Senior Cyber Security Engineer

Senior Cyber Security Engineer (Contract)Location: National (nearest Central Government hub) Contract Length: 12 Months Day Rate: £700 per day IR35:*InsideOverviewWe are seeking an experienced Senior Cyber Security Engineer to support a major Central Government cyber security programme focused on strengthening Security Operations capabilities and enhancing security monitoring across critical national services.Working within a high-performing cyber security team, you will play a key role in implementing and optimising next-generation security operations tooling, improving threat detection and incident response through automation, and ensuring compliance with evolving government cyber security standards.This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to a large-scale security transformation programme delivering tangible improvements to cyber resilience across a complex enterprise environment.Key Responsibilities* Implement, configure and administer the Palo Alto Networks XSIAM platform. * Develop, maintain and optimise security policies, detection rules and platform configurations. * Integrate XSIAM with existing security tools and technologies to automate security operations and workflows. * Monitor, investigate and analyse security alerts and incidents, identifying emerging threats and trends. * Support incident response activities and continuously improve detection capabilities. * Collaborate with internal technical teams and external partners to share threat intelligence and strengthen security posture. * Provide technical cyber security expertise and guidance across IT and business functions. * Produce reporting and dashboards for senior stakeholders on security incidents, trends and operational effectiveness. * Keep abreast of emerging cyber threats, technologies and industry best practice to continually enhance security operations.Essential Skills & Experience* Proven experience working as a Senior Cyber Security Engineer or Security Operations Engineer within large, complex enterprise environments. * Hands-on experience implementing and administering Palo Alto Networks XSIAM. * Strong understanding of Security Operations Centre (SOC) functions and security monitoring. * Experience integrating security platforms and automating security operations. * Excellent knowledge of threat detection, incident response and security analytics. * Experience working with SIEM/XDR technologies. * Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills. * **Previous experience delivering cyber security projects within Central Government or other highly regulated public sector environments is highly desirable.**Contract Summary* Role: Senior Cyber Security Engineer * Contract:12 Months * Rate: £700 per day * Location: National (nearest Central Government hub) * Start: ASAP