Senior Cyber Security Engineer

Unite Foundation; Bristol; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK student accommodation provider is seeking an experienced Cyber Security Engineer to join their innovative team in Bristol. The role involves managing network security, improving threat detection, and automating security processes. Ideal candidates will have over three years of experience and expertise in securing complex IT environments, including AWS and Azure. The successful applicant will receive a competitive salary, a discretionary bonus, and comprehensive benefits supporting health, wellbeing, and work-life balance.

Benefits

Discretionary annual bonus

25 days paid holiday

Generous pension scheme

Health and wellbeing benefits

Enhanced family leave

Annual ShareSave scheme

Qualifications

• More than three years' experience in a network security engineering role.
• Strong understanding of secure network design: VLANs, VPNs, DNS, TCP/IP.
• Familiarity with security frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, CIS.

Responsibilities

• Lead and maintain firewalls, VPNs, and secure remote access controls.
• Manage endpoint security tooling and improve detection coverage.
• Automate security controls, deployments, and monitoring.

Skills

Networking protocols and technologies

Cybersecurity tooling

Threat analysis

AWS and Azure security

Communication skills

Tools

PowerShell

Python

Terraform

XDR solutions

Vulnerability scanners

Job description

Overview

Unite Students are looking for an experienced Cyber Security Engineer to join a thriving and innovative team. We are seeking an accomplished Cybersecurity Engineer with a proven track record in protecting complex IT environments, both on-premise and cloud. The ideal candidate will have in-depth knowledge of cybersecurity tooling, threat analysis, and hands-on experience implementing and maintaining secure network infrastructures across diverse platforms. They will also be a methodical problem-solver with a strong security-first mindset and confident communication skills at all levels of an organisation.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead the maintenance of the organisation's firewalls, VPNs, network segmentation and secure remote access controls, ensuring they’re properly configured, monitored, and compliant with industry standards.
• Manage and improve endpoint security tooling including XDR, vulnerability scanners, and device hardening baselines.
• Continuously improve detection coverage by analysing threat trends and incorporating new indicators into network monitoring tools. Liaise with SIEM/SOC provider to ensure effective detection, alerting and automated response.
• Ensure critical logs are captured, analysed, and retained in line with compliance and auditing requirements.
• Lead or support cyber incident response investigations, providing root cause analysis and remediation recommendations.
• Automate security controls, deployments, and monitoring using PowerShell, Python, Terraform, or similar tools.
• Oversee vulnerability assessments and ensure timely and appropriate patching of network and endpoint devices.
• Contribute to secure design reviews for new applications, cloud workloads, and infrastructure changes.
• Assist in third-party risk assessments and technical reviews of supplier integrations.

What We’re Looking for in You

• An in-depth understanding and hands-on experience of networking protocols and technologies including firewalls, perimeter security, endpoint security and XDR solutions.
• Strong understanding of secure network design: VLANs, VPNs, DNS, TCP/IP, segmentation, and access control.
• Proven experience securing AWS and Microsoft Azure environments, including identity management, RBAC, conditional access, and threat protection.
• Confident, credible communicator able to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proactive, accountable, and comfortable owning security decisions and outcomes.
• More than three years` experience in a network security engineering role.
• Familiarity with security frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, CIS and GDPR.

What You’ll Get in Return

• A discretionary annual bonus so you can share in the company`s success
• 25 days` paid holiday and an annual holiday buying scheme, with 5 additional days awarded for long service
• A generous pension scheme - employer contributions between 5% and 11% depending on how much you save
• Various benefits to support your health and wellbeing including a Healthcare Cash Plan, an Employee Assistance Programme, a Wellbeing platform and a Gym benefit that you can share with your family and friends
• Enhanced Family Leave including 18 weeks full pay for birthing parents and 4 weeks for non-birthing parents
• Lots of other great benefits including an annual ShareSave scheme, Employee Life Assurance, a discounts portal and more!

About Unite Students

Founded in 1991, Unite Students is the UK`s leading provider of purpose-built student accommodation. You can find us in 23 leading university towns and cities, with 70,000 students calling US home! We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled with positive energy and new ideas.

Instinctive inclusion. We know that to create and maintain a happy healthy organisation, we have to work hard to ensure inclusion isn`t just what we do but who we are.

People make Unite Students. Employees, students and neighbours all contribute to building environments where we can all thrive.

Room for Everyone

We`re proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we`re passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong. We take great pride in being rated Gold Investors in People and are constantly striving to provide the highest standard of learning and development opportunities and professional pathways for our people. Building a home for success, for both our employees and students, requires exceptional people with a passion for creating room for everyone, doing what`s right, keeping US safe, and raising the bar. Join us as we build better experiences for students that live with us.