AWS IT Security Specialist (Intermediate)

We are looking for an Intermediate AWS IT Security Specialist to support the design, implementation, and maintenance of security controls within our AWS cloud environments. The successful candidate will collaborate with DevOps, Infrastructure, and Application teams to secure cloud-native services, enforce security best practices, and help maintain regulatory compliance. This role is ideal for someone with strong foundational experience in AWS and cybersecurity who is ready to grow into a more advanced role.

Key Responsibilities:
Cloud Security Operations:

• Monitor and maintain security posture across AWS accounts using native tools such as AWS GuardDuty, CloudTrail, Config, and Security Hub.
• Conduct regular audits of IAM policies, roles, and groups to ensure least privilege access and secure authentication practices (e.g., MFA, federated access).
• Perform vulnerability assessments and remediation using tools such as AWS Inspector, Tenable, or equivalent.
• Respond to security incidents in AWS environments, including investigation, containment, and reporting.

• Assist in the implementation of AWS security controls in accordance with industry frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001/27017/27701, and GDPR.
• Support compliance and governance initiatives by maintaining documentation and conducting security reviews.
• Develop and maintain AWS security automation scripts using Python, Bash, or Terraform.

• Participate in architecture reviews to ensure new services or features are securely designed and deployed.
• Implement and manage security groups, network ACLs, and VPC configurations to enforce secure connectivity.
• Work with application and DevOps teams to apply security best practices in CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure as code (IaC).

• Centralize and analyze AWS logs using tools such as Amazon CloudWatch, Elasticsearch (OpenSearch), or third-party SIEM platforms (e.g. Datadog).
• Configure alerts and dashboards for security-related metrics and anomalies.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related field; or equivalent professional experience (5 yrs).
• 2–5 years of experience in IT Security, with at least 1–2 years in securing AWS environments.
• Solid understanding of AWS core services (EC2, S3, RDS, IAM, Lambda, VPC, CloudFront).
• Experience with AWS security services (GuardDuty, Security Hub, Inspector, KMS, etc.).
• Familiarity with IAM best practices, key management, and encryption standards.
• Knowledge of TCP/IP networking, firewalls, VPNs, and DNS in cloud environments.
• Proficiency in scripting or automation (Python, Bash, or Terraform preferred).

• AWS Security Specialty or Solutions Architect Associate/Professional certification.
• Experience with DevSecOps or integrating security in CI/CD pipelines.
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks like NIST / GDPR.
• Experience using SIEM tools (e.g., Datadog) and endpoint protection platforms.
• Understanding of container security (ECS, EKS, Docker).

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to work collaboratively across cross-functional teams.
• Detail-oriented with a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating risks.
• Work independently and ability to take initiative with given projects.