Cybersecurity Principal Engineer - HYBRID ROLE

Vertex Pharmaceuticals is seeking a Cybersecurity Principal Engineer for a hybrid role based in Boston, MA. This senior position shapes Vertex’s core security capabilities across network, cloud, application, AI, SaaS, and hybrid environments, delivering technical leadership and secure-by-design principles in a blended on-site and remote setting.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the architecture, development, deployment, and ongoing optimization of foundational security platforms spanning network, cloud, application, AI, SaaS, and hybrid landscapes.
• Act as a senior technical authority for core security controls, ensuring they scale, remain resilient, operate effectively, and align with the enterprise security roadmap.
• Design and strengthen Zero Trust capabilities focusing on identity-based access, network segmentation, enforceable access controls, and continuous verification.
• Create, deploy, and maintain enterprise security infrastructure such as firewalls, intrusion prevention, network access control, web application firewall capabilities, and policy enforcement platforms.
• Advocate for secure-by-design and secure-by-default principles across infrastructure, applications, cloud, SaaS, and AI environments.
• Develop and sustain security standards, engineering patterns, reference architectures, guardrails, and implementation guidance.
• Improve visibility through security monitoring, telemetry, governance, and policy enforcement across infrastructure and platform layers.
• Create and implement security controls and validation methods for AI and generative AI in collaboration with architecture and governance teams.
• Lead complex initiatives to modernize and automate security platforms, enhance operational consistency, and reduce manual effort.
• Collaborate with cross-functional technology teams to embed security into platform design, engineering workflows, and operational processes.
• Assess current security capabilities and recommend technical improvements to reduce risk, boost resilience, and strengthen defenses.
• Provide technical leadership during platform assessments, architecture reviews, risk remediation, and major engineering decisions.
• Support vendor evaluations, technology selections, and implementation activities related to strategic security platform investments.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to a culture of technical excellence, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Security, Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity, security engineering, infrastructure security, or related technical roles.
• Proven success designing, deploying, and operating enterprise-scale security architecture, engineering, infrastructure, or platform security capabilities.
• Extensive expertise across network, cloud, application, SaaS, and hybrid infrastructure security.
• Strong experience building and engineering modern enterprise security controls and platforms.
• Solid understanding of Zero Trust principles and modern enterprise security architectures.
• Experience designing, implementing, and operating Palo Alto Networks security platforms in large, complex enterprise environments.
• Experience with SaaS security, asset visibility, and cloud security posture management solutions across AWS and Azure.
• Experience with network access control, web application firewall technologies, and segmentation capabilities in enterprise environments.
• Experience developing security standards, engineering guardrails, and technical roadmaps for large-scale environments.
• Experience operating within regulated environments, including GxP, SOX, or comparable compliance frameworks.
• Proven ability to influence architecture decisions and lead complex cross-functional technical initiatives.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and technical leadership skills.

Technologies

• Palo Alto Networks security platforms
• Illio
• Obsidian
• Armis
• AWS
• Azure

Benefits

• Competitive salary and incentive programs
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Retirement savings plans
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Wellness and employee assistance programs
• Professional development and career growth opportunities
• A collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven culture

Pay Range

Salary: $147,600 - $221,400 per year

Disclosure Statement

The stated base salary range reflects what Vertex believes to be a reasonable estimate at the time of posting. This role may be eligible for an annual bonus and annual equity awards. Some roles may be eligible for overtime pay in accordance with federal and state requirements. Actual base salary will depend on factors including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law. Vertex offers Total Rewards with market-leading benefits to support employees across career, family, and wellbeing journeys, providing flexibility and resources for growth. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision, generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the summer and winter), educational assistance such as student loan repayment, and a generous commuting subsidy.

Flex Designation

Remote-Eligible

Flex Eligibility Status

As a Remote-Eligible role, you may choose among: Remote (five days remote with occasional on-site presence), Hybrid (up to two remote days per week), or On-Site (five days on-site with ad hoc flexibility). This designation is subject to Vertex policy and may change.