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Principal Cybersecurity Architect – Network Security Posture Management

Own the security posture strategy for IonQ's Network Security Posture Management platform, focusing on compliance and network security.

Location
Santa Clara, California, United States
Compensation
$248.6k–$325.4k/yr
Level
principal
Type
full time · Hybrid

Posted by employer 5 months ago

First seen on Joblaze 22 hours ago

Last verified on the company career page 22 hours ago

Apply at IonQ → Save job Scanned from ionq.com

What you'll build

  • Design and own the security posture assessment rule framework
  • Build and maintain a scalable rule authoring and lifecycle management system
  • Continuously monitor the evolving threat and compliance landscape
  • Define the risk scoring and prioritization model
  • Collaborate with platform engineering teams

Must have

  • 12+ years of experience in cybersecurity
  • 5+ years in a senior or principal capacity focused on network security posture
  • Deep, hands-on experience with NSPM platforms and tools
  • Comprehensive knowledge of major security standards and frameworks

Nice to have

  • Industry certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CCNP Security
  • Prior experience at a network security vendor or large enterprise security team
  • Familiarity with Zero Trust architecture principles
  • Experience contributing to or authoring security standards

Practical constraints

  • Travel: Up to 10%

Requirements

Experience
12+ years

Not disclosed in this posting: visa sponsorship.

Benefits

401k Match Unlimited PTO Health Insurance Parental Leave

Joblaze summary

The Principal Cybersecurity Architect at IonQ is responsible for developing and managing the security posture strategy for the Network Security Posture Management platform, focusing on the design of assessment rules that align with security standards. This role requires extensive experience in cybersecurity, particularly in NSPM, along with a strong grasp of compliance frameworks like NIST and ISO. Ideal candidates will have a senior-level background in network security and a proven ability to translate complex requirements into scalable solutions. IonQ's emphasis on innovation in quantum computing adds a unique dimension to the security challenges faced in this role.

Joblaze insights

  • Listed today — first seen on Joblaze October 3, 2026. Last confirmed on IonQ's careers page October 3, 2026.
  • This exact title is also open at 1 other location at IonQ: Santa Clara, California, United States.
  • Salary band is above the typical range for Security roles (median ~$170,000).
  • Starts above 77% of 22 comparable principal security roles in United States we track (median $220,400 across 11 companies).

Quick facts

Is the Principal Cybersecurity Architect – Network Security Posture Management role remote?
It's hybrid — IonQ expects some on-site time in Santa Clara, California, United States.
What's the salary range?
IonQ lists $248,557–$325,425 for this role.
How much experience is required?
At least 12 years of relevant experience for this Principal Cybersecurity Architect – Network Security Posture Management role.
Where is the role based?
IonQ is hiring for this position in Santa Clara, California, United States.
What's the tech stack?
Joblaze extracted these technologies from the posting: CIS Benchmarks, FISMA, FedRAMP, ISO 27001, NIST CSF.
What seniority level is this role?
IonQ targets principal-level candidates for this position.
Is this full-time or contract?
Full-time for this Principal Cybersecurity Architect – Network Security Posture Management role at IonQ.

From the original posting

About IonQ:

Location: Onsite or Hybrid in Santa Clara / Bay Area, CA
Travel: Up to 10%
Job ID:
1560

The Role:

We are looking for a Principal Cybersecurity Architect to own the security posture strategy for our Network Security Posture Management (NSPM) platform. You’ll work at the intersection of network security, compliance, and platform engineering — defining how the platform assesses, measures, and enforces security posture across large, heterogeneous network environments.

In this role, your primary focus is designing and codifying security posture assessment rules that map network device configurations and behaviors against established security standards — and building the framework that makes it easy to onboard new standards as they emerge. You bring deep NSPM expertise, a strong understanding of network security principles, and the ability to translate complex compliance requirements into actionable, automatable rules that operate at scale across thousands of devices.

Responsibilities:

  • Design and own the security posture assessment rule framework, defining how device configurations, network behaviors, and access controls are evaluated against security standards including NIST CSF, CIS Benchmarks, ISO 27001, FISMA, and FedRAMP.
  • Build and maintain a scalable rule authoring and lifecycle management system that allows new security standards and custom organizational policies to be onboarded, versioned, and deployed without platform re-architecture.
  • Continuously monitor the evolving threat and compliance landscape — translating emerging standards, regulatory changes, and new CVEs into updated posture assessment rules that keep the platform current and defensible.
  • Define the risk scoring and prioritization model that aggregates individual posture findings into a coherent, actionable security posture score at the device, segment, and enterprise level.
  • Collaborate with platform engineering teams to ensure posture assessment rules execute efficiently at scale across large network device fleets, with well-defined APIs for rule ingestion, evaluation, and results delivery.
  • Engage with enterprise customers and internal stakeholders to understand their compliance requirements, translating them into platform capabilities and serving as the authoritative security subject matter expert for the product.
  • Partner with Product and Engineering to shape the NSPM roadmap, ensuring security posture capabilities remain ahead of the regulatory curve and deliver measurable value to network security and compliance teams.
  • Mentor engineers and security analysts on posture rule design, threat modeling, and compliance mapping, establishing rigorous review processes that ensure accuracy and defensibility of every assessment rule shipped.

Requirements:

  • 12+ years of experience in cybersecurity, network security, or security architecture, with at least 5 years in a senior or principal capacity focused on network security posture, compliance, or policy enforcement at scale.
  • Deep, hands-on experience with Network Security Posture Management (NSPM) platforms and tools, with a demonstrable track record of designing and operationalizing posture assessment rules across large enterprise networks.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of major security standards and frameworks including NIST CSF, CIS Benchmarks, ISO 27001, FISMA, and FedRAMP, with the ability to interpret control requirements and translate them into precise, automatable assessment rules.
  • Strong understanding of network device security — including firewall policy analysis, routing protocol security, access control, and configuration hardening across multi- vendor environments (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, Fortinet).
  • Proven ability to operate across both strategic and technical dimensions — engaging executive stakeholders on compliance risk while working closely with engineering teams on rule design, data modeling, and platform integration.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Industry certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CCNP Security, or equivalent credentials that demonstrate deep, validated expertise in network security and information security management.
  • Prior experience at a network security vendor, MSSP, or large enterprise security team, with direct exposure to how security posture policies are enforced across complex, multi- vendor network infrastructures.
  • Familiarity with Zero Trust architecture principles and their practical application to network segmentation, device trust, and least-privilege access enforcement in enterprise environments.
  • Experience contributing to or authoring security standards, CIS Benchmark profiles, or DISA STIGs, or participation in industry working groups focused on network security policy and compliance.
  • Understanding of CVE lifecycle management, SBOM analysis, and vulnerability correlation as they apply to network device firmware and software supply chain risk assessment.

The approximate base salary range for this position is $248,557 - $325,425. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity, and a range of benefit options found on our career site.

Compensation will vary based on individual factors such as education, qualifications, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location, and calibration against relevant market data and internal team equity. Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Our benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401(k), unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, and a home technology stipend. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment.

Standard company text repeated across IonQ's postings is omitted here.

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