Cybersecurity Engineer IV

Cybersecurity Engineer IV
Birmingham, AL / Charlotte, NC/ Atlanta, Georgia (hybrid- onsite 3 days per week)
4-6- month contract to hire
Pay Rate: $75.00 - $82.00per hr.

Our client is seeking a highly hands-on Cybersecurity Engineer to join a team responsible for securing all externally facing applications and services. This role focuses heavily on AWS infrastructure, Infrastructure as Code (Terraform), and automation (Python or equivalent languages), combined with deep involvement in web application security, API security, WAF, DNS, load balancing, and DDoS protection. This is not a "tweak existing code” role — it is a build-from-scratch infrastructure engineering role supporting enterprise-scale security platforms. The team is currently composed primarily of network engineers, and this hire will significantly strengthen Terraform and cloud infrastructure engineering capabilities.

Primary Responsibilities
AWS & Security Infrastructure Engineering

• Design, build, and maintain AWS-based security infrastructure.
• Support multi-tier cloud and hybrid architectures (AWS + on-prem).
• Build and operate secure infrastructure for externally facing applications.
• Manage infrastructure lifecycle: upgrades, patching, and continuous improvement.

Infrastructure as Code (Terraform – Core Focus)

• Build Terraform modules from scratch (not just modifying existing code).
• Design reusable, scalable Infrastructure-as-Code architectures.
• Integrate security, networking, and application infrastructure components.
• Own end-to-end Terraform module development and implementation.
• Troubleshoot Terraform state, dependencies, and deployments.

Automation & Development

• Develop automation scripts and tooling using Python or equivalent languages (e.g., .NET acceptable).
• Use AI tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot) as an accelerator, not a dependency.
• Build integrations between infrastructure, security tools, and cloud services.

Security Engineering & Operations

• Implement and manage WAF policies and protections.
• Support API security platforms (Noname / Akamai).
• Identify and remediate vulnerabilities in infrastructure and cloud environments.
• Support DDoS mitigation strategies and response activities.

Networking & Platform Support

• Support DNS infrastructure and security.
• Manage load balancing configurations for high-availability systems.
• Apply networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, routing, internet-facing architecture).

Collaboration & Operations

• Participate in daily scrum/standups (team transitioning toward Agile).
• Collaborate across infrastructure, application, security, and networking teams.
• Gather, document, and communicate technical findings and solutions.
• Act as a key technical contributor across multiple engineering domains.

Required Skills:

• High School Diploma or GED and ten (10) years of related post-secondary education and/or experience in Information Security and/or Information Technology
• Strong AWS infrastructure engineering experience (critical requirement)
• Hands-on Terraform experience with module development from scratch
• Strong programming/scripting ability (Python preferred; .NET or similar acceptable)
• Experience building infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code
• Security infrastructure experience in enterprise environments
• Ability to design and build systems, not just maintain or modify existing code

Preferred Skills

• Web Application Security experience
• API Security experience
• WAF technologies
• DDoS mitigation experience
• Vulnerability management
• Multi-tier cloud architecture experience
• CI/CD and DevOps experience

Bonus Skills

• Networking expertise (DNS, load balancing, TCP/IP, routing)
• Software development background
• Noname or Akamai API Security experience
• Enterprise / financial services environment experience