Overview
Hybrid
$125000
Full Time
Job Details
Vaco is working with a client in the Oil & Gas Industry that is seeking a Senior IT Application & Data Security Specialist in Houston, TX.
Job Summary
Senior Application & Data Security Specialist to support the development and execution of the enterprise data security and cyber resilience strategy. This role will focus on securing critical business applications, sensitive data, and supporting the organization’s readiness to withstand and recover from cyber disruptions. The ideal candidate will have deep experience in application security (with emphasis on DevSecOps and open-source environments), data protection (including SAP and cloud ecosystems), and disaster recovery/cyber resilience planning.
This position will work cross-functionally with Enterprise Architecture, Enterprise Applications, Data & AI, and Business Technology teams to ensure data is securely managed across the lifecycle. It will also align with Legal and Compliance teams to address data privacy, sovereignty, and regulatory obligations.
Responsibilities
Application & Open-Source Security
• Lead the design and implementation of secure SDLC and DevSecOps practices across application development teams
• Define security requirements and controls for applications developed using Python and other scripting languages
• Secure the use of open-source components, integrating automated tools such as SCA (Software Composition Analysis), SAST, and DAST
• Provide technical guidance to developers and business technologists, translating complex security risks into understandable and actionable items
• Partner with product owners and DevOps teams to embed security into CI/CD pipelines.
Data & SAP Security
• Collaborate with Enterprise Architecture, Data & AI, and SAP teams to design and implement data protection controls across on-prem and cloud environments
• Support the development of a comprehensive data security strategy, including classification, encryption, access control, and monitoring
• Ensure sensitive data within SAP and enterprise platforms is protected in accordance with business needs and regulatory requirements
• Conduct assessments to identify data security gaps and recommend mitigation strategies
• Align data and application security controls with relevant regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, SOX) and internal policies
• Contribute to internal audits and assessments, and support remediation of identified risks
Cyber Resilience & Disaster Recovery
• Develop a cyber resilience strategy focused on the protection and recovery of critical data assets
• Define architecture requirements and best practices for secure backup, recovery, and immutable storage
• Design and coordinate realistic disaster recovery drills to test the organization’s cyber resilience posture
• Evaluate DR and backup solutions for alignment with data criticality, RTO/RPO requirements, and cyber threat scenarios
Licenses/ Certifications
Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, SABSA, TOGAF, or AWS/Google Cloud Platform/Azure Security are a plus
Qualifications/Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related technical field
• Minimum 5 years of experience in application security, data protection, or cybersecurity roles
• Proven experience implementing DevSecOps practices and securing open-source environments, especially in Python-heavy ecosystems
• Strong understanding of SAP security, data classification, and cloud data protection controls
• Hands-on experience securing data platforms such as Databricks including integration with IAM, data masking, and encryption controls
• Familiarity with data lakehouse architectures, big data pipelines, and the unique security considerations of AI/ML environments
• Experience with data governance platforms (e.g., Collibra, Alation), AI/ML security, or Zero Trust for data pipelines
• Experience designing cyber resilience or disaster recovery strategies focused on critical data.
• Solid understanding of cybersecurity frameworks and standards (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001, CIS, MITRE ATT&CK)
• Ability to bridge the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders with strong communication and influence skills
• Participate in the security on-call rotation to provide timely support for cybersecurity operations and be available during nights or weekends as needed
• Strong project management experience, including developing plans, roadmaps and milestones
• Experience with project management tools like Azure DevOps, Jira, etc.
• Experience with SAST/DAST platforms
Job Summary
Senior Application & Data Security Specialist to support the development and execution of the enterprise data security and cyber resilience strategy. This role will focus on securing critical business applications, sensitive data, and supporting the organization’s readiness to withstand and recover from cyber disruptions. The ideal candidate will have deep experience in application security (with emphasis on DevSecOps and open-source environments), data protection (including SAP and cloud ecosystems), and disaster recovery/cyber resilience planning.
This position will work cross-functionally with Enterprise Architecture, Enterprise Applications, Data & AI, and Business Technology teams to ensure data is securely managed across the lifecycle. It will also align with Legal and Compliance teams to address data privacy, sovereignty, and regulatory obligations.
Responsibilities
Application & Open-Source Security
• Lead the design and implementation of secure SDLC and DevSecOps practices across application development teams
• Define security requirements and controls for applications developed using Python and other scripting languages
• Secure the use of open-source components, integrating automated tools such as SCA (Software Composition Analysis), SAST, and DAST
• Provide technical guidance to developers and business technologists, translating complex security risks into understandable and actionable items
• Partner with product owners and DevOps teams to embed security into CI/CD pipelines.
Data & SAP Security
• Collaborate with Enterprise Architecture, Data & AI, and SAP teams to design and implement data protection controls across on-prem and cloud environments
• Support the development of a comprehensive data security strategy, including classification, encryption, access control, and monitoring
• Ensure sensitive data within SAP and enterprise platforms is protected in accordance with business needs and regulatory requirements
• Conduct assessments to identify data security gaps and recommend mitigation strategies
• Align data and application security controls with relevant regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, SOX) and internal policies
• Contribute to internal audits and assessments, and support remediation of identified risks
Cyber Resilience & Disaster Recovery
• Develop a cyber resilience strategy focused on the protection and recovery of critical data assets
• Define architecture requirements and best practices for secure backup, recovery, and immutable storage
• Design and coordinate realistic disaster recovery drills to test the organization’s cyber resilience posture
• Evaluate DR and backup solutions for alignment with data criticality, RTO/RPO requirements, and cyber threat scenarios
Licenses/ Certifications
Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, SABSA, TOGAF, or AWS/Google Cloud Platform/Azure Security are a plus
Qualifications/Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related technical field
• Minimum 5 years of experience in application security, data protection, or cybersecurity roles
• Proven experience implementing DevSecOps practices and securing open-source environments, especially in Python-heavy ecosystems
• Strong understanding of SAP security, data classification, and cloud data protection controls
• Hands-on experience securing data platforms such as Databricks including integration with IAM, data masking, and encryption controls
• Familiarity with data lakehouse architectures, big data pipelines, and the unique security considerations of AI/ML environments
• Experience with data governance platforms (e.g., Collibra, Alation), AI/ML security, or Zero Trust for data pipelines
• Experience designing cyber resilience or disaster recovery strategies focused on critical data.
• Solid understanding of cybersecurity frameworks and standards (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001, CIS, MITRE ATT&CK)
• Ability to bridge the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders with strong communication and influence skills
• Participate in the security on-call rotation to provide timely support for cybersecurity operations and be available during nights or weekends as needed
• Strong project management experience, including developing plans, roadmaps and milestones
• Experience with project management tools like Azure DevOps, Jira, etc.
• Experience with SAST/DAST platforms
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