Job Posting: Deputy State Chief Information Security Officer

Department of Technology

JC-531336
-
Deputy State Chief Information Security Officer
C. E. A.

$13,472.00 - $15,297.00 per Month

Final Filing Date: 9/25/2026

Job Description and Duties

Under the general direction of the State Chief Information Security Officer (State CISO), the Deputy State Chief Information Security Officer (Deputy State CISO) is responsible for the development, maintenance, implementation and enforcement of statewide policies and programs to ensure the California Department of Technology (CDT) can provide for the safety and security of the technical infrastructure and the data and information of California State Organizations. The Deputy State CISO will have primary responsibility for managing the Risk Governance, Advisory, Audit/Compliance, and Security Operations, which includes Security Assurance, Security Solutions and Security Threat Management, also known as Security Operations Center (SOC). The Deputy State CISO will be focused on execution and promotion of statewide security strategy. The Deputy State CISO will also have responsibility over the operational support of Incident Response and threat intelligence staff embedded within the California Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC) within the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

CA Residency:

Candidates who reside outside of the State of California may be admitted to the job interview. However, upon a job offer, candidates must provide proof of residence in California prior to their appointment becoming effective, or the offer may be rescinded.



You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Minimum Requirements

This position does not have a Classification Specification. Requirements and qualifications for this position can be found in this announcement. For additional questions, please contact the hiring department listed below.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-531336
Position #(s):
695-401-7500-XXX
Working Title:
Deputy State Chief Information Security Officer
Classification:
C. E. A.
$13,472.00 - $15,297.00 C
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
Sacramento County
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Career Executive Assignment - Non Tenured, Full Time

Department Information

The California Department of Technology (CDT) is the guardian of public data, a leader in information technology (IT) services and solutions and has broad responsibility and authority over all aspects of technology in California state government, including policy formation, interagency coordination, IT project oversight, information security, technology service delivery, and advocacy. 

As an industry leader, we are committed to partnering with state and local government and educational entities to deliver digital services, develop innovative and responsive solutions for business needs, and provide quality assurance for state government IT projects and services. Our success and legacy of service is reliant upon our highly talented, dedicated, and diverse workforce, for it is our individual cultural diversity, backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and unique identities that spark our collaborative strength and innovative approach to serving the State of California. 
Department Website: http://cdt.ca.gov

Special Requirements

For a complete list of the required Knowledge & Required Abilities, see our customized Examination Bulletin that is attached to the duty statement portion of this announcement.

Must pass a fingerprint background criminal record check completed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 9/25/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are eligible to be appointed to this Career Executive Assignment (CEA) by the State of California.

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Technology
Human Resources
Attn: Human Resources/M.Khan - JC-531336
Selection Services Unit
P.O. Box 1810
Rancho Cordova, CA 95741

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Technology
Drop Off 2nd Floor Security
Human Resources
10860 Gold Center Drive
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Drop Off at 2nd Floor Security - Attn: M.Khan-JC-531336
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

  • Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
  • Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
  • Statement of Qualifications - A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is REQUIRED and must be submitted with your application to be considered for this position. Please see the area of this bulletin titled STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS for specific instructions and the 4 categories that must be addressed.
Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Examination Qualification Requirements

All applicants must possess the knowledge and abilities, and any other requirements, described in this announcement.

Note: Eligibility to take a CEA examination does not require current permanent status in the civil service.

General Qualifications

State civil service employees must possess essential general qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, and ability to work cooperatively with others.

Knowledge and Abilities

Applicants must demonstrate the ability to perform high administrative and policy – influencing functions effectively. Such overall ability requires possession of most of the following more specific knowledge and abilities:

  • Knowledge of the organization and functions of California State Government including the organization and practices of the Legislature and the Executive Branch; principles, practices, and trends of public administration, organization, and management; techniques of organizing and motivating groups; program development and evaluation; methods of administrative problem solving; principles and practices of policy formulation and development; and personnel management techniques; the department’s or agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program objectives; and a manager’s role in the Equal Employment Opportunity Program.
  • Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of multidisciplinary professional and administrative staff; analyze administrative policies, organization, procedures and practices; integrate the activities of a diverse program to attain common goals; gain the confidence and support of top level administrators and advise them on a wide range of administrative matters; develop cooperative working relationships with representatives of all levels of government, the public, and the Legislature and Executive branches; analyze complex problems and recommend effective courses of action; and prepare and review reports; and effectively contribute to the department’s or agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity objectives.

These knowledge and abilities are expected to be obtained from the following kinds of experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation and/or evaluation of program policies (experience may have been paid or volunteer; in State service, other government settings, or in a private organization):

CEA Level A - Responsible for broad administrative and program activities, including the execution and/or evaluation of program policies.

CEA Level B - Responsible for extensive managerial and program administration or broad program manager experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation, and/or evaluation of program policies.

CEA Level C - Responsible for extensive highly professional influence and contributes to program, policy, and the methods to provide professional services needed to set policies, to meet the mission of the State department and often exercising technical and or professional skills that are required at this level.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:
  • Industry cybersecurity certifications, such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) Security Leadership Certification (GSLC), or other information security and/or leadership accreditations such as completion of the California IT Leadership Academy program.
  • Demonstrated experience leading or coordinating multi-agency cybersecurity collaboration, such as managing joint incident response efforts (e.g., major ransomware events), establishing memorandums of understanding (MOUs), or developing joint threat sharing protocols across departments, state agencies, and/or local/federal partners. 
  • Proven leadership in managing or modernizing a 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC), including implementing threat intelligence platforms, managing escalated incident response processes, and integrating playbooks for high-severity events. 
  • Demonstrated leadership in developing cybersecurity talent pipelines, including mentorship programs, apprenticeship pathways, succession plans, or internal skill-building initiatives for security staff across departments. 
  • Experience supporting or leading statewide emergency coordination efforts related to cyberattacks, including coordination with the California Office of Emergency Services, National Guard, local jurisdictions, or federal entities such as CISA or FBI. 
  • Familiarity with integrating cybersecurity efforts across physical, operational, and information security domains within critical infrastructure or essential government services. 
  • Experience establishing and reporting on performance metrics for cybersecurity maturity, including KPIs for SOC efficiency, risk reduction outcomes, vulnerability management closure rates, or policy adoption across departments. 
  • History of serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership across multiple departments or in a federated environment, providing actionable guidance on security posture improvement, strategic investment, or emerging threat response. 
  • Extensive experience in security management, legislation and policy-making

Examination Information

If you meet the requirements stated in this announcement, you may take this competitive examination. Possession of the Examination Qualifications requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination will be compared with the performance of others who take this examination, and all successful candidates will be ranked according to their scores.

A minimum rating of 70% must be attained in the Examination to obtain list eligibility for this position. All candidates will receive written notification of their examination results.

The results of this examination will only be used to fill this position. Applications will be retained for twelve months.

Hiring interviews for the Job may be conducted with the most qualified candidates.

The examining Department reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service law and rules and all competitors will be notified.

Special Testing Arrangements

If you have a disability and need special testing arrangements, answer the Reasonable Accommodations question appropriately on your Application (STD 678). You will be contacted to make specific arrangements. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this announcement.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Contact Information

The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Department Website: http://cdt.ca.gov
Hiring Unit Contact:
Maliha Khan
(916) 822-6115
maliha.khan@state.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
Melissa Carlin
(916) 460-9867
melissa.carlin@state.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS

FILING INSTRUCTIONS

  • A Standard original State application (Form 678) is required to apply for this examination and hiring selection.

  • A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) should address each of the four questions below. Your SOQ must be no more than four pages in total, use 12-point Arial font, and have one-inch margins.

Please number each question and provide your answer immediately following the corresponding number. Each response should directly answer the question while incorporating relevant education, training, and experience.


Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be useful in the development of written responses; however, it is important to use these tools responsibly and ethically. Where assistive tools may be used, responses within the SOQ should be your own original work. Applicants must write in their own words and avoid plagiarism. Failure to comply may be cause for disqualification.


Each candidate’s SOQ must clearly and concisely identify experience in the following 4 categories and be formatted in the same manner as shown below:

CATEGORIES TO ADDRESS ON SOQ

 

  1. Policy Experience 

Describe the type of Policy Experience you possess and how that experience will further the objectives and goals of the Office of Information Security.  

  1. Strategic Planning Experience 

Describe the type of Strategic Planning initiatives you have developed or implemented and your primary role and responsibility at that time. This experience does not have to be cybersecurity related and can include things such as organizational or operational planning and implementation experience. 

  1. Organizing Change Management 

Describe your experience in addressing Organizational Change and what techniques you used. 

  1. Information Security Expertise 

Describe the Information Security Expertise you possess that demonstrates you are the most qualified candidate to serve as the California Department of Technology Deputy State CISO. In addition, please identify two key accomplishments within the last 12 months. 

  1. Cross-Functional Cybersecurity Leadership Qualities 

Describe your experience in Risk Based Decision making, Team Development and Mentorship, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Crises Management and Resilience, and Innovation Orientation.  

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
Drop-off
Print Job