.


#hiringmercor