Cybersecurity Specialist

Cybersecurity Specialist

Non-Union Position
Security Operations and Identity Access Management; Portland, Oregon (US-OR)

Hybrid schedule available for Oregon & Washington residents.
Regular FT, Exempt
Posting # 5743

About Us:

At NW Natural, we offer more than rewarding career opportunities and a vibrant, inclusive work culture. We invite you to join us in providing safe and reliable utility services and renewable energy to better the lives of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be the leader in service excellence, innovation and environmental stewardship for our customers, while building on our strengths as a trusted energy provider and environmental leader for our industry.

In addition to environmental stewardship, we’re also deeply committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at NW Natural. Our DEI Council started 21 years ago, and today we continue to foster a culture where all employees can experience a sense of belonging, shared purpose and possibility.

NOTE:

This hybrid position is based at our headquarters in downtown Portland, Oregon. Candidates must reside within commuting distance of the office or be willing to relocate to the Portland metropolitan area. Employees are required to work onsite Tuesdays through Thursdays each week, with remote work flexibility on Mondays and Fridays, subject to business needs. This schedule supports collaboration, connection, and team engagement while providing flexibility for focused remote work.

Position Summary:

You’ll be a member of the Security Operations Team and collaborate with our team on projects and operational work, as part of our security program, focusing on vulnerability management. This a key role in a technology organization maturing its processes and modernizing its technology and you will work closely with Network, Cloud, and other technical teams.

The primary purpose of this position is to ensure Information Technology & Services (IT&S) Department is compliant with state and federal regulations by identifying, evaluating, prioritizing, monitoring, and reporting on the effectiveness of operational controls within Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) environments. Your responsibilities would include people, process, and technology.

This position will be based at our office in downtown Portland, OR.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Vulnerability Management

• Identify new vulnerabilities in our environment using tools such as Windows Defender, Nessus Professional, Tenable, System Center Configuration Manager, Dragos, and Intune
• Evaluate and prioritize vulnerabilities
• Monitor vulnerability remediation to confirm compliance with defined timelines
• Develop reports on vulnerabilities in order to identify trends and communicate changes
• Provide subject matter expertise to both project teams and operational teams
• Implement vulnerabilities management best practices
• Conduct false positive validation
• Work with managed service providers to implement new configurations, apply product/content updates, and inform the analysis of security alerts with vulnerability management context
• Develop routine processes and scripts for identifying and remediating issues with software agents
• Troubleshoot issues in vulnerability management tools (e.g., scan engines down, agents not reporting to console, credential failures)
• Conduct periodic health checks
• Own remediation tracking process
• Manually validate vulnerabilities and remediation
• Develop and report on key performance indicators to show the effectiveness of our vulnerability management processes as well as our managed service provider

Security Consulting

• Research, evaluate, design, test, recommend, plan, implement, and administer new or updated security technologies.
• Collaborate on projects with staff and vendors to ensure that security issues are addressed throughout the project lifecycle.
• Review system designs and identify areas for security improvements, including cloud and network systems.
• Provide ad hoc consulting on tactical security topics.
• Develop and revise cybersecurity policies and standards.

Security Monitoring and Incident Response

• Review alerts from security monitoring tools.
• Respond to security incidents, including leading the response for smaller incidents.
• Apply NW Natural context to potential incidents to better understand them.
• Liaise between incident response leads and subject matter experts.
• Research and assess new threats and vulnerabilities.
• While the security monitoring and incident response responsibilities mean that there is an after-hours component to this role, typically it is less than one hour per week.

General

• Evaluate security risks and their impact to NW Natural.
• Create technical documentation for other analysts and teams.
• Present technical solutions or recommendations to peers and leadership and provide updates on technical issues.
• Provide training to less experienced team members and colleagues

Qualifications:

• Minimum five years of information security experience. Additional years of experience and demonstrated knowledge and complexity of assignments or experience required for level 3.
• Bachelor’s degree in information security, related industry certifications, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• ITIL Foundations certified or successful completion within 90 days of starting.
• US Citizenship required.

Technical Competency

• A solid understanding of network and information security priorities, protocols, and concepts.
• Scripting knowledge (e.g., PowerShell, Python, or Bash).
• In-depth knowledge of information security principles and considerable practical experience.
• Technical knowledge of mainstream Windows and Linux operating systems, complex applications, identity and access management technologies, SIEM, or endpoint security solutions.

Occupational Personality

• You’ll interact with NW Natural's personnel at various levels to understand business imperatives.
• Strong technical communication skills will be key to your success. Your written and verbal communication skills will help you succeed, as will your ability to communicate security concepts and situations to audiences with varying levels of familiarity with these concepts.
• Leadership abilities with the capability to direct other technical staff on security initiatives and guide team members.
• You’ll get to work with minimal supervision. Strong analytical skills to analyze security requirements and relate them to appropriate security controls.
• Your ability to manage expectations appropriately will help and build long-term relationships.
• You’ll remain current with industry trends and evolving threats.

What we offer:

Health & Wellness –

• Rich health insurance benefits with competitive employer contribution
• Free access to an online wellness resources platform

Work Life Balance -

• Up to 23 Vacation Days
• 80 Hours of Sick Time
• 10 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays
• 3 weeks paid parental leave
• Be part of a workplace where your voice matters. Engage with our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council, and a variety of Employee Resource Groups that support community and growth.
• 1500 sq foot exercise facility and secure bike room

Financial -

• Meaningful annual incentive bonus opportunity in addition to base salary
• Competitive 401K company contribution and match
• 15% discount on NW Natural stock through Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Up to $5250 a year in tuition reimbursement
• Wellness incentive program

Discounts -

• 20% off natural gas service
• Up to 30% discount at NW Natural Appliance Center
• TriMet Pass for all HQ employees
• Generous discounts with Verizon & AT&T Wireless

Base salary range: $88,700.00 - $126,350.00 (Level 2) or $110,250.00 - $157,100.00 (Level 3) per year, depending on qualifications

Annual Target Incentive: Level 2, 9.5% target
Level3, 12.0% target
Targets are calculated using eligible earnings during plan year participation. Payout, if earned, is based on company and individual performance for each plan year and may range from 0% – 200% of target. Targets are subject to change in subsequent plan years. Must be employed by September 30 in order to receive any prorated payout.

Application Process: To be considered for this position, submit a complete electronic application including cover letter and resume via our website.

Deadline: 10/27/26

Disclosure: We are a drug free workplace and we comply with Federal Drug Free Workplace Act and Department of Transportation regulations. NW Natural participates in E-Verify. Individuals hired will have their Form I-9 information submitted to E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility.

E-Verify Information
NW Natural participates in E-Verify. Individuals hired will have their Form I-9 information submitted to E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility.

All applications must be submitted through NW Natural’s Electronic Application System. Resumes submitted via email, fax or mail will not be accepted in lieu of an electronic application.

NW Natural is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and embrace our candidates’ diversity and take affirmative action to employ and advance individuals without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth or related medical conditions), national origin, marital status, genetic information, and all other legally protected characteristics. We forbid discrimination and harassment in the workplace based on any protected status or characteristic. A criminal history is not an automatic bar to employment with NW Natural. Instead, we make individualized assessments regarding qualifications and backgrounds. NW Natural is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation as part of the application process, please contact us at View email address on aiapply.co or View phone number on aiapply.co.

NW Natural does not accept unsolicited submissions or assistance from search firms for posted positions. Resumes submitted by search firms working under a valid and current written contract with NW Natural valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from NW Natural HR/Employment will be deemed the sole property of NW Natural. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by NW Natural as a result of the referral or through other means.