Senior Security Engineer

The Senior Security Engineer will contribute to achievement of P&L objectives for the business through providing a single point of accountability for Technology & Operations deliverables. In this critical role the candidate will provide technical security leadership on multiple programs and security operations to ensure IT security best practices and IT compliance requirements are met for both industry and regulatory standards. The candidate will provide information security expertise for programs within any of the information systems disciplines and has the ability to provide IT security guidance to multiple technical teams. This individual will possess a thorough understanding of emerging technologies and our current business strategy and is able to offer and develop solutions. Maintains recognized expertise in hardware, software, and technology disciplines relevant to Ascend's IT security needs., * Collaborates with the Information Security Manager, Technology Engineers, IT Compliance, and cross-functional stakeholders to align security operations and controls with business objectives.

• Functions as the Ascend Learning Internal SOC Lead and liaison between the organization and one or more managed security service providers (MSSPs).
• Oversee daily SOC operations, ensuring alerts, detections, and incident tickets are triaged and resolved within defined SLAs and in accordance with approved processes and procedures.
• Act as a senior incident responder, participating in the Information Security on-call rotation and responding to after-hours security incidents and threat alerts.
• Lead and coordinate security incident response efforts, facilitating incident calls and driving effective collaboration across technology, infrastructure, and third-party teams.
• Provides technology security expertise and recommendations on strategies and tools for key programs and issues.
• Works directly with internal technology teams and external partners to communicate, prioritize, and execute security initiatives.
• Continuously improve SOC effectiveness by refining processes, enhancing detections, automating manual tasks, and identifying operational efficiencies.
• Assists with the implementation, configuration and operations of various security tools as required.

• High school diploma or GED required. Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, or a related field or equivalent professional experience preferred.
• 6+ years of professional experience in cybersecurity, network security, and/or infrastructure engineering.
• Incident Handler-focused certification (e.g., GCIH or equivalent) required.
• 5+ years of experience providing security incident support, managing or supporting SOC operations or managed SOC relationships, and improving detection and response capabilities. 3+ years of hands-on experience working with threat intelligence, including analysis and operational integration.
• 3+ years of operational experience in network security.
• 3+ years of experience administering SIEM, EDR/XDR, or SOAR (Splunk, Google SecOps, Cortex XSOAR, TORQ, CrowdStrike Falcon, SentinelOne, etc.).
• Demonstrated success developing, operating, leading and implementing security solutions and functions.
• Experience leading one or more security operations domains (e.g., incident response, detection engineering, threat intelligence, network security).
• Experience streamlining processes, automating manual tasks and using technical and non-technical solutions to solve complex problems.
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and capable of operating effectively in a fast-paced, evolving security environment.
• Demonstrated ability to remain calm under pressure while managing time-sensitive incidents and competing priorities.
• Strong leadership presence with excellent verbal and written communication skills; comfortable leading incident response efforts and cross-team coordination.
• Proactive mindset with the ability to anticipate risks, identify gaps, and implement practical solutions.
• Willingness and ability to flex between strategic leadership and hands-on technical execution as needed.

• Flexible and generous paid time off
• Competitive medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 401(k) employer matching program
• Parental leave
• Wellness resources
• Charitable matching program
• On-site workout facilities (Leawood, Gilbert, Burlington)
• Community outreach groups
• Tuition reimbursement

Fostering A Sense of Belonging

Our values-driven culture unifies our teams and inspires a mindset of action, innovation, and collaboration, with a relentless focus on customers. We seek out and celebrate all people and perspectives and cultivate an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and be authentic. Our culture is firmly rooted in the belief that by embracing our differences and drawing on diverse perspectives, we are a stronger, more innovative, and more successful organization where employees experience a sense of belonging.

Ascend Learning, a leading healthcare and learning technology company, is the connection between a powerful portfolio of brands serving students, educators, and employers with outcomes-based, data-driven solutions across the lifecycle of learning. From testing to certification, Ascend Learning products are used by physicians, emergency medical professionals, nurses, allied health professionals, certified personal trainers, financial advisors, skilled trades professionals and insurance brokers. Headquartered in Burlington, MA, with additional office locations and hybrid and remote workers in cities across the U.S., Ascend Learning was recognized by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group as one of America's 2025 Greatest Workplaces as well as America's Best Places to work for Mental Well-Being for 2025. We're always looking for talented, passionate professionals to join us in our mission to help change lives. If this sounds like an environment where you'd thrive, read on to learn more.