Security Operations Lead

Position Overview

• Location Type: Hybrid (San Francisco Bay Area, with monthly travel to Oakland)
• Job Type: Full-time
• Salary: Not specified

Earnest is dedicated to making higher education accessible and affordable. We provide tools for student loan management, scholarships, and refinancing. The Security Operations Lead will oversee the company's security monitoring and incident response operations. This role involves leading the development of detection logic, responding to security events, managing threat intelligence, and mentoring junior team members.

Requirements

• Experience: 8+ years of cybersecurity operations experience.
• Leadership Experience: 2+ years in a formal leadership or program ownership role (SOC, IR, etc.).
• Cloud Expertise: Expertise in modern cloud environments (e.g., AWS), Kubernetes, Linux, and SaaS applications.
• Tool Proficiency: Proficient in tools such as SIEM, EDR/XDR, SOAR, IDS/IPS, vulnerability scanners, and threat intel platforms.
• Industry Experience: Experience responding to security incidents in regulated industries (e.g., fintech, healthcare).
• Communication & Leadership: Strong communication and leadership skills, including the ability to lead complex incidents and present findings to executive audiences.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Knowledge of regulatory standards such as SOC 2, GLBA, SOX, NY DFS, etc.
• Certifications (Preferred): GCIH, GCIA, GCFA, GREM, or CISSP.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Earnest’s security monitoring and incident response operations, ensuring rapid detection and containment of threats.
• Lead the development and tuning of detection logic, response workflows, and vulnerability management across the cloud-native environment.
• Serve as incident commander during security events, coordinating cross-functional teams and managing communications with key stakeholders.
• Manage the threat intelligence program and proactively conduct threat hunting based on emerging indicators and TTPs.
• Partner with engineering, infrastructure, and compliance teams to embed security into day-to-day operations and maintain audit readiness.
• Mentor and guide junior team members, helping to build a resilient, high-performing security operations function.

Even Better (Bonus Skills)

• Experience in fintech or another highly regulated environment.
• Background in digital forensics, malware analysis, or adversary emulation.
• Familiarity with frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK or OSC&R.

Company Information

Earnest is committed to empowering students with financial support and supercharging their ability to pay down their debt.

Application Instructions

• Not specified in the provided text. (Please refer to Earnest's career website for application details).