IT Security Consultant
Sharp & Tannan IT Security Consultant
Summary
An IT security consultant who plans and executes on-site security audits for 8-12 manufacturing clients per year, assessing IT/OT environments (Active Directory, firewalls, SCADA/PLC networks), mapping findings to ISO 27001, NIST CSF, and IEC 62443, and reporting and tracking remediation. Involves 30-40% travel to manufacturing sites.
Key
Responsibilities
IT
Security Audit Execution
· IT
(General controls ) testing with the GRC | Assurance Teams for the IFC
compliance Perform
- Plan, scope, and conduct
internal IT security audits for 8–12 manufacturing clients annually.
- Assess IT environments
(Active Directory, firewalls, patch management, privileged access, MFA,
logging/SIEM).
- Evaluate OT/IoT security
where IT systems connect to production networks (PLCs, HMIs, SCADA,
historians).
- Review compliance with ISO
27001, NIST CSF, IEC 62443-2-1, and GDPR (where applicable).
- Perform audit procedures
including:
- Control testing (technical
& administrative)
- Vulnerability assessment
(non-intrusive)
- Configuration reviews
(switches, firewalls, servers)
- Access control & user
entitlement reviews
- Backup & disaster
recovery validation
- Identify gaps in network
segmentation between office IT and shop-floor OT.
Reporting
& Remediation
- Document findings with clear
risk ratings (Critical, High, Medium, Low).
- Provide
manufacturing-specific recommendations (e.g., “air gap backup recovery,”
“replace unsupported Windows 7 on HMI”).
- Present audit reports to
plant managers and IT leadership.
- Track remediation progress
and perform limited validation re-audits.
Compliance
& Standards
- Map audit findings to
regulatory requirements (e.g., CMMC, NIS2 if applicable).
- Support clients during
external audits or insurance cyber assessments.
Collaboration
- Work with client maintenance
and controls engineers (non-security personnel) to explain risks without
jargon.
- Escalate critical findings
(e.g., ransomware exposure via exposed RDP on a production server)
immediately.
Requirements
Experience
- 3–5 years in IT security
auditing or security consulting – with at least 1 year directly auditing
manufacturing, industrial, or logistics companies.
- Hands-on experience auditing:
Active Directory, firewalls (rule base review), Windows/Linux servers,
backup solutions, and endpoint AV/EDR.
- Familiarity with industrial
protocols (Modbus, PROFINET, OPC UA) – not for deep testing, but to
understand risk context.
- Experience using audit
frameworks: ISO 27001, NIST 800-53 or CSF, IEC 62443 (awareness level).
Certifications
(at least one)
- CISA (preferred)
- ISO 27001 Lead Auditor
- CISSP (or Associate)
- Security+
- Bonus: GICSP or ISA/IEC 62443
Cybersecurity Fundamentals
Technical
skills
- Auditing vulnerability scan
results (Tenable, Qualys, or Rapid7)
- Basic scripting for evidence
collection (PowerShell, Python, or bash)
- Familiarity with compliance
tools (e.g., Vanta, Drata, or manual checklists)
Soft
skills
- Ability to interview plant
operators and IT admins without creating friction.
- Clear report writing – no
excessive jargon.
- Pragmatic risk mindset:
“Secure enough for production uptime.”
Preferred
(Nice to Have)
- Past role in managed security
services or internal audit for a manufacturer.
- Understanding of ransomware
impact on production schedules (e.g., downtime cost modeling).
- Experience with NIST 800-82
or C2M2.
Work
Environment & Travel
- Up to 30–40% travel to
manufacturing sites (safety training required – steel-toe boots, hearing
protection, etc.).
- Audits are typically 1–2
weeks on-site per client, then remote for reporting.
Benefits
- Competitive base salary +
audit completion bonuses.
- Opportunity to shape security
posture in critical infrastructure.