Information Assurance Engineer Responsibilities

With more and more organizations relying on storing all the vital data in the computer systems, the trend for hiring the information assurance engineers is definitely rising. This is basically where the information assurance engineer responsibilities play a vital role. There is a great amount of risk involved while storing this data, as it can be accessed by some unauthorized personnel. Therefore, securing and protecting that vital data is one of the most primary functions that needs to be carried out by an information assurance engineer.

Key Responsibilities of an Information Assurance Engineer

The information assurance engineer basically focuses on securing and protecting the system by installing and operating firewalls or using systems that detect intrusions or prevent it. Depending on the company's requirements, the role and responsibilities of an information assurance engineer may vary; however, the underlying fact is to ensure safety and security of the hardware or software system. To get a better idea, you can refer the points given below that will help you to understand the key responsibilities of an information assurance engineer:

1. To develop and implement plans to safeguard the most significant data that is stored in various computer files by developing and designing a system and installing it for security purposes
2. To perform the daily routine activities, administration and management duties to maintain complete integrity, confidentiality and availability of technological infrastructures and any other relevant informational resources.
3. To provide recommendations related to technical security by interacting with the team members, management, and clients
4. To communicate the risk factors involved and identify the requirements to ensure the security of the system
5. To review the current procedural policies and ensure that they are being followed
6. To develop a technology that would help in monitoring the security automatically, to evaluate the need to recommend secure and safe remote configurations, etc.

The information assurance engineer, in addition to the above duties, is responsible for maintaining and developing all the documentation that supports the operation of the security system, its maintenance procedures, and the relevant solutions for specific problems. He/she confers and meets with the clients to negotiate the security requirements and assists in developing, debugging, testing, and supporting the process related to certification. He/she, thus, plays a proactive role in the technical team and is responsible for suggesting effective security measures.

He/she works in close association with the IT team members to meet or surpass the clients expectations. He/she maintains and analyses the event log, performs, manages, and conducts the security audits, and assists in creating a general security awareness as well as in performing investigative procedures. He/she is responsible for handling and resolving all the incidents related to breach of security. In short, he/she is responsible for mitigating and assessing the risks and threats involved in the security system, validating and analyzing it, verifying the security needs, and ensuring that the system certification has been done. He/she uses a systematic approach by using various tools and methodologies to reduce the vulnerabilities and performs their subsequent assessments.

Essential Skills

To be the best information assurance engineer, it is necessary to have a good combination of the following skills and abilities:

• Excellent leadership skills
• Strong understanding of business needs and demonstrated experience in planing, auditing, and risk management will be preferred
• He/she should be a strong communicator and should have the ability to train and mentor the staff or the clients.
• He/she should have excellent customer service skills.
• Ability to prioritize work, effective time management and organization skills with an eye for details, etc., are some of the qualities that would prove to be of great advantage.

Educational Requirements

To be eligible for the post of an information assurance engineer, it is essential to complete a bachelor's degree in science with specialization in systems engineering, computer science, or any other relevant engineering discipline. An additional certification would prove to be of great help. An exposure to security experience, knowledge of networking, and traffic filtering would prove to be an edge while applying for these positions.

Salary Details

The individuals who have just completed their education and are searching for a new job will get a salary in the range of $80,000. The candidates who have got previous work experience will get a salary close to $100,000. The salary range varies as per the location of the organization as well as it is dependent on the type and size of the organization.

Career Prospects

The job opportunities for information assurance engineer are ample and those who are able to demonstrate their skills and abilities will definitely have better chances of getting promoted to higher positions.

Thus, to become a complete professional in this field, it is vital that you carry out the information assurance engineer responsibilities efficiently and effectively to ensure a rewarding career ahead.