Data Security Specialist II

About the role

We are looking for a Data Security Specialist II to support enterprise data protection efforts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This long-term contract position focuses on strengthening security governance, assessing risk, and helping ensure appropriate access controls and policy compliance across systems and data assets. The ideal candidate will combine hands-on security knowledge with strong analytical judgment to advise stakeholders, improve safeguards, and promote security awareness throughout the organization.

Responsibilities

• Develop, refine, and help enforce information security policies, standards, and procedures that protect enterprise systems, files, and sensitive data.
• Review security controls and perform audits to verify compliance, identify weaknesses, and recommend corrective actions.
• Investigate suspected or confirmed security incidents and violations, document findings, and support appropriate response measures.
• Assess emerging technologies and evolving threats, then provide practical recommendations for policy updates or security enhancements.
• Identify gaps in current data protection practices and propose new controls to address business growth, operational changes, or regulatory needs.
• Prepare risk assessments and deliver clear briefings to management on security exposures, priorities, and potential business impact.
• Evaluate security tools, services, and process improvements to increase effectiveness, reduce risk, and support operational productivity.
• Lead or support security awareness initiatives by educating employees on policies, best practices, and responsible data handling.
• Partner with cross-functional teams involved in systems analysis, application development, and database environments to strengthen security requirements and controls.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Approximately 3–5 years of broad IT experience, including exposure to systems analysis, application development, or database design and administration.
• Around 3–4 years of direct experience in information security or data security functions.
• Working knowledge of security concepts, risks, and control practices across multiple computing platforms and enterprise environments.
• Experience creating, reviewing, or auditing security policies, procedures, and compliance-related documentation.
• Ability to perform risk assessments, analyze security issues, and communicate critical findings to technical and business stakeholders.
• Familiarity with security incident handling, policy enforcement, and remediation planning.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to deliver training or awareness guidance on security practices.