At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and optimise security platforms to enhance threat detection and reduce false positives.
- Company: Join EMIS / Optum UK, a leader in healthcare technology.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth, and the chance to make a real impact.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team ensuring patient care through robust security measures.
- Why this job: Protect critical healthcare systems while driving innovation in security operations.
- Qualifications: Hands-on experience with security platforms like Darktrace and CrowdStrike is essential.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Are you an experienced security professional with deep, hands-on expertise across security platforms and detection engineering? Do you want to take ownership of how security tooling performs at scale — improving detection quality, reducing noise, and ensuring threats are effectively identified across complex environments?
About the Team / Business Area
The Security Operations team sits at the core of our organisation, protecting nationally critical healthcare systems that support frontline patient care across the UK. Operating within a highly regulated environment, the team is responsible for SOC oversight, vulnerability management, attack surface monitoring, and real-time threat detection across enterprise, cloud, and network platforms. This function plays a critical role in ensuring system resilience, maintaining regulatory compliance, and enabling the secure delivery of healthcare services at scale.
About the Role
As the Security Detection & Tooling Lead, you will take ownership of the performance, optimisation, and governance of key security platforms and detection capabilities. This is a senior, hands-on engineering role focused on improving how threats are detected across the organisation. You will drive improvements in detection quality, reduce false positives, and ensure security tooling is used effectively and efficiently across all environments. This role requires proven, hands-on, administrator-level experience across core security platforms (including Darktrace, CrowdStrike, and Google SecOps). Candidates without this level of direct platform ownership and administration experience will not be suitable.
Working closely with SOC, Security Engineering, and wider technology teams, you will define detection standards, influence tooling strategy, and ensure security controls remain aligned to risk.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own and optimise core security platforms (SIEM, EDR, NDR, SASE), ensuring performance, utilisation, and governance
- Design, build, and tune detection logic to improve alert fidelity and reduce noise
- Drive improvements in detection coverage using frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK
- Partner with SOC teams to enhance incident detection, triage, and response outcomes
- Identify opportunities to rationalise tooling, improve efficiency, and reduce operational overhead
- Develop and implement automation to improve workflows and reduce manual effort
- Produce reporting on detection performance, coverage gaps, and platform effectiveness
- Define and maintain detection and tooling standards across Security Operations
What You'll Bring:
You are a hands-on, technically strong security professional with experience operating and optimising security tooling at scale. You take ownership of platforms and outcomes, focusing on delivering measurable improvements in detection capability and operational efficiency. You are comfortable working across teams, influencing change, and applying a structured, analytical approach to improving security operations.
Key Skills, Experience & Qualifications
Essential
- Strong experience in Security Operations, Detection Engineering, or Security Tooling roles
- Hands-on administration and engineering experience across security platforms (SIEM, EDR, NDR or equivalent)
- Hands-on, administrator-level experience with Darktrace, CrowdStrike, and Google SecOps (minimum, non-negotiable requirement)
- Proven experience designing, building, and tuning detections to improve alert quality and reduce false positives
- Experience working closely with SOC teams to improve detection and response outcomes
- Solid understanding of detection frameworks and methodologies (e.g. MITRE ATT&CK)
Ready to Join Us? At EMIS / Optum UK, we are a leader in healthcare technology, supporting professionals across primary care, community services, pharmacy, and beyond. This is an opportunity to take ownership of detection and tooling capability within a complex, high-impact environment — directly contributing to the protection of systems that underpin patient care across the UK. If you are looking for a role where you can lead, optimise, and make a measurable impact, we would welcome your application.
Lead Security Engineer in Northampton employer: OptumUK
At EMIS / Optum UK, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation within our Security Operations team. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through continuous training opportunities and the chance to lead critical security initiatives that protect healthcare systems across the UK. Join us to make a meaningful impact in a supportive environment where your expertise will be valued and your contributions will directly enhance patient care.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Security Engineer in Northampton
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with people on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects and achievements in security tooling. This gives potential employers a tangible look at what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on common security scenarios and challenges. Be ready to discuss how you've optimised security platforms in the past and how you would tackle detection engineering in this role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Security Engineer in Northampton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the specific skills and experiences mentioned in the job description. Highlight your hands-on experience with security platforms like Darktrace and CrowdStrike, as this is crucial for us.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you're passionate about security operations and how your background aligns with our mission. Share specific examples of how you've improved detection capabilities in previous roles.
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Don’t shy away from detailing your technical expertise. We want to see your hands-on experience with SIEM, EDR, and NDR tools, so make sure to include relevant projects or achievements that demonstrate your capabilities.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This ensures your application reaches us quickly and allows you to easily track your application status. Plus, it shows us you're keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at OptumUK
✨Know Your Tools Inside Out
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the security platforms mentioned in the job description, like Darktrace, CrowdStrike, and Google SecOps. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with these tools, including specific examples of how you've optimised their performance or improved detection capabilities.
✨Demonstrate Your Analytical Skills
Prepare to showcase your analytical approach to security operations. Think of scenarios where you've used frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK to enhance detection quality. Being able to articulate your thought process will impress interviewers and show that you can think critically about security challenges.
✨Collaborate and Communicate
Since this role involves working closely with SOC teams, be prepared to discuss how you've collaborated with others in past roles. Share examples of how you’ve influenced change or improved incident detection and response outcomes through teamwork. Communication is key!
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Think of specific instances where you've identified opportunities to rationalise tooling or improve operational efficiency. Be ready to explain the steps you took to implement automation or reduce manual effort, as this will demonstrate your proactive approach to enhancing security operations.
