Sr. Research Systems Engineer (Data Security)

About the Role

Reporting to the Sr. Manager of Research Computing Services (RCS), the Sr. Research Engineer provides technical consultation to departmental research groups and IT teams to support and design on-premise secure research technology systems and services, new cloud implementations, research platforms, and data storage and transfer services. The Sr. Engineer designs, develops, and manages robust, scalable, and highly-available secure environments with a focus on meeting requirements for restricted research, including Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), Research Health Information, and other sensitive data. Compliance frameworks include Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-171, and HIPAA.

Responsibilities

• Administers and supports the on-premises Secure Data Enclave (SDE) platform across Windows and Linux environments, including patching and maintaining virtual machines, deploying and managing software, reviewing system logs, troubleshooting user-reported issues, and ensuring continuous adherence to security and compliance requirements.
• Collaborates with researchers, IT, and compliance teams to enable secure and efficient data use.
• Administers and manages Columbia’s Globus High Assurance Subscription, serving as the point of contact with Globus and CUIT support. Ensures full administrative capabilities on the Globus Connect server, including management console and usage reports, and develops documentation and training materials for CUIT support and end users.
• Provides consulting cloud services for researchers using Columbia-provisioned cloud services, including:
  • Overview of cloud service provider features.
  • Creation and initial configuration of images.
  • Software installation and license management.
  • Storage configuration.
  • Workflow planning for efficiency and cost optimization.
• Collaborates with researchers, embedded support personnel, and central IT teams (systems, operations, and security) to recommend and advise on AWS, GCP, and industry best security practices for cloud and on-prem enterprise infrastructure in a research environment.
• Takes a primary role in planning and designing new cloud research computing services.
• Recommends and advises on security best practices for applications and infrastructure throughout the research lifecycle.
• Manages design reviews and risk assessments for new applications integrating with core services.
• Considers cloud infrastructure, application design, and management/monitoring when implementing new cloud security services.
• Proactively represents RCS at campus or departmental events focused on research cyberinfrastructure, networking, and cloud.
• Regularly contributes to best practices documentation and knowledge transfer.
• Helps build curriculum and lead training workshops for researchers on public cloud, cloud-native technologies, and security research computing resources.
• Stays up to date with trends in the information security community, including new vulnerabilities, methodologies, and products.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and/or its equivalent required.
• Minimum 4-6 years of related experience.
• 4+ years of experience in security engineering, preferably in regulated or research environments.
• Advanced Linux administration (RHEL, Ubuntu).
• Experience with secure data environments, enclaves, or controlled-access systems.
• Familiarity with data privacy and compliance frameworks (e.g., HIPAA, IRB protocols).
• Knowledge of server operating systems, networking, system and network security.
• Experience in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Java).
• Knowledgeable in implementing automation through scripting (Python/Bash/Terraform) and utilizing third-party tools for migration and solution delivery.
• Familiarity with virtualization tools (e.g., VMware vSphere) and managing virtualized environments for on-premises server infrastructure.
• System administration experience with virtualization (ESXi, hypervisors, VDI deployment).
• Experience with technologies like Git, Terraform, and Docker.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Demonstrated excellence in teamwork/collaboration, analytical thinking, communication, influencing skills, and technical expertise.
• Ability to work with changing priorities and multiple projects.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work weekend and off-hour shifts on occasion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Computer Security, Information Systems, or a related field.
• 4+ years of experience in infrastructure engineering.
• 2+ years of security experience in a cloud-based infrastructure.
• Experience adopting security practices across an enterprise.
• Familiarity with NIST 800-53, NIST 800-171 (CUI), and HITRUST framework control requirements; hands-on experience with HIPAA Compliance for handling PHI.
• Understanding of system development in cloud environments, including Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
• Experience in architecture, migration, and deployment of on-prem applications in AWS/GCP and hybrid environments.
• Knowledge of attack vectors (malware, web application, social engineering) and attack surfaces (ports, firewalls, data processing, interfaces).
• Certifications in CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) preferred.