Founding IT Engineer

Cogent Security

$130K — $160K *
Information Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Founded or built an IT function from scratch at a fast-paced company.
  • Security-first mindset, experienced in high-security environments like fintech or enterprise SaaS.
  • Strong scripting and automation abilities in Python or similar languages.
  • Familiarity with AI tools for scripting and workflow automation while ensuring security.
  • Project management skills to prioritize tasks effectively in a dynamic environment.
  • Hands-on approach, ready to build and support rather than manage from afar.

Responsibilities

  • Manage and secure endpoints through provisioning, MDM setup, patching, and inventory tracking.
  • Own corporate identity and access management, including SSO, MFA, and employee lifecycle automation.
  • Run vendor management for the SaaS stack, handling licensing and renewals.
  • Manage physical IT infrastructure in SF and NYC offices, including network management.
  • Handle end-user support and troubleshooting, ensuring availability for urgent issues.
  • Build automation to streamline IT processes using Python and workflow platforms.
  • Define guidelines for AI tool usage and create supportive documentation for team self-service.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to build and shape the IT function from the ground up.
  • In-person collaboration with teams in a hybrid work environment.
  • Exposure to innovative tools and technologies within IT management.
  • Direct impact on company security and productivity through IT initiatives.
  • Support in using AI tools for efficiency and integration.
Full Job Description
About the Role

We're hiring a Founding IT Engineer to build and own our IT function from the ground up. You'll stand up the systems, automation, and processes that keep our teams productive and secure as we scale: endpoints, identity, access control, physical infrastructure, and vendor management across offices in San Francisco, New York, and a growing remote workforce.

This role is in person in San Francisco, 4 days a week.

What You'll Do
  • Manage and secure endpoints across our environments - device provisioning, MDM configuration, patching, and fleet-wide inventory tracking
  • Own corporate identity and access - SSO, MFA, role-based permissions, and automated provisioning/deprovisioning across the employee lifecycle, from a configured laptop on day one through offboarding
  • Run vendor management across our SaaS stack - license provisioning, renewals, and cost tracking for tools like Google Workspace, Slack, Linear, and Microsoft 365
  • Manage physical IT infrastructure across our SF and NYC offices - UniFi network switches, routers, access control systems, and cameras
  • Handle end-user support and ticketing - you're the person the team calls when something breaks or someone needs access, with on-call availability for issues that can't wait
  • Build automation to scale yourself and eliminate repetitive work - Python for custom integrations, workflow platforms like n8n or Zapier for standard orchestration, and AI-assisted tooling where it moves faster
  • Define guardrails for AI tool usage across the company, and build internal documentation, tooling, and workflows that let non-technical teammates self-serve common IT needs securely


What We're Looking For
  • Experience founding or building an IT function from zero at a fast-moving company - you've been the first or second IT hire before and know what it takes to stand something up with no existing playbook
  • Security-first mindset from working in a high-security environment (fintech, enterprise SaaS, or similar) - you instinctively reach for the more secure option
  • Strong scripting and automation skills in Python or similar - you write code to integrate systems, parse and transform data, and replace manual processes
  • AI-native in practice - you use tools like Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex daily to write scripts, build workflows, and automate tasks while keeping security controls in place
  • Project management instincts that let you operate beyond what a single person can handle through smart prioritization and process
  • Hands-on and available - this is an IC role where you're building, supporting, and responding, not managing from a distance


Nice to Have
  • Experience with compliance frameworks (SOC 2, ISO 27001) and supporting audits
  • Security domain expertise, particularly in vulnerability management
  • Windows environment administration at scale

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Cogent Security

More Information Technology Jobs

Find similar Founding IT Engineer jobs: