Security Engineer Resume examples & templates

Written by: 

Adam

Build Your Resume Now
Copyable resume examples

Copyable Security Engineer Resume examples

In a world where every 39 seconds a cyber attack occurs, Security Engineers stand as the vigilant guardians between organizational chaos and digital order. They're not just IT professionals with a security focus—they're the architects of resilience who blend technical expertise with investigative instinct to protect critical systems from increasingly sophisticated threats. Working in this field means living at the intersection of offensive thinking and defensive strategy, constantly anticipating how systems might be compromised before attackers discover those same vulnerabilities.

The landscape has shifted dramatically since 2020, with remote work environments expanding potential attack surfaces by nearly 300%. Gone are the days when security was an afterthought bolted onto existing systems. Today's Security Engineers are involved from day one of development cycles, embedding security principles into every layer of infrastructure. As AI-powered attacks become more prevalent (growing by 37% in just the last year), the profession demands continuous learning and adaptation. For those with the right mindset—part coder, part detective, part strategist—Security Engineering offers a career that will remain not just relevant but critically important as our digital dependencies continue to deepen.

Junior Security Engineer Resume Example

Ethan Morgan

Portland, OR | emorgan92@gmail.com | (503) 448-2176 | linkedin.com/in/ethanmorgantech

Entry-level Security Engineer with hands-on experience from internships and academic projects. Skilled in vulnerability assessment, security monitoring, and basic incident response. Completed Security+ certification and currently pursuing OSCP. Seeking to leverage technical skills and analytical mindset to protect organizational assets and contribute to a security-focused team.

EXPERIENCE

Junior Security Engineer | TechShield Solutions | Portland, OR | January 2023 – Present

  • Monitor and analyze security alerts using Splunk and QRadar, investigating approximately 27 potential incidents per week
  • Participate in vulnerability scanning using Nessus and assist in remediation tracking for 200+ company endpoints
  • Collaborate with IT staff to implement security patches and updates across Windows and Linux systems
  • Document security incidents and create weekly reports for management review

Cybersecurity Intern | Pacific Northwest Bank | Portland, OR | May 2022 – December 2022

  • Assisted in implementing multi-factor authentication for 120+ employees, reducing unauthorized access attempts by 94%
  • Helped conduct security awareness training for staff, improving phishing test success rates from 68% to 87%
  • Supported senior team members in log analysis and basic threat hunting exercises
  • Created documentation for common security procedures to improve team onboarding

IT Help Desk Technician | Portland State University | Portland, OR | September 2021 – May 2022

  • Resolved approximately 15-20 daily technical issues for students and faculty through phone and in-person support
  • Assisted with basic account security including password resets and access management
  • Identified and escalated potential security concerns to appropriate IT security personnel
  • Maintained detailed documentation of all support tickets in ServiceNow

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science | Portland State University | Portland, OR | 2022

  • Relevant coursework: Network Security, Computer Forensics, Ethical Hacking, Cryptography
  • Senior Project: Developed a network intrusion detection system using Snort and Python

CERTIFICATIONS

  • CompTIA Security+ (April 2022)
  • CompTIA Network+ (January 2022)
  • AWS Cloud Practitioner (July 2022)
  • Currently pursuing OSCP (expected completion: December 2023)

TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • Security Tools: Nessus, Wireshark, Metasploit, Burp Suite, Splunk, QRadar
  • Programming: Python, Bash scripting, SQL, some PowerShell
  • Systems: Windows, Linux (Ubuntu, Kali), basic macOS administration
  • Networking: TCP/IP, firewalls, VPNs, subnetting, DNS, DHCP
  • Other: Virtualization (VMware, VirtualBox), Git, Docker basics

PROJECTS

Home Security Lab | Personal Project

  • Built and maintain a home lab environment with virtualized systems for security testing and learning
  • Practice penetration testing techniques against deliberately vulnerable systems (DVWA, Metasploitable)
  • Experiment with intrusion detection systems and log analysis tools

Mid-level Security Engineer Resume Example

Michael Winters

Portland, OR • (503) 555-7219 • michael.winters@emaildomain.com
linkedin.com/in/michaelwinters • github.com/mwinters-security

Security Engineer with 5+ years of experience protecting enterprise systems and cloud infrastructure. Skilled in vulnerability management and threat detection with proven success reducing incident response time by 37%. Quick learner who thrives in fast-paced environments and bridges the gap between technical security requirements and business needs.

Professional Experience

Senior Security Engineer | TechDefend Solutions | April 2022 – Present

  • Lead security monitoring and incident response for 5 enterprise clients with combined assets of 4,300+ endpoints and 216 cloud instances
  • Implemented automated threat hunting procedures that reduced mean time to detect (MTTD) from 78 hours to 17 hours
  • Designed and deployed a custom SIEM integration that consolidated 6 disparate logging systems, saving $43K annually in licensing costs
  • Conducted 14 internal security assessments using Nessus, Burp Suite, and Metasploit, remediating 93% of critical vulnerabilities within SLA timeframes
  • Mentored 3 junior engineers through security certification process (all passed on first attempt)

Security Engineer | Velocity Financial Group | June 2020 – March 2022

  • Managed identity and access controls for 2,700+ users across hybrid cloud environment (AWS/Azure)
  • Collaborated with DevOps team to implement security gates in CI/CD pipeline, catching 27 critical vulnerabilities before production deployment
  • Created and maintained security documentation for SOC 2 compliance, contributing to successful audit with zero security findings
  • Performed bi-weekly vulnerability scans and coordinated remediation efforts with IT infrastructure team

Information Security Analyst | Northwest Healthcare Systems | August 2018 – May 2020

  • Monitored security events using Splunk and ArcSight SIEM platforms across 1,800+ endpoints
  • Responded to and documented security incidents according to HIPAA requirements
  • Executed phishing simulations that improved user security awareness by 41% over 12 months
  • Assisted in developing disaster recovery procedures for critical healthcare systems

Education & Certifications

Bachelor of Science, Computer Science | Oregon State University | 2018

Certifications:

  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) – 2022
  • Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) – 2020
  • AWS Certified Security – Specialty – 2021
  • GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC) – 2019

Technical Skills

  • Security Tools: Splunk, ArcSight, CrowdStrike, Nessus, Burp Suite, Metasploit, Wireshark
  • Cloud Security: AWS (GuardDuty, Security Hub, WAF), Azure Security Center, GCP Security Command Center
  • Compliance: NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS
  • Programming: Python, Bash, PowerShell
  • Technologies: Linux, Windows Server, Active Directory, Docker, Kubernetes

Projects & Additional Experience

  • Created open-source threat hunting scripts for AWS environments (450+ GitHub stars)
  • Volunteer instructor for local community college cybersecurity bootcamp (2021-present)
  • Presented “Practical Cloud Security for Small Teams” at PDX Security Meetup 2022

Senior / Experienced Security Engineer Resume Example

Michael Thompson

Boston, MA • (617) 555-4321 • mike.thompson@emailpro.net • linkedin.com/in/mikethompson-security

Professional Summary

Security Engineer with 8+ years of progressive experience designing and implementing enterprise-wide security solutions. Skilled in vulnerability management, network security architecture, and threat detection across diverse environments. Track record of reducing security incidents by 47% and streamlining compliance processes while mentoring junior team members. Known for translating complex security concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Experience

Senior Security Engineer – Atlantic Financial Group | Boston, MA | June 2020 – Present

  • Lead a team of 4 security engineers implementing comprehensive security controls across a hybrid cloud environment supporting 12,000+ users
  • Architected and deployed a zero-trust network framework that reduced the attack surface by 67% and cut incident response time from 4.2 hours to 38 minutes
  • Spearheaded migration from legacy SIEM to cloud-based solution, resulting in $287K annual savings and 3x increase in threat detection capabilities
  • Created and managed vulnerability management program, reducing critical vulnerabilities’ remediation time from 23 days to 6 days
  • Collaborate with DevOps teams to embed security into CI/CD pipelines, eliminating 91% of security-related deployment delays

Security Engineer – TechVision Systems | Cambridge, MA | March 2017 – May 2020

  • Designed and implemented multi-factor authentication for 300+ corporate applications, preventing credential-based attacks that previously cost ~$175K annually
  • Conducted 40+ security assessments and penetration tests, identifying and remediating critical vulnerabilities before production deployment
  • Built automated security scanning tools using Python that reduced manual review time by 72%
  • Led security incident response for a ransomware attack, successfully containing the threat and restoring operations within 18 hours (vs. industry avg of 3+ days)

Information Security Analyst – Nexus Healthcare | Providence, RI | January 2015 – February 2017

  • Managed endpoint security solutions for 2,800+ workstations across 7 hospital locations
  • Implemented and maintained security controls to ensure HIPAA compliance and protect PHI
  • Performed regular vulnerability scans and worked with IT teams to patch critical systems
  • Created security awareness training that improved phishing test pass rates from 61% to 94%
  • Documented security policies and procedures to satisfy regulatory audit requirements

Education & Certifications

Bachelor of Science, Computer Science – Northeastern University | Boston, MA | 2014

Certifications:

  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) – 2018
  • Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) – 2016, renewed 2022
  • AWS Certified Security – Specialty – 2019
  • GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) – 2015

Technical Skills

  • Network Security: Firewalls (Palo Alto, Cisco), IDS/IPS, VPNs, Zero Trust Architecture
  • Cloud Security: AWS, Azure, GCP security controls and best practices
  • Security Tools: Splunk, QRadar, CrowdStrike, Carbon Black, Tenable.io, Qualys
  • Compliance Frameworks: NIST, ISO 27001, SOC2, HIPAA, PCI DSS
  • Programming/Scripting: Python, Bash, PowerShell
  • Container Security: Docker, Kubernetes, Istio service mesh
  • Incident Response & Forensics: Timeline analysis, memory forensics, threat hunting
  • Authentication & Access Control: OAuth 2.0, SAML, IAM solutions, Privileged Access Management

Additional Experience

  • Co-led the Boston OWASP chapter meetups (2019-2021)
  • Guest lecturer for “Practical Network Security” course at Northeastern University
  • Presented “Building Security Automation that Actually Works” at BSides Boston 2022

How to Write a Security Engineer Resume

Introduction

Landing that dream Security Engineer job starts with a resume that proves you can protect digital assets better than Fort Knox guards gold. Your resume isn't just a list of jobs—it's your ticket past the gatekeepers and your first chance to demonstrate security mindset. Companies receive hundreds of applications for each security position, and most spend less than 30 seconds on initial resume screenings. That means you've got about as much time as it takes to exploit an unpatched vulnerability to make your impression count.

Resume Structure and Format

Keep your resume clean and scannable—just like well-written code. Cluttered, disorganized resumes suggest cluttered, disorganized security practices.

  • Stick to 1-2 pages (2 pages only if you have 7+ years of experience)
  • Use consistent formatting with clear section headings
  • Choose a simple, professional font (Arial, Calibri, Garamond)
  • Include plenty of white space—dense text is harder to scan than a 10,000-line log file
  • Save as PDF to preserve formatting (unless specifically asked for .docx)
Pro Tip: Think of your resume like a security report—clear, precise, and highlighting the critical vulnerabilities (or in this case, your critical skills) that need immediate attention.

Profile/Summary Section

Your summary is like the executive overview of a pentest report. It should capture attention fast and communicate your value proposition in 3-5 punchy sentences. Include your years of experience, specialization areas, and 1-2 standout accomplishments. For example:

Security Engineer with 4+ years implementing and maintaining enterprise-wide security solutions in financial services. Reduced security incidents by 37% through deployment of advanced SIEM architecture. Specialize in threat hunting, incident response, and cloud security posture management.

Professional Experience

This is where you prove you've been in the trenches. For each position, include:

  • Company name, location, your title, and dates (month/year)
  • Brief description of your role (1-2 sentences max)
  • 4-6 bullet points highlighting specific security accomplishments
  • Metrics wherever possible (attack surface reduction percentages, time-to-detect improvements, incidents managed)

Start each bullet with strong action verbs like "Implemented," "Detected," "Remediated," or "Architected." And remember—anyone can say they "worked on" a firewall. Be specific about what you actually did and the results you achieved.

Education and Certifications

In security, certs often carry more weight than degrees. List your most relevant and recent certifications first, followed by formal education. Include:

  • Certification name and issuing organization (CISSP, ISC²)
  • Date obtained or "Expected [Month Year]" for in-progress certs
  • Relevant coursework or specialized training
  • Academic degrees (include GPA only if it's impressive and you're early-career)

Keywords and ATS Tips

Most resumes hit an Applicant Tracking System before human eyes. To bypass this first layer of defense:

  • Include exact keywords from the job description (if they want "vulnerability management experience," use those exact words)
  • Don't try to game the system with invisible text or keyword stuffing—recruiters hate this more than false positives
  • Focus on technical skills relevant to the specific security role
  • Use standard security terminology rather than company-specific jargon

Industry-specific Terms

Sprinkle these throughout your resume to signal you speak the language:

  • Technical: SIEM, EDR, IDS/IPS, IAM, SOAR, pentest
  • Frameworks: NIST, ISO 27001, MITRE ATT&CK, CIS Controls
  • Compliance: GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOX
  • Methodologies: Threat modeling, risk assessment, secure SDLC

Common Mistakes

Even security pros make these resume blunders:

  • Focusing on job duties instead of security achievements
  • Listing tools without showing how you used them effectively
  • Including extremely outdated technologies (unless the job specifically requires them)
  • Being vague about your specific contributions to security projects
  • Neglecting to explain gaps or career transitions

Before/After Example

Before: "Responsible for firewall management and security monitoring."

After: "Optimized Palo Alto firewall ruleset, reducing false positives by 43% while strengthening perimeter defense against emerging threats. Led implementation of 24/7 security monitoring program that caught a critical zero-day exploit attempt within 18 minutes of initial compromise attempt."

Remember, your resume should tell the story of how you've built, defended, and fortified systems throughout your career. Make each word count—just like you make each security control count in your day-to-day work.

Soft skills for your Security Engineer resume

  • Cross-functional communication – able to translate complex security concepts to non-technical stakeholders without jargon
  • Incident response calm – maintaining clear thinking and methodical approaches during security breaches when others panic
  • Constructive pushback – tactfully challenging unsafe practices while maintaining working relationships
  • Team mentorship – sharing knowledge with junior analysts while respecting their input (I’ve learned plenty from fresh perspectives!)
  • Deadline prioritization – balancing urgent security patches against business impact considerations
  • Adaptability to shifting threat landscapes – quickly adjusting to new attack vectors without becoming overwhelmed

Hard skills for your Security Engineer resume

  • Penetration testing and vulnerability assessment (Metasploit, Burp Suite, Nessus)
  • SIEM implementation and management (Splunk, QRadar, LogRhythm)
  • Cloud security architecture for AWS/Azure environments
  • Security automation using Python and PowerShell scripting
  • Network security monitoring and threat hunting
  • IAM framework implementation and zero-trust architecture
  • Container security (Docker, Kubernetes)
  • CISSP, OSCP, or CEH certification
  • Incident response and digital forensics