Remote work has come a long way in the last few years, with many more companies allowing their employees to work away from the office than ever before. Even so, there are plenty of jobs that allow remote work and require secret clearance, especially if you’re looking at government agencies or large corporations that deal with sensitive information and data. Here are seven of the best remote jobs that require secret clearances.
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
A CISO is responsible for the protection of an organization's network, infrastructure and information technology assets. This person coordinates with IT directors, managers, network administrators and other senior executives to enforce security policies. They often work in tandem with human resources staff to handle security breaches. CISOs may also evaluate the organization's cybersecurity risk and make recommendations for improving overall safety.
Intelligence Analyst
An intelligence analyst is responsible for examining information and data to determine its importance, validity, and clarity. Intelligence analysts examine various sources of intelligence, including human intelligence (HUMINT), signals intelligence (SIGINT), measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT), open-source intelligence (OSINT) and imagery intelligence (IMINT). They then take that information and research the background of any person or group that they are interested in. The job requires top secret clearance.
Cybersecurity Engineer
A cyber security engineer is responsible for protecting an organization's data and networks by stopping external attacks or intrusions, or detecting these threats before they happen. These specialists are usually in charge of the physical design of computer networks and the software that controls them, as well as examining potential vulnerabilities in hardware and software. Engineers must be able to understand how attackers may be thinking so they can anticipate their moves.
The U.S Department of Defense employs more than 200,000 cyber security professionals who protect its 2 million computers and classified networks across every military base in the country. The DOD also employs more than 25,000 people in its cyber defense operations centers to monitor internal networks 24 hours a day.
Cybersecurity Manager
Due to the nature of their work, many cybersecurity professionals operate remotely. This means they can live in any location without worrying about commute time or office politics. A career in this field can be very rewarding, but it is important to know that these positions often require secret security clearance. The process of obtaining one is typically long and tedious, but worth it for those who meet the strict requirements.
IT Specialist
The duties of an IT Specialist are broad and varied, but they typically include maintaining an organization's networks, computers and other equipment. They may also analyze computer security systems and vulnerabilities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that between 2016-2026, there will be a 16% decline in the number of these positions available to U.S. workers due to outsourcing and automation.
According to the BLS, these are the top five best remote jobs that require a secret clearance:
Other Remote Job Titles that may require a secret clearance
*Information Security Engineer*
*Physical Security Specialist*
*Geospatial Intelligence Analyst*
*Network Engineer and Security Specialist*
*Cryptologic Linguist (CL)*
*Network Systems Administrator - Information Technology (NETSC)*