Title: Application Security Engineer
State Role Title: Info Technology Specialist III
Hiring Range: Commensurate with experience
Pay Band: 6
Agency: Department of Taxation
Location: Main Street Center
Agency Website: https://www.tax.virginia.gov/work-with-us
Recruitment Type: General Public - G
Job Duties
The Virginia Department of Taxation is seeking an Application Security Engineer for the Office of Technology’s Application Security unit to help ensure the protection, confidentiality, integrity, and availability of Virginia Tax information technology resources.
The Application Security Engineer’s purpose is to champion security throughout the Software Development Life Cycle and serve as a key connection point between application and engineering teams and the broader joint security operations teams. The role focuses on proactively documenting, identifying, assessing, and helping mitigate vulnerabilities before they can be exploited, ensuring applications and environments are built and maintained with strong security controls. Responsibilities include reviewing system architectures, developing and maintaining system security plans, guiding teams on secure development practices, and ensuring adherence to security policies and standards. As a security advocate and subject matter expert, the Application Security Engineer empowers application teams to design, deliver, and operate secure applications and environments. The position combines hands‑on technical expertise with the ability to influence engineering practices and promote a security‑first culture across the organization.
The position is located at our Main Street Centre location in Richmond Virginia and has a hybrid schedule consisting of 3 days in the office (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) and 2 days teleworking (Monday and Friday). Candidate must reside within 50 miles of the Richmond office to be eligible for this role.
The anticipated hiring salary is commensurate with experience up to $100,000.
As a member of the Virginia Tax team, you can expect additional benefits such as:
• Job stability and quality of life! Enjoy your work/life balance with flexible schedule options and up to two days of telework per week.
• 12 Paid State holidays on top of vacation, sick, volunteer, and personal leave!
• Comprehensive and affordable health benefits
• Got student loans? You may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
• Participation in the Virginia Retirement System, VA 457 Deferred Comp, and more
At Virginia Tax…
We are dedicated, resourceful individuals who strive to exceed our customers’ expectations. Not only do we serve the public, we are the public. We are a part of a community that cares about and celebrates each other, who promote opportunities for growth within a stable environment, and support a healthy work-life balance.
What we do matters. So do you.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience providing information security guidance and training.
Knowledge and experience with application development and security architecture.
Knowledge of secure coding standards and guidelines and ability to identify security flaws in source code.
Knowledge of vulnerability remediation and patch management for applications.
Experience with SAST, DAST, and IAST security testing tools (e.g., Accunetix, Veracode, Jenkins, Splunk, Rapid7, Tenable).
Knowledge and experience with Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) and AWS Security Groups implementation strategies for application protection.
Experience with and understanding of security information and event management (SIEM) systems (e.g., Splunk, Azure Sentinel, or IBM QRadar).
Knowledge and experience with AWS services (e.g., Security Hub, GuardDuty, Security Groups, Inspector, Config, CloudWatch, S3 Buckets, IAM, CloudTrail, EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud), CodePiplines, KMS, and Secrets Manager.
Knowledge and understanding of relevant security regulations and standards (e.g., NIST 800-53, IRS Pub 1075, PCI- DSS, OWASP Top10, MITRE ATT&CK, CIS Benchmarks, NIST Cybersecurity Framework).
Comprehensive knowledge of a System Security Plan (SSP) and experience in creating and maintaining an SSP.
Additional Considerations
CompTIA Security+, Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), ISC2 CC (Certified in Cybersecurity), CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional), AWS Certified Security, AWS Solutions Architect (Associate/Professional), or AWS Security Specialty
Special Instructions
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
All Virginia Tax employees must be current with filing their tax returns ensuring they were filed in compliance with established laws, rules and regulations.
Selected candidate(s) will be required to consent to and successfully pass a background investigation which includes fingerprint-based criminal history, tax compliance, and DMV driving record (if applicable) checks. Selected candidates require a valid Driver’s License.
The selected candidate will be prohibited from performing tax or accounting services for compensation during or outside business hours.
Virginia Tax is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity in the workforce. All qualified applicants are afforded equal opportunities without regard to race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, genetics, age, veteran status, political affiliation, or disability.
Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants with disabilities, if requested, during the application and/or interview process. If accommodations are needed, please contact Human Resources at (804) 786-3610.
Virginia Tax participates in E-verify.
Consideration for an interview is based solely on the information within the application and/or resume’.
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their Certificate of Disability (COD) provided by a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor within the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their Certificate of Disability. If you need to get a Certificate of Disability, use this link: Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities, or call DARS at 800-552-5019, or DBVI at 800-622-2155.
Contact Information
Name: Virginia Tax Talent Acquisition Team
Phone: 804-786-3608
Email: hroffice@tax.virginia.gov
The Commonwealth of Virginia is located in the South Atlantic region of the United States. It was the 10th state to be admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788. Home to approximately 8 million residents, Virginia is the 12th most populous state in the United States. The capital is Richmond, and its most populous city is Virginia Beach.
The narrative history of the Commonwealth of Virginia often begins with the founding of Jamestown in 1607, near what is now modern day Williamsburg, Virginia. Jamestown became the first permanent English settlement in the New World, and the Virginia General Assembly, established on July 30, 1619, is now recognized as the oldest legislative body in the western hemisphere. When Virginia became a royal colony in 1624, the robust tobacco trade that had been developing in Virginia helped establish the American colonies as a powerful economic force. During the American Revolution, Virginia witnessed the final surrender of British forces at Yorktown and later became known as the birthplace of many revolution-era figures and future American presidents, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. To date, 8 United States presidents have been born in Virginia, more than in any other state.
The modern government of Virginia is nearly identical in structure to the federal government, and is divided into 3 branches, these being the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches. The Virginia General Assembly is comprised of the 100-member House of Delegates and the 40-member Senate. A governor and lieutenant governor are elected every 4 years. Governors cannot be elected to or serve consecutive terms. Virginia’s judicial system consists of the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Court of Appeals of Virginia, the Circuit Courts, and the lower General District Courts and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts. Virginia has 13 electoral votes in presidential elections, and possesses 11 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
