Principal Cybersecurity Engineer
PacBio | Menlo Park, CA | Onsite
OPPORTUNITY
PacBio's long-read sequencing platforms help scientists and clinicians resolve genetically complex problems in human health, agriculture, and basic research. The information we protect, including human genomic data, proprietary chemistry and instrument designs, and the research of the customers who trust our platforms, is among the most sensitive that exists.
We are seeking a Principal Cybersecurity Engineer to strengthen and mature PacBio's security program.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As Principal Cybersecurity Engineer, you will own security architecture and engineering end to end across PacBio's network, storage, high-performance computing (HPC), and cloud environments. You will design and implement controls, harden the systems we run, and ensure those controls stand up to auditors, customers, and attackers alike.
You will serve as the technical lead for PacBio's ISO 27001 certification and for security-related SOX IT general controls, translating requirements into practical, well-evidenced controls that fit how our scientists, engineers, and operations teams work.
This senior individual contributor role reports to the Head of Information Technology and sets the technical direction for cybersecurity at PacBio. This role requires comfort moving between hands-on engineering, architecture, audit, and executive communication, and the ability to lead across IT, R&D, Software Engineering, Operations, and Finance without direct authority.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Security architecture and roadmap: Define and own PacBio's security architecture, standards, and multi-year engineering roadmap across enterprise, HPC, and cloud environments. Prioritize work based on risk and track progress with clear, measurable outcomes.
- ISO 27001 certification: Serve as technical lead for PacBio's ISO 27001 program. Help define ISMS scope, conduct risk assessments, implement and evidence Annex A controls, maintain the Statement of Applicability, and lead preparation for internal, certification, and surveillance audits.
- SOX IT general controls: Own security-related ITGCs for financially significant systems, including logical access, privileged access, change management, and logging and monitoring. Partner with Finance, Internal Audit, and external auditors on control design, testing, evidence, and timely remediation of deficiencies.
- Network security: Own the security design of PacBio's networks, including segmentation, firewalls, secure remote and zero-trust access, wireless, and DNS and email security.
- Storage, data protection, and resilience: Secure large-scale research and enterprise storage through access controls, encryption, and data classification. Design and regularly test controls that allow PacBio to prevent, contain, and recover from disruptive cyberattacks, including immutable backups, recovery testing, and containment playbooks.
- HPC and cloud security: Secure the HPC clusters and cloud environments (AWS, Azure, and/or GCP) that support sequencing data analysis and R&D, including identity and privilege design, workload isolation, posture management, and security enforced through infrastructure as code.
- Device and server hardening: Define and enforce secure configuration baselines (e.g., CIS Benchmarks) for Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints and servers, hypervisors, network devices, and IoT devices. Drive configuration compliance monitoring, vulnerability management, and patching with infrastructure and IT teams.
- Identity and access: Strengthen identity and access controls across the enterprise, including SSO, MFA, privileged access management, and periodic access reviews.
- Threat detection and response: Own EDR, SIEM, and MDR capabilities and the vendor relationships behind them. Tune detections for fidelity and coverage, lead response to significant security incidents, and run tabletop exercises and post-incident reviews.
- Connected instruments and manufacturing: Partner with R&D, Product Security, and Operations to secure connected sequencing instruments, IoT devices, and manufacturing and lab networks without disrupting production.
- Automation: Automate security controls, audit evidence collection, and remediation using Python, Terraform, Ansible, or similar tools to make compliance continuous rather than periodic.
- Customer and vendor assurance: Lead technical responses to customer security questionnaires and reviews, and assess the security posture of key vendors and service providers.
- Technical leadership and communication: Mentor IT and engineering staff on secure practices, direct the work of security vendors and contractors, and clearly communicate risk, priorities, and progress to engineers, executives, and auditors.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 12 or more years of experience in cybersecurity engineering, security architecture, or infrastructure security, including 5 or more years as a senior technical lead or architect responsible for security across enterprise environments.
- Demonstrated experience as a technical lead for an ISO 27001 implementation, certification, or surveillance audit.
- Experience designing, operating, and evidencing SOX IT general controls in a public company.
- Deep, hands-on expertise in network security architecture, including segmentation, next-generation firewalls, VPN/ZTNA, and secure remote access.
- Proven experience securing enterprise and research storage, Linux-based HPC environments, and at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
- Hands-on experience hardening servers, endpoints, network devices, and IoT devices using CIS Benchmarks or equivalent baselines, supported by configuration management and vulnerability management tools.
- Hands-on experience with modern EDR platforms (e.g., CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Microsoft Defender) and SIEM, including leading security incidents end to end.
- Proficiency in scripting and automation (Python, PowerShell, or Bash) and infrastructure as code (Terraform, Ansible).
- Working knowledge of security frameworks such as NIST CSF, NIST SP 800-53, CIS Controls, and SOC 2.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to explain risk clearly and influence engineers, executives, and auditors without direct authority.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with secure software development practices, including secure SDLC, threat modeling, and integrating SAST, SCA, secrets scanning, and container security into CI/CD pipelines.
- Experience in life sciences, genomics, biotech, medical devices, or another regulated industry, including protecting genomic or health data under HIPAA, GDPR, or CCPA/CPRA.
- Experience securing connected devices, embedded systems, or OT and manufacturing environments.
- Experience applying AI and LLM-driven automation to security operations, with appropriate human oversight and guardrails.
- Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CCSP, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer or Lead Auditor, GIAC, or a cloud security certification.
Candidates must have current authorization to work in the United States without the need for present or future sponsorship.
Non-Field Based Employees are required to be onsite Monday-Thursday (Friday work from home). Depending on the role, some employees may be required to be 100% onsite.
You may be required from time to time to visit and work at PacBio locations and for such times as the Company considers necessary for the proper performance of your duties.
All listed tasks and responsibilities are deemed as essential functions to this position; however, business conditions may require reasonable accommodations for additional tasks and responsibilities.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
#LI-Onsite
Salary Range:
$195,900.00 - $293,900.00
To all Staffing and Recruiting Agencies: Our Careers Site is only for individuals seeking a job at PacBio. Staffing and recruiting agencies and individuals being represented by an agency are not authorized to use this site or to submit profiles, applications or resumes, and any such submissions will be considered unsolicited. PacBio does not accept unsolicited resumes or applications from agencies. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, PacBio employees or any other company location. PacBio is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/applications.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact us at 650-521-8000, or careers@pacificbiosciences.com for assistance.
Visit our following pages for more information on:
Beware of Recruitment Fraud
Please be aware of employment scams where people or entities misuse PacBio’s name, or the names of PacBio employees, to post fake job advertisements or make fake job offers.
PacBio will never extend a job offer without a personal interview and will never charge any money for joining our company. All current job openings are displayed on the Careers page of our official website.
If you see a job posting that is not on the PacBio official website, or have been approached with a job offer that you suspect may be fraudulent, we strongly recommend you do not respond and do not send money or provide any personal information.
IT IS LIKELY A SCAM OR FAKE JOB AD IF:
- The job offer requires you to pay something (for example, to purchase equipment).
- You receive a job offer that you didn’t apply for, or without a personal interview or interaction.
- The interview seems to involve AI video or audio.
- You found a job on a job board or third-party channel, but the job doesn’t exist on the official PacBio careers page
- You suspect it is a scam.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF:
- Never give personal and confidential information.
- Never pay for anything as part of interviewing for, or accepting, an offer of employment.
- Ignore it if it seems like a scam.
