Cyber Security Specialist in Dundee

Help protect the people, systems and data that support world leading research.

We’re looking for a Cyber Security Specialist who is passionate about cyber security, enjoys solving problems and wants to make a real difference. You’ll join our Infrastructure team, bringing your experience and proactive mindset to help strengthen cyber security and resilience across the organisation.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Monitoring and responding to cyber security threats, alerts and incidents, including supporting investigations and incident response.
• Managing vulnerabilities and working with colleagues to drive remediation and security improvements.
• Strengthening endpoint, identity and security controls across our environment.
• Helping secure Microsoft 365, Azure, Windows Server and Active Directory services.
• Contributing to cyber risk management, security policies, audits, assurance and Cyber Essentials Plus.
• Building cyber resilience and promoting security awareness and good practice across the organisation.
• Working with colleagues on security and technology projects that improve how we protect our systems, data and users.

What We’re Looking For

You don’t need to have experience in every technology or area listed in the job description. What’s important is that you bring practical cyber security experience, a good technical understanding and a proactive mindset. You’ll be confident investigating and resolving problems, understanding risks and contributing to security improvements.

Ideally, you’ll bring:

• Experience in a cyber security, infrastructure security or other security-focused technology role.
• Practical experience across areas such as security monitoring, vulnerability management, endpoint security, identity security or incident response.
• Knowledge of Microsoft enterprise technologies and associated security principles.
• An understanding of infrastructure security and how security controls apply across enterprise technology environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with an ability to identify risks and find practical solutions.
• The ability to communicate technical and security issues clearly to technical and non-technical colleagues.
• Curiosity, drive and a security-focused mindset, with a desire to keep learning, challenge where appropriate and improve how things are done.
• A collaborative and adaptable approach to working with colleagues across the organisation.

Why Join Us?

You’ll join a supportive team where you can use your existing experience across a broad range of cyber security activities and make a meaningful contribution to the security and resilience of the organisation.

We’re committed to developing our people, giving you opportunities to broaden your knowledge, take on new challenges and build on your experience, while helping protect the people, systems and data that underpin world-leading research.

If you’re passionate about cyber security, enjoy solving problems and have the drive and mindset to continually improve security, we’d love to hear from you.

Job Description

Main Purpose of Job

The postholder will play a key role in maintaining, monitoring and improving the organisation’s cyber security posture, helping to protect systems, data and digital services against evolving threats.

Working as part of the Infrastructure team, the postholder will contribute across cyber security operations, vulnerability management, cyber risk management, incident response, security assurance and infrastructure security.

The role combines hands-on technical security activities with governance and assurance responsibilities. The postholder will help apply secure-by-design principles across infrastructure, networks, cloud services and end-user computing.

The postholder will work with the IT management team, IT colleagues and users across the organisation to strengthen cyber security controls, support secure and resilient technology services, and promote security awareness and good practice.

Main Duties of Post Holder:

Cyber Security Operations

• Monitor and respond to cyber security threats, alerts and incidents across infrastructure, cloud services and end-user devices.
• Support security investigations, root cause analysis and remediation activities.
• Operate and help improve vulnerability management processes, working with IT colleagues and system owners to coordinate remediation.
• Support the administration, configuration and optimisation of security technologies, including endpoint detection and response, identity protection, network detection and host firewall technologies.
• Contribute to cyber incident response exercises and cyber resilience testing.
• Contribute to maintaining Cyber Essentials Plus and other security assurance requirements.

Security Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Support the development, implementation and ongoing improvement of information security policies, standards and procedures.
• Contribute to cyber risk assessments and maintenance of the cyber risk register.
• Support the monitoring of compliance with information security controls and organisational policies.
• Support internal and external security audits and assessments.
• Contribute to supplier security assurance activities.
• Support business continuity, disaster recovery and cyber resilience planning.

Endpoint, Identity and User Security

• Manage and maintain endpoint security controls using Microsoft Intune and related security technologies.
• Support the implementation and maintenance of security baselines, compliance policies, identity protection and access controls.
• Support operating system, application and security patching.
• Monitor endpoint security posture and support improvements to endpoint security controls.
• Contribute to cyber security awareness activities and promote secure working practices.

Infrastructure & Cloud Security

• Support the secure operation of Windows Server, Active Directory, Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure environments.
• Contribute to security hardening and the application of secure-by-design principles across infrastructure and cloud services.
• Contribute to the security of infrastructure, identity and access services.
• Support backup, recovery and resilience activities.
• Provide security input during infrastructure incidents, projects and service improvements.
• Work with Infrastructure team colleagues to identify and address security weaknesses within the technology environment.

Project & Service Improvement

• Contribute to cyber security and technology projects and service improvements within agreed objectives and timescales.
• Work with stakeholders to identify and implement practical security improvements.
• Contribute to technology strategy, operational improvement and organisational initiatives.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential:

• Diploma or degree in a technology or security-related discipline, or equivalent demonstrable experience.

Desirable:

• Relevant professional certification in cyber security, infrastructure, cloud or a related technology discipline.

Experience

Essential:

• Experience of working in a cyber security, infrastructure security or other security-focused technology role.
• Practical experience across areas such as security monitoring, vulnerability management, endpoint security, identity security or incident response.
• Experience of investigating and resolving technical or security issues.
• Experience of working collaboratively with technical colleagues and other stakeholders.

Desirable:

• Experience of improving cyber security controls or contributing to improvements in an organisation’s cyber security posture.
• Experience supporting security assurance, risk management, audit or compliance activities.
• Experience contributing to cyber security or technology improvement projects.

Skills - Cyber Security Operations

Essential:

• Knowledge and practical experience of security monitoring, endpoint protection and/or threat detection technologies.
• Knowledge of vulnerability management and remediation.
• Understanding of security patching and endpoint hardening.
• Experience of security incident investigation and root cause analysis.
• Awareness of relevant security and compliance requirements, including Cyber Essentials and data protection.

Desirable:

• SIEM technologies.
• Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
• Microsoft Defender for Identity.
• Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
• Network and firewall security technologies.
• Cyber resilience and disaster recovery activities.
• Cyber incident response exercises.

Skills - Microsoft Server and Cloud Technologies

Essential:

• Good working knowledge of Microsoft enterprise technologies and associated security principles.
• Knowledge of Windows Server and Active Directory or Microsoft Entra ID.
• Understanding of Microsoft 365 security and identity controls.
• Knowledge of endpoint management and security principles.

Desirable:

• Microsoft Azure.
• Microsoft Intune, including mobile application management and mobile device management.
• Conditional Access.
• Identity and Access Management.
• Group Policy.
• Experience of Windows Server and Active Directory security and hardening.
• Microsoft 365 security technologies.

Skills - Infrastructure Security

Essential:

• Understanding of infrastructure security principles and how security controls apply across enterprise technology environments.
• Ability to identify and investigate security issues affecting infrastructure, endpoints or cloud services.

Desirable:

• Experience of security hardening across infrastructure technologies.
• Knowledge of network security principles and technologies.
• Experience with backup, recovery and resilience technologies.

Skills - Automation & Scripting

Essential:

• Basic experience of scripting or automation for technical or security tasks.

Desirable:

• PowerShell scripting or experience developing task automation.

Skills - Operations & Service Management

Essential:

• Understanding of effective incident handling and working within controlled IT environments.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of ITIL-aligned service delivery.
• Experience of incident, problem and change management practices.

Skills – Personal Skills

Essential:

• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and manage own workload effectively.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• A methodical and accurate approach to work.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team.
• Ability to communicate technical and security issues clearly to technical and non-technical colleagues.
• Ability to produce clear technical documentation, procedures and reports.
• Self-motivated and adaptable, with the curiosity and drive to continue developing knowledge across cyber security, risk and assurance.

Desirable:

• Ability to work effectively with colleagues outside the Infrastructure team and contribute to wider organisational objectives.
• Ability to balance user and service requirements with security, governance and operational considerations.
• Confidence in delivering security advice or awareness information to colleagues.

Other Requirements

• Ability to travel on a regular basis between Hutton Campuses in order to ensure both sites Infrastructure is operating effectively.
• Willingness to provide reasonable support during significant cyber security incidents or service disruptions, where required.

Benefits Offered

• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - A confidential service available to support employees and their families with work or personal problems. Providing access to professional counsellors, psychologists, and work-life consultants available to help and support individuals in tackling all types of problems.
• Annual Leave – Generous entitlement up to 40.5 days a year, with carry over possible and guaranteed time-off for Christmas.
• Pension - Employer Contribution of 15% in a Personal Pension Plan and employee contribution flexibility.
• Self-managed hours and Flexible Working – option to manage and spread your working time in line with organisational needs to create a healthy work life balance.

Any applications that miss the deadline will not be considered.

Our Commitment to Equality and Diversity

We will not consider the use of 3rd party recruitment agencies for the sourcing of candidates for this position.

The James Hutton Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

The James Hutton Institute is a: Stonewall Diversity Champion; Athena SWAN Silver Status Holder; Disability Confident Committed Employer and a Living Wage Employer.

The James Hutton Institute is Happy to Talk Flexible Working.