CYBERSECURITY ENGINEERING – PENETRATION TESTING & SIEM INTEGRATION

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION: Cybersecurity Engineering – Penetration Testing & SIEM Integration
DURATION: Long term
Client:  HHSC
Location: Austin, TX – Onsite

Additional job details and special considerations

HHSC ITSAC – Software Developer III

(Cybersecurity Engineering – Penetration Testing & SIEM Integration)

Position Summary

The Software Developer III will serve within the HHSC Chief Information Security Office (CISO) to design, develop, and support cybersecurity engineering solutions that enhance penetration testing capabilities, security automation, and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) integrations. This role will focus on building secure APIs, automation scripts, and tool integrations that enable scalable security testing, continuous monitoring, and data-driven threat detection across HHSC environments.

The position requires strong software development expertise combined with hands-on cybersecurity engineering skills, including Kali Linux server deployment, penetration testing toolchain support, SIEM data ingestion, and security automation scripting.

This role directly supports HHSC’s Zero Trust, continuous monitoring, and security operations modernization initiatives.

Primary Responsibilities

Security Engineering & Development

• Design and develop secure software components, APIs, and microservices to support penetration testing workflows and security automation.

• Build custom integrations between penetration testing platforms, vulnerability scanning tools, and enterprise SIEM platforms.

• Develop data ingestion pipelines to normalize and forward security telemetry into Splunk and other SIEM platforms.

• Create automation scripts to orchestrate security testing, evidence collection, and reporting processes.

• Support integration of security testing results into governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) platforms.

Penetration Testing Enablement

• Build and maintain Kali Linux-based penetration testing infrastructure, including virtualized and cloud-hosted environments.

• Configure and manage penetration testing toolchains, frameworks, and supporting services.

• Develop custom exploit scripts, test harnesses, and proof-of-concept code to validate security findings.

• Support red team and application penetration testing engagements through automation and tool development.

SIEM & Security Operations Integration

• Develop APIs and connectors to integrate security tools with enterprise SIEM platforms.

• Implement log parsing, enrichment, and normalization logic to improve detection fidelity.

• Automate alert enrichment, correlation, and reporting workflows.

• Collaborate with CSOC teams to align development efforts with detection and monitoring requirements.

Scripting & Automation

• Develop scripts using Python, PowerShell, Bash, or similar languages to automate security operations and testing processes.

• Implement CI/CD pipelines for security tooling and integration code.

• Maintain version control repositories and documentation for developed solutions.

Security & Compliance Alignment

• Ensure developed solutions comply with HHSC security standards, DIR security control requirements, and NIST-based frameworks.

• Participate in architecture reviews, risk assessments, and technical design sessions.

• Produce technical documentation, configuration guides, and operational runbooks.

Required Qualifications – Software Developer III

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field (or equivalent experience).

• 3–5 years of professional software development experience.

• Proficiency in one or more programming languages: Python, Java, JavaScript, or C#.

• Experience developing REST APIs and integrating enterprise platforms.

• Hands-on scripting experience (Python, Bash, PowerShell).

• Experience deploying and administering Linux systems.

• Familiarity with SIEM platforms (Splunk, Sentinel, or equivalent).

• Knowledge of cybersecurity fundamentals and secure coding practices.

Additional Qualifications – Software Developer III

• 5–8 years of professional software development experience.

• Advanced experience building security automation and platform integrations.

• Hands-on experience with penetration testing tools and Kali Linux environments.

• Experience developing security data pipelines and SIEM integrations.

• Experience with containerization and virtualization (Docker, VMware, cloud-hosted labs).

• Ability to design scalable and resilient security tool architectures.

• Experience working in regulated or government environments preferred.

Preferred Certifications

• OSCP, CEH, or equivalent penetration testing certification.

• Splunk Certified Developer or SIEM integration experience.

• Security+, CISSP, or equivalent security certification.

• Linux administration certification.

Key Competencies

• Secure software development

• API and systems integration

• Security automation and orchestration

• Penetration testing toolchain engineering

• SIEM and log pipeline development

• Linux server administration

• Technical documentation and collaboration

II.  CANDIDATE SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS