Cloud and Application Security Specialist

Azure Cloud and Application Security Specialist

Middletwn, Pennsylvania(Hybrid)

Video Interview

Long Term Contract

JD:

We are seeking a Cloud and Application Security Specialist to add to our team assisting the Client's Information Technology (IT) Department. The Client continues to grow its Microsoft Azure environment for its mission critical Information Technology (IT) systems and applications. As a result of this rapidly growing Azure cloud environment, the Client's IT Security team is in need of a Cloud and Application Security Specialist resource, preferably local to the client located in Middletown, PA, with a strong focus on Azure cloud and application security.

The Cloud and Application Security Specialist will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining security controls across the PTC's Microsoft Azure cloud environment. This role focuses on securing Azure Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), identity services, cloud-native applications, and supporting technologies through the implementation of security architectures, continuous monitoring, risk management, and compliance best practices. The Cloud and Application Security Specialist will work as a member of the PTC Cyber Security Team, reporting to the Cybersecurity Manager; and will work closely with Infrastructure, Networking, and Application Development teams to ensure Azure resources are deployed and maintained in accordance with the PA Turnpike security standards, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices. This position will serve as a subject matter expert for cloud security and plays a critical role in protecting cloud-hosted systems, sensitive data, and business-critical services from cyber threats and misconfigurations.

Our Cloud and Application Security Specialist will perform the following duties;
Azure Security Engineering:
- Design, implement, and maintain security controls across Microsoft Azure environments, including IaaS, PaaS, networking, storage, databases, and identity services.
- Develop and enforce Azure security baselines, governance standards, and cloud security architecture requirements.
- Implement and manage Azure Policy, Management Groups, Resource Locks, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Privileged Identity Management (PIM), and Conditional Access policies.
- Support the development and maintenance of secure Azure Landing Zones and cloud governance frameworks.
Cloud Threat Detection and Response:
- Administer and optimize Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Entra ID Protection, and other Azure-native security tools.
- Investigate cloud security alerts, suspicious activity, and indicators of compromise affecting Azure resources and workloads.
- Support cloud-focused incident response, containment, forensic analysis, and remediation activities.
- Develop and enhance cloud monitoring, detection, and alerting capabilities to improve threat visibility.
Cloud Security Assessments and Risk Management
- Conduct security assessments of Azure resources to identify vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and compliance gaps.
- Evaluate security risks associated with cloud deployments and recommend mitigation strategies.
- Support vulnerability management activities by reviewing cloud security findings and coordinating remediation efforts.
- Perform architecture reviews for new cloud services, applications, and infrastructure deployments.
Identity and Data Protection:
- Secure Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), authentication services, and privileged access management solutions.
- Implement and maintain least-privilege access models, identity governance controls, and multi-factor authentication requirements.
- Protect sensitive data through encryption, key management, data classification, and data loss prevention technologies.
- Assist with securing cloud-native databases, storage accounts, and application services.
Collaboration, Governance, and Compliance
- Develop and maintain cloud security standards, operational procedures, technical documentation, and implementation guides.
- Support cybersecurity audits, compliance assessments, and regulatory requirements related to cloud environments.
- Provide technical guidance and recommendations regarding Azure security architecture and cloud security best practices.

The Skills and Experience:

- Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field
- 3+ Years: Experience administering, engineering, or securing Microsoft Azure environments
- Strong understanding of Azure IaaS, PaaS, networking, identity management, storage services, and cloud security architecture
- Experience with Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Entra ID, Azure Policy, Azure RBAC, and cloud governance frameworks
- Knowledge of Zero Trust Architecture, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, CIS Benchmarks, and cloud security best practices
- Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and technical documentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

- Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500) is highly desired
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) is highly desired
- CISSP, CCSP, Security+, CySA+, or equivalent cybersecurity certifications is highly desired
- Experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Bicep, ARM Templates), Azure Landing Zones, or cloud automation is highly desired
- Experience securing Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure App Services, Azure SQL, and other cloud-native services is highly desired
- Experience supporting public sector, transportation, or critical infrastructure environments is highly desired