Cyber Security Engineer

Details
Reference number

438787

Salary

£38,443 - £43,934

Starting salary would be £38,443. with the maximum salary on

this scale being £43,934 subject to future COPFS pay awards.

All salaries are pro rata for part-time staff.

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Higher Executive Officer

D

Contract type

Permanent

Type of role

Information Technology

Working pattern

Full-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Edinburgh

About the job
Job summary

Information Services Division (ISD) delivers secure, resilient, and innovative IT services to support COPFS' business needs digital and cyber resilience strategies. As a Cyber Security Engineer, you will play a key role in protecting COPFS' IT infrastructure and digital systems.

Reporting to the Cyber Security Manager, you will provide expert guidance and hands-on support to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our technology environment. Working closely with the Cyber Security and Resilience Team and the Security Operations Centre (SOC), you will monitor and respond to security incidents, configure and manage advanced security tools, and conduct proactive threat hunting and breach simulations.

Job description

SCOPE OF THE ROLE

• Develop cyber security expertise and provide Subject Matter Expert guidance across COPFS' enterprise IT and digital systems
• Enhance ISD's operational and strategic capabilities in line with COPFS' cyber security and digital strategies
• Collaborate with internal technical teams and the Security Operations Centre (SOC) to ensure robust security configurations, monitoring and incident response
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of security tooling and processes to protect and defend against evolving cyber threats
• Provide expert advice and reporting to ISD Governance Groups and Boards

ROLE SPECIFIC DUTIES

• Provide expert security engineering support to the Cyber Security and Resilience Team
• Monitor and analyse IT security applications and systems for potential or actual breaches
• Collaborate with the Security Operations Centre (SOC) to identify, investigate, and respond to cyber incidents and alerts
• Log and report security alerts in the COPFS IT ticketing system, ensuring timely resolution in partnership with technical teams
• Configure, manage, and optimize security tools including Defender XDR, Sentinel, Security Copilot, Qualys, and SafeBreach
• Assist technical teams with incident response and remediation activities
• Continuously monitor the security posture of cloud-based and on-premises assets
• Assess and act on cyber threat intelligence to address emerging threats relevant to COPFS
• Conduct breach and attack simulation exercises to strengthen operational security
• Perform proactive threat hunting to detect tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) within COPFS systems
• Support regular tabletop and cyber security simulation exercises across the IT estate
• Compile and track monthly vulnerability remediation reports, ensuring timely follow-up with technical teams.
• Participate in security audits, health checks, and reviews of security applications

Person specification

You will be an analytical and detail-focused professional with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make confident decisions under pressure. You will bring experience in cyber security operations, including monitoring, incident response, and vulnerability management, along with an understanding of enterprise security tools and cloud security principles. Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential, as you will work closely with technical teams, the Security Operations Centre, and stakeholders across the organisation.

For the purposes of this exercise, you will be asked to provide examples and evidence against the following key Behaviours:

Making Effective Decisions (HEO)

Communicating and Influencing (HEO)

Experience

• Strong communications and interpersonal skills, with ability to present technical subject matter and communicate written and verbal communications with stakeholders
• Knowledge and experience of managing and responding to cyber security incidents in an enterprise or corporate environment
• An understanding and experience of enterprise IT networks, cloud environments, operating systems, information databases and applications systems, cyber protection and monitoring systems
• Knowledge of threat vectors and attack methodologies and an understanding of proactive security measures and mitigation techniques.

Technical

• Familiarity with security tools such as SIEM, WAF, IDS, Firewalls, Antivirus, DLP, IAM
• Knowledge of vulnerability scanning tools (e.g. Qualys, Nessus)
• Awareness of emerging cyber security trends and best practice
• Exposure to AI-driven security tools (e.g. Microsoft Security Co-Pilot) and workflow automation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,443, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service contributes £11,136 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We offer an excellent range of benefits which include:

• 25 days paid holiday public and privilege holidays (rising to 30 days paid holiday after 4 years).
• £5000 IT allowance
• Generous Civil Service Pension employer contribution, on average over 28.97% of your pay
• Flexible working hours and family friendly approach to work.
• Cycle to Work Scheme and Season Ticket Loans.
• Employee Wellbeing Support with Mental Health First Aiders and access to an Employee Assistance Programme.

Things you need to know
Selection process details

Please see application pack for full details

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .

See our vetting charter .

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants
Job contact :

• Name : Roberto Riaviz
• Email :

Recruitment team

• Email :

Further information

Please see application pack for full details

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