Director of Cybersecurity

The Director of Cybersecurity is a senior leadership role responsible for Apex's enterprise security strategy, operations, and compliance. Reporting to the VP of IT & Security and based on-site at our Playa Vista office, this role leads the Cybersecurity (SOC) Lead and security team to safeguard the organization's information assets against evolving cyber threats. The Director of Cybersecurity owns security strategy, the Security Operations Center (SOC), threat and vulnerability management, incident response, and governance, risk, and compliance for a fast-growing space and satellite manufacturing company operating in regulated and often controlled environments. The role requires deep technical expertise, strategic oversight, and strong leadership, and partners closely with IT, compliance, engineering, and executive leadership.

Responsibilities

Define and execute the multi-year cybersecurity strategy, aligning security investments and controls with Apex's business and mission objectives and emerging threats; Establish and maintain security policies, standards, reference architectures, and playbooks across infrastructure, cloud, endpoints, and applications; Own the security budget, technology evaluations, and resource allocation; Direct the Cybersecurity (SOC) Lead and team in 24/7 monitoring, detection, triage, and response; Serve as the senior escalation point for complex incidents; own incident response readiness, containment and eradication, and post-incident analysis and remediation; Oversee proactive threat hunting, malware analysis, and threat intelligence integration; Own the selection, tuning, and optimization of SIEM, EDR/XDR, IDS/IPS, CASB/SASE, SOAR, and vulnerability management systems; Drive automation, develop and track KPIs and dashboards, and deliver executive reporting; Lead efforts to achieve and maintain CMMC, ISO 27001, NIST 800-171, and other accreditations; Own risk assessments, audits, tabletop exercises, data protection, and continuous monitoring; ensure timely remediation of findings; Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing security team; Partner with the IT function to embed security into infrastructure, projects, and daily operations; Report on security posture, incidents, KPIs, and risk to the VP of IT & Security and executive leadership

Requirements

8+ years in cybersecurity operations, including 4+ years in a SOC leadership or security management role; Proficiency in security tooling (SIEM, EDR/XDR, IDS/IPS, CASB/SASE, NESSUS, Burp Suite, firewalls) and scripting (e.g., Python, PowerShell); Strong understanding of networking protocols and operating systems (Windows/macOS/Linux); Experience leading CMMC, ISO 27001, and/or NIST 800-53 or 800-171 programs, including audits and continuous monitoring; Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with a proven ability to lead teams in high-pressure environments; Must be a U.S. person (U.S. citizen or permanent resident) due to the nature of Apex's programs

Nice to have

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, or a related field (Master's preferred); One or more of CISSP, CISM, GIAC GCIH, or CompTIA Security+ strongly preferred; Experience in aerospace, defense, satellite, or advanced manufacturing environments; Experience operating in classified or controlled environments; an active or prior U.S. security clearance (e.g., Secret or TS/SCI) is a strong plus; Familiarity with AWS GovCloud and FedRAMP-aligned cloud operations; Hands-on experience with Elastic SIEM and building SOC automation and playbooks

Benefits

Shared upside: equity in Apex; 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision for employee and dependents; $100k life insurance at no cost; Comprehensive PTO starting at 15 days vacation, growing to 20+ days annually, plus 10 paid holidays; Competitive 401(k) with 100% match on first 3% and 50% on next 2%; 8 weeks paid parental leave; Childcare reimbursement up to $350/day for work-related travel; Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks; Monthly office socials, pickleball tournaments, run club, and family gatherings; Equipment and tools for productivity; In-person collaboration at Playa Vista office