Security Engineer II

About Akuna: 

Akuna Capital is an innovative trading firm with a strong focus on collaboration, cutting-edge technology, data driven solutions, and automation. We specialize in providing liquidity as an options market-maker – meaning we are committed to providing competitive quotes that we are willing to both buy and sell. To do this successfully, we design and implement our own low latency technologies, trading strategies, and mathematical models. 

Our Founding Partners first conceptualized Akuna in their hometown of Sydney. They opened the firm’s first office in 2011 in the heart of the derivatives industry and the options capital of the world – Chicago. Today, Akuna is proud to operate from additional offices in Sydney, Shanghai, London, and Singapore. 

What you’ll do as a Security Engineer II at Akuna: 

Akuna is seeking a driven Security Engineer II to safeguard our systems, data, and assets against a threat landscape increasingly shaped by AI on both sides of the fight. In this role, you'll proactively identify vulnerabilities, hunt for threats, automate and orchestrate security workflows, and drive incident response while leveraging AI and agentic tooling as force multipliers.  

You'll also help secure the firm's growing AI ecosystem, including internal AI applications, agentic workflows, and the emerging attack surfaces they introduce as AI becomes an increasingly important part of how we build and operate technology.  

By continuously improving our ability to prevent, detect, investigate, respond to, and recover from cyber threats, you'll play a key role in advancing Akuna's security posture. In this role, you will: 

• Perform analysis of security incidents and threat actors utilizing the MITRE ATT&CK framework to enhance detection capabilities 
• Investigate and respond to security incidents reported by the Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), security controls, and end users, while developing effective triage processes to ensure prompt and thorough incident handling  
• Assist in managing enterprise security infrastructure, including Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems, SIEM, EDR, Web Filtering, MFA, and Email Security 
• Develop threat hunting activities by analyzing anomalous log data, intelligence, and conducting brainstorming sessions to detect and eliminate potential adversaries in our network 
• Leverage APIs across enterprise technology, SaaS/IaaS/PaaS and business applications to create new sources of telemetry signals for threat Detection and Response 
• Engineer orchestration and automation to streamline the incident analysis and response process  
• Engineer war-gaming and tabletop activities as part of red/blue team exercises to strengthen and test incident response playbooks, evaluating and improving the firm's incident response capabilities  
• Conduct vulnerability management assessments, recommend remediation actions, and collaborate with system owners to ensure timely patching 
• Collaborate with Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) to implement threat detection rules and event correlation using SIEM platforms to identify malicious, suspicious, and anomalous activities 
• Collaborate with different departments within the firm to identify security monitoring blind spots and opportunities for threat detection 
• Provide support in implementing and maintaining the information security infrastructure ensuring its effective operation and ongoing maintenance 
• Educate users on security best practices and implement initiatives to promote cybersecurity awareness and risk reduction, including conducting training sessions and developing user-friendly documentation 

Qualities that make great candidates: 

• 3-5 years of experience in cybersecurity, security engineering, or cyber defense with a demonstrated ability to protect enterprise systems, infrastructure, and data 
• Passion for cybersecurity and a strong understanding of security operations, threat detection, incident response, and enterprise security principles  
• Experience administering and supporting enterprise security technologies such as SIEM, EDR, firewalls, IDS/IPS, vulnerability management platforms, identity and access management (Active Directory, Entra ID/Azure AD, SSO, MFA), and Microsoft 365 security 
• Experience investigating security events through log analysis, identifying indicators of compromise, and assisting with incident investigation and response  
• Understanding of vulnerability management processes, including vulnerability identification, prioritization, remediation, and validation 
• Experience securing cloud environments and SaaS platforms, with familiarity in Azure, AWS, or GCP security concepts and cloud-native security controls  
• Working knowledge of Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems from a security perspective  
• Experience writing PowerShell, Python, or similar scripts to automate repetitive tasks or improve security operations  
• Strong understanding of networking fundamentals, including TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/S, VPNs, and common enterprise network security concepts
• Experience implementing or supporting endpoint protection technologies such as EDR, Next-Generation Antivirus, or endpoint security platforms
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate across technical and business teams and explain security concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences  
• Strong documentation skills with the ability to create and maintain technical procedures, standards, and operational documentation 

Preferred Qualifications  

• Experience with security orchestration and automation (SOAR) platforms such as Cortex XSOAR, Splunk SOAR (Phantom), Tines, or Torq. 
• Familiarity with Microsoft Defender XDR, Microsoft Sentinel, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, or similar enterprise EDR security platforms. 
• Knowledge of regulatory and security frameworks such as NIST Cybersecurity Framework, CIS Controls, MITRE ATT&CK, or ISO 27001.  
• Experience with Data Loss Prevention (DLP), CASB, email security, or Zero Trust architectures.  

AI & Emerging Technologies  

• Experience using AI and LLM tools to improve security investigations, automation, scripting, documentation, and operational efficiency while validating outputs and exercising sound judgment.  
• Curiosity and willingness to leverage emerging AI technologies to enhance security operations and engineering workflows.  
• Awareness of AI security risks and responsible AI practices, with familiarity with frameworks such as OWASP LLM Top 10, MITRE ATLAS, or similar guidance. 

In addition to technical skillsets, Akuna values the unique perspectives people can bring to the table to collaboratively solve complex problems and drive Akuna forward. We want everyone to feel empowered to apply. We welcome your application and encourage you to take the first steps toward your future with us!

In accordance with Illinois Equal Pay Act, the minimum base salary starts at $145,000. Exact compensation offered may vary based on many factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and skill set. This role is also eligible for a discretionary performance bonus as part of the total compensation package and includes a comprehensive benefits package that may encompass employer-paid medical, dental, vision, retirement contributions, paid time off, and other benefits. The minimum base salary herein was determined in good faith by Akuna Capital LLC.