Cybersecurity Engineer SURFcert

Do you want to help make education and research resilient against cyber threats? Do you want to help institutions detect and mitigate cyber threats in a timely manner? And do you believe it’s important that institutions that fall victim to a cyberattack receive quick and effective assistance? Then you’re the security engineer we’re looking for!

Where you will work

SURF is the ICT cooperative for Dutch educational and research institutions. Together with them, we work on digital services and complex innovation challenges to enhance the quality of education and research. We do this in close collaboration with the institutions themselves, with an eye toward public values, and as transparently as possible.

Working at SURF means working for a unique and open organization. This is evident in everything: the structure of the organization, the setup of the project teams, the culture in our offices, and the atmosphere among colleagues. SURF offers excellent terms of employment and a flexible approach to work/life balance. Employees enjoy working independently. In addition, everyone is given the space and freedom to use and develop their talents as effectively and broadly as possible.

The team you will join

You’ll be joining the SURFcert team: the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT/CERT) for the Dutch education and research sector. For over thirty years, SURFcert has been supporting education and research institutions in preventing, detecting, and responding to cybersecurity incidents. Starting in 2027, SURFcert is also expected to assume a statutory role as the sector-specific CSIRT for higher education under the Cybersecurity Act (CBW), enabling the team to make an even greater contribution to the sector’s digital resilience.

SURFcert is at the heart of the education and research security community. The team consists of passionate security professionals with diverse areas of expertise and backgrounds. Some work full-time for SURFcert, while others combine their work with a role within SURF or at an educational institution. It is precisely this mix of knowledge, practical experience, and close collaboration with the sector that enables SURFcert to respond quickly to current threats and developments. The team fosters an open culture centered on knowledge sharing, collaboration, and continuous learning.

What you will do

As a Cybersecurity Engineer at SURFcert, you’ll make a direct contribution to the digital resilience of Dutch education and research. You’ll analyze threat intelligence, support institutions with cybersecurity issues, and help prevent incidents or mitigate their impact. Due to the growing cyber threat and the expected legal designation of SURFcert as a sectoral CSIRT, your role is becoming increasingly important. You’ll work closely with the cybersecurity experts at SURFcert and be in daily contact with education and research institutions to advise and support them.

Other responsibilities include:

• Analyzing threat intelligence from various sources and translating it into concrete recommendations and alerts for member institutions;
• Analyzing data such as NetFlow and DNS records using specialized tools to identify threats, anomalous patterns, and potential security incidents, and promptly informing and advising member institutions on these matters;
• Collecting, processing, and enriching threat intelligence using tools such as IntelMQ and MISP, and compiling and sharing relevant threat intelligence with member institutions;
• Answering questions from member institutions regarding cybersecurity vulnerabilities, threats, and incidents;
• Contributing to the further development and improvement of SURFcert’s tools, processes, and services;
• Collaborating with colleagues within SURFcert and external partners to further strengthen the sector’s cyber resilience;
• Participating in SURFcert’s day-to-day operations and contributing to an effective incident response.

Your skills and experience

You are a curious cybersecurity professional who enjoys analyzing technical issues and finding solutions that truly make a difference. You work independently, take initiative, and know how to clearly communicate complex information to various audiences. You also enjoy collaborating with colleagues as well as educational and research institutions to further strengthen the sector’s digital resilience.

In addition, you have:

• HBO-level work and thinking skills;
• Demonstrable technical expertise in the field of cybersecurity and modern internet technology;
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to translate threat intelligence into actionable insights and recommendations;
• Good communication skills in Dutch and English, and the ability to explain technical information clearly to people with varying levels of knowledge and experience;
• A proactive and independent work ethic, with an eye for opportunities to continuously improve processes and services;.
• Experience with scripting or programming is a plus.

Security screening may be part of the further hiring process. SURFcert’s success stems from the diversity of talent within the team. We encourage you to apply regardless of your background or identity.

SURF takes pleasure in doing its recruitment itself; acquisition is therefore not appreciated.