Information Security Specialist Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Information security specialists in Tucson keep systems compliant and documented, from Defense Department programs supported by contractors such as GDIT to patient data at Tucson Medical Center. An ISSO II posting in Tucson lists $88,400 to $119,600. Current openings are below, followed by employers, pay and training.
Current Information Security Specialist Openings in Tucson, AZ
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Information Security Specialist Work in Tucson
Where a cybersecurity analyst watches alerts, an information security specialist owns the paperwork and controls that keep a system allowed to run. In Tucson that work comes in three flavors. Defense contractors hire information system security officers to build and maintain authorization packages for Defense Department systems, often inside special access programs that require TS/SCI. Tucson Medical Center, the midtown hospital on Grant Road, staffs an information security program that writes policy, manages risk and controls, and trains employees. Hughes Federal Credit Union, with a branch on West Wetmore Road, ties its security role to IT governance, risk and compliance, vendor reviews and exam support.
Local government adds a fourth door. The Town of Oro Valley's Innovation and Technology Department carries a cybersecurity position that writes security policy, remediates audit findings and runs exercises with partners such as the State of Arizona and the Arizona National Guard. The common thread across all of them is documentation: turning a control framework into evidence an auditor, examiner or authorizing official will accept.
Top Tucson Employers Hiring Information Security Specialists
These Tucson employers have posted information security roles, or named them, on their own careers sites:
- General Dynamics Information Technology - posts onsite Tucson ISSO II jobs supporting the ISSM on authorization packages, compliance reviews and media sanitization for Defense Department programs; TS/SCI eligibility required.
- Tucson Medical Center - hires IS Security Analysts and senior analysts to develop security policy and standards, manage risk and controls, and deliver compliance training.
- Hughes Federal Credit Union - Tucson credit union whose cybersecurity role covers IT governance, risk and compliance, vendor management, disaster recovery planning and audit and exam support.
- Town of Oro Valley - its Innovation and Technology Department carries a cybersecurity position that develops security policy, standards and compliance strategy for town systems, including police systems.
Information Security Specialist Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level (0 to 2 years): roughly $62,000 to $78,000 per year.
- Experienced (3 to 6 years, ISSO or senior analyst): roughly $80,000 to $105,000 per year.
- Senior (ISSM, security manager): roughly $105,000 to $140,000 per year.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. The federal wage survey put the Tucson median for information security analysts at about $41 an hour, roughly $86,000 a year, in May 2023. Posted Tucson pay runs from $66,000 to $83,000 for Hughes Federal Credit Union's cybersecurity analyst to $88,400 to $119,600 for GDIT's ISSO II. Clearances, senior certifications such as CISSP or CISA, and experience with a specific framework push pay toward the top.
How to Become an Information Security Specialist in Tucson
Arizona has no state license for information security specialists. Most Tucson postings ask for a bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems or a related field, or equivalent experience, plus several years in IT. Pima Community College's Cybersecurity associate of applied science, taught at East Campus on Irvington Road, lists risk and compliance analyst among its target roles and is an NSA-validated Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense program. The University of Arizona's College of Information Science offers a bachelor of applied science in Cyber Defense on the main campus and online. Defense ISSO jobs add IAT or IAM Level II certification under the Defense Department's 8140 workforce rules, such as Security+ CE, plus U.S. citizenship and clearance eligibility.
What the Job Involves
An information security specialist maps systems against a control framework, writes and updates the security plan, tracks configuration changes and their security impact, runs periodic compliance reviews and vulnerability assessments, and keeps audit records and training current. When an auditor, examiner or authorizing official asks for proof, the specialist produces it.
Skills Employers Look For
- Security+ for entry roles; CISSP, CISM or CISA for senior seats
- Risk Management Framework and NIST control families
- Writing security policies, plans and procedures
- Vulnerability assessment and remediation tracking
- Vendor and third-party risk reviews
- Security awareness training delivery
- U.S. citizenship and clearance eligibility for defense work
Career Path and Advancement
Common routes into the role in Tucson run through systems administration or a cybersecurity analyst seat. On the defense side the ladder runs ISSO I and II, senior ISSO, then ISSM, with each step tied to certifications and clearance level. On the civilian side at a hospital, credit union or town it runs analyst, senior analyst and information security manager, where TMC's senior posting already requires a current certification such as CISSP, CISM or CISA.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest alternatives for information security specialists:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an Arizona license for information security specialists?
No. Arizona does not license information security work. Tucson employers screen on degrees, experience and certifications, and defense contractors also require U.S. citizenship and a clearance.
What is an ISSO?
An information system security officer keeps a specific system compliant and authorized to operate, usually on a defense program. In Tucson, GDIT's ISSO II posting covers authorization packages, compliance reviews, configuration management, media sanitization and security training, working under an ISSM.
How much do information security specialists earn in Tucson?
The federal wage survey's Tucson median for information security analysts was about $86,000 a year in May 2023. Posted ranges include $66,000 to $83,000 at Hughes Federal Credit Union and $88,400 to $119,600 for a GDIT ISSO II.
Which certifications do Tucson information security jobs ask for?
Security+ is the common entry credential and meets the IAT Level II requirement on many defense contracts. Senior roles ask for CISSP, CISM or CISA; Tucson Medical Center's senior IS Security Analyst posting requires a current security certification such as one of those.
Do you need a clearance for information security work in Tucson?
Only for defense work. GDIT's Tucson ISSO roles require TS/SCI eligibility. Tucson Medical Center, Hughes Federal Credit Union and the Town of Oro Valley do not list a clearance, though Oro Valley requires a criminal justice background check.
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