When it comes to cyber security, Google believes in the ideology that there's no such thing as a safe system, only safer systems. This ideology is the basis for all its security models and best practices. In today’s fast-changing world, data and systems are increasingly becoming more and more at risk of a data breach. It is a Cyber Security Engineer’s job to ensure that Google’s products and services are safe and can withstand any potential threats.
If you are preparing for a Cyber Security Engineer interview, check out our technical interview checklist, interview questions page, and salary negotiation e-book to get interview-ready!
Also, read Google Software Engineer Roles and Responsibilities and Google Systems Design Interview Questions for Software Developers for specific insights and guidance on Google tech interviews.
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In this article, we will discuss:
- Role of Cyber Security Engineers at Google
- Google Cyber Security Engineer Salary
- Benefits of working at Google as a Cyber Security Engineer
- Tips to Use While Negotiating Salary as a Cyber Security Engineer at Google
- FAQs on Google Cyber Security Engineer Salary
Role of Cyber Security Engineers at Google
Understandably, a Cyber Security Engineer at Google shoulders a lot of responsibility. Google’s security team is responsible for creating and maintaining a safe operating environment for the users and developers who use Google.
As a Security Engineer, it will be your responsibility to protect network boundaries and keep all network devices and systems securely hardened against attacks. Highly sensitive data such as passwords and customer information needs multiple layers of security. As a Google Cyber Security Engineer, your role will be to:
- Work with network systems and monitor for any potential attacks or intrusions.
- Work with software engineers and software developers to identify the flaws and vulnerabilities in security and fix them.
- Design, build, and maintain infrastructure securely at scale.
- Scale and automate security infrastructure and processes.
- Contribute to open source security software and implement new technologies to address enterprise security issues across all platforms (mobile, cloud).
- Establish and enforce protection parameters across all Google environments and defend a diverse set of clients in hostile environments.
- Contribute towards evolving access infrastructure, authentication procedure, and policy, ensuring a simplified and safe user experience.
Your responsibilities as a Cyber Security Engineer at Google will include:
- Designing and implementing cyber security infrastructure to protect Google and its users across all networks and systems.
- Providing security guidance to engineering and business teams across Google.
- Conducting reviews of core production and corporate infrastructure.
- Driving security improvements focused on the enterprise to Google’s products.
- Building security processes and tools using Python or Go to protect, monitor, and remediate critical infrastructure.
Qualifications Required for the Cyber Security Engineer Role at Google
If you are applying for an open position of Cyber Security Engineer at Google, these are the minimum qualifications you need:
- A bachelor's degree in computer science or a related technical field
- Five years of industry experience in cyber security.
- Experience in coding in one or more coding languages.
- Experience in handling attacks, mitigation methods, and working in at least two of the following:
Operating system internals and hardening
Network protocols and secure network design
Web application and browser security
Authentication and access control
Security assessments and penetration testing
Applied cryptography and security protocols
Incident response and forensics
Security monitoring and intrusion detection
Development of security tools, automation, or frameworks
Google Cyber Security Engineer Salary
The compensation package of an L3 Google Cyber Security Engineer (new grad, with little work experience) is relatively competitive compared to other FAANG+ companies. According to Levels.fyi, a typical Google Cyber Security salary is $146,792 per year, which meets the national average.
The average base compensation for a Cyber Security Engineer at Google is around $132,000 per annum. The total average compensation for Cyber Security Engineers at Google is $190,000 per annum.
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The average bonus cyber security google salary offered is $25,000 per annum, while the average stock grant offered to Cyber Security Engineers at Google is $33,000.
To put a Cyber Security Engineer’s salary into perspective, the median compensation package of a Cyber Security Engineer by FAANG+ companies in the US is $137,499.
Benefits of Working at Google as a Security Engineer
Here are some benefits offered to Google Cyber Security Engineers in addition to the compensation:
- 401K plan
- Insurance — health, dental, vision, disability, and life
- Paid breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Health savings account
- Transportation within and to the Google campus
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Paid vacations
- Flexible spending account
- Employee discounts
The figures and benefits mentioned above are for entry-level and junior-level Cyber Security engineers. Salaries for more senior roles go much higher, as do the associated benefits.
Tips to Use While Negotiating Salary as a Cyber Security Engineer at Google
Listed below are a few useful tips to help negotiate your compensation as a Cyber Security Engineer at Google:
- You are not obligated to share the compensation you are currently receiving.
- You don’t necessarily have to share the compensation you are expecting.
- Build a good relationship with the hiring manager.
- Do not insist on receiving written offers.
- Remember to ask for a relocation package.
- There is a lot of publicly available compensation data. Compare the offer you have received before agreeing to anything.
Salary negotiation is a must-have skill. Read The Ultimate Guide to Salary Negotiation at FAANG for Software Engineers to hone your negotiation skills and get an offer that matches your value.
FAQs on Google Cyber Security Engineer Salary
1. How much do Cyber Security Engineers make at Google?
The average cyber security engineer salary of an L3 Google Cyber Security Engineer in the United States is $146,792 per year. This number increases with levels and seniority of roles.
2. What are the kinds of Security Engineer roles at Google?
The different Security Engineer positions in Google are Cyber Security Engineer, Network Engineer, Information Security Engineer, Digital Forensics Security Engineer, Google Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, and Infrastructure Protection Security Engineer.
3. How do Google Cyber Security Engineer salaries differ in San Francisco compared to New York City?
The average annual salary of an L3 Google Cyber Security Engineer in San Francisco is $207,000, while it is $180,000 in Seattle.
Get Ready for Your Cyber Security Engineer Interview
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