Research Security Cybersecurity Specialist (5271C) The Office of Research Administration & Complianc University of California Berkeley - 4.2 Berkeley, CA Job Details Full-time $112,400 - $163,200 a year 12 hours ago Qualifications Data privacy compliance management

NIST SP 800-53 HIPAA FISMA

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Security compliance frameworks implementation Regulatory Frameworks (Architecture security) Health information regulatory compliance Research regulatory compliance Cross-functional collaboration Full Job Description Research Security Cybersecurity Specialist (5271C) The Office of Research Administration & Complianc About Berkeley At the University of California, Berkeley , we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty, and staff, who are among the most talented and accomplished anywhere, including Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and MacArthur Fellows. Since our founding in 1868, we have been an engine for innovation - driving intellectual, economic, and social progress that benefits California, the U.S., and beyond. Together, we change the world. At Berkeley, the best careers are built on a foundation of continuous learning and growth . We actively support professional development by providing all full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours of paid time per year and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups. We invite applicants who are inspired by our Principles of Community and who are eager to be part of our exciting Strategic Plan , which charts Berkeley's next era of excellence. Learn more about some of our accomplishments at Points of Pride . Departmental Overview The Office of Research Administration & Compliance (RAC) works with faculty, staff and students across UC Berkeley to catalyze, support, and safeguard research and innovation. Ensuring research compliance, safety, and security across the university is a key priority because the overall success of the research enterprise depends on the highest standards of ethics, compliance, and integrity. Position Summary The Research Security Cybersecurity Specialist is a newly created role within the Research Security program that supports UC Berkeley's compliance with federal cybersecurity and data security requirements applicable to sponsored research. Reporting to the Executive Director of Research Security, this position serves as the research security team's subject matter expert on cybersecurity standards, frameworks, and data protection regulations ensuring that principal investigators' research computing environments meet the cybersecurity requirements of their federal awards. This is a research security compliance function, not an operational IT security engineering role. The Research Security Cybersecurity Specialist evaluates diverse research computing environments to determine whether centralized services, departmental IT, or other situations meet applicable federal standards, and guides researchers toward compliance through clear, patient, expert consultation. This role implements the cybersecurity components of UC Berkeley's NSPM-33 Research Security Program and plays a central part in building the compliance processes, procedures, and workflows that the campus will rely on as federal research cybersecurity requirements continue to evolve. Application Review Date The First Review Date for this job is: September 9, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date. Responsibilities 40% Assesses the cybersecurity posture of individual research labs and PI computing environments, including centralized, departmental, and self-managed/bespoke setups against applicable federal standards (NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, CMMC, FISMA, and evolving NSPM-33 requirements). Conducts gap analyses, identifies areas of potential non-compliance, and collaborates with PIs and IT service providers to develop clear, actionable remediation plans. 20% Provides expert guidance on data security requirements associated with federally sponsored research, including HIPAA, FERPA, and controlled technical information requirements. Advises on data storage, handling, and protection requirements in coordination with the export control team when Technology Control Plans or export-controlled data are involved. Develops and implements standard operating procedures and controls for data security compliance across diverse research contexts. 15% Helps build the compliance processes, procedures, and workflows needed to support research cybersecurity compliance as federal requirements continue to evolve. Monitors regulatory developments across federal agencies (NSF, DoD, DOE, NIH, and others) and assesses their implications for sponsored research. Contributes to the development of System Security Plans, compliance documentation, and certification processes. 15% Collaborates with campus IT organizations, including the Information Security Office, Research IT, and departmental IT groups to coordinate on compliance-related technical questions. Works within a complex, highly decentralized IT landscape with diplomacy and collaborative skill. Coordinates with relevant campus units during cybersecurity incident response efforts to assess compliance implications and ensure affected research environments are brought back into alignment with federal requirements. Functions as an independent compliance assessor of research computing environments while navigating a multi-stakeholder environment with professionalism and tact. May interface with federal sponsors regarding cybersecurity compliance inquiries or audit support. 10% Develops and delivers targeted training and educational materials on cybersecurity compliance requirements for PIs, research staff, and graduate students. Creates accessible resources (guides, FAQs, checklists, web-based materials) and provides one-on-one consultation to help researchers understand and meet cybersecurity obligations associated with their federally sponsored projects. Required Qualifications Strong working knowledge of NIST cybersecurity frameworks, particularly NIST 800-171 and NIST 800-53, with the ability to interpret, apply, and assess compliance against these standards. Ability to rapidly learn and apply new and evolving regulatory frameworks, federal requirements, and cybersecurity standards (e.g., CMMC, DFARS 252.204-7012, FISMA, NSPM-33, NIST 800-172, and agency-specific research security requirements). Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with a demonstrated ability to explain complex technical cybersecurity concepts clearly and patiently to non-technical audiences, including faculty, graduate students, and administrative staff. Strong interpersonal and consultative skills with the ability to build trust and credibility with researchers, guide them through compliance processes with patience and clarity, and maintain productive relationships even when delivering difficult or unwelcome requirements. Ability to work collaboratively within a complex, multi-stakeholder environment, navigating a decentralized organizational landscape with diplomacy and professionalism. Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal technical supervision, exercise sound judgement, and manage a dynamic workload including urgent, time-sensitive requests alongside longer-term compliance projects. General familiarity with data security regulations (e.g., HIPAA, FERPA, controlled technical information) and the ability to quickly understand and advise on data protection requirements. Sufficient technical depth to credibly evaluate real-world computing environments and earn the trust of both researchers and campus IT professionals. Preferred Qualifications 5 or more years of professional cybersecurity experience. Experience in higher education, research institutions, government, or defense contracting environments.

Education / Training

Bachelor's degree in cybersecurity, information technology, computer science, information systems, or a related field, and/or equivalent experience and training. A minimum of 3 years of full-time professional experience in cybersecurity, information security, or IT security, including experience with compliance, auditing, or assessment against established frameworks.

Licenses / Certifications

Relevant professional certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM, CISA, CompTIA Security+, CMMC RP/CP) (Preferred). Salary & Benefits For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website. Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience. The budgeted annual range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $112,400 to $163,200. This is an exempt, monthly-paid position. This is a full-time (40 hours/week) Career position eligible for UC benefits.