Technical Consultant - Data & Quantum Security

IBM
IBM

IT

North Carolina, USA · California City, CA, USA · Malta

Posted on Oct 22, 2026
Introduction

A career in IBM Consulting is built on long-term client relationships and close collaboration worldwide. You'll work with leading companies across industries, helping them shape their hybrid cloud and AI journeys. Work at the forefront of cryptographic modernization — one of the most critical and fast-moving areas in enterprise security. Opportunity to define the organization's quantum-safe security posture before the threat window closes. Collaborative culture with elite engineers, privacy counsel, and compliance professionals. Competitive compensation, flexible work model, and investment in your professional development.

Your role and responsibilities

We are seeking a seasoned Data Security Architect to lead the design, strategy, and implementation of enterprise-grade data protection solutions. This is a senior individual-contributor and advisory role responsible for shaping the cryptographic and data security posture of the organization — from classical PKI and key management to quantum-safe cryptographic transformation at scale.
You will work across engineering, compliance, and executive stakeholders to define frameworks, evaluate emerging threats, and drive data security modernization programs that protect our most sensitive assets — today and in a post-quantum world.

Key Responsibilities

Data Protection Strategy & Frameworks

  • Design and own the enterprise Data Protection Architecture — covering data at rest, in transit, and in use across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
  • Develop and maintain a Data Security Reference Architecture aligned with industry frameworks (NIST CSF, NIST SP 800-53, ISO 27001, DPDPA, GDPR, CCPA, PCI-DSS).
  • Define data classification policies, protection controls, and governance standards across structured, unstructured, and streaming data.
  • Architect Data Loss Prevention (DLP), tokenization, format-preserving encryption (FPE), and data masking solutions at enterprise scale.
  • Develop capabilities to implement security for enterprise data security solutions e.g. Microsoft Purview, Varonis, Palo Alto, Cyera etc.
  • Lead data security risk assessments, threat modeling exercises, and control gap analyses.

Quantum-Safe Discovery & Cryptographic Transformation

  • Lead the organization's Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) readiness program — from cryptographic inventory to full migration.
  • Conduct Cryptographic Bill of Materials (CBOM) discovery across applications, APIs, data stores, and infrastructure to identify quantum-vulnerable assets.
  • Collaborate with application owners and platform teams to prioritize and execute cryptographic transformation roadmaps.

This role can be performed from anywhere in the US.

Required education
Associate's Degree/College Diploma
Required technical and professional expertise
  • 10+ years of experience in information security, with 5+ years in a security architecture or cryptography-focused role.
  • Deep expertise in cryptographic principles — symmetric/asymmetric algorithms, key derivation, digital signatures, certificate standards (X.509), and protocol-level security (TLS 1.3, SSH, IPsec).
  • Hands-on experience designing and implementing PKI infrastructure, including CA hierarchies, HSM integration, and certificate policy governance.
  • Demonstrated experience with KMS architecture across cloud and on-premises environments, including HSM-backed key material management.
  • Practical experience with CLM platforms (Venafi, Keyfactor, AppViewX, DigiCert, or equivalent) and certificate automation at scale.
  • Working knowledge of Post-Quantum Cryptography landscape, NIST PQC standardization process, and CBOM tooling.
  • Proficiency with DLP, tokenization, data masking, and encryption technologies in enterprise environments.
  • Experience architecting across major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) with cloud-native security services.
  • Strong knowledge of relevant compliance frameworks: NIST SP 800-57, PCI-DSS, GDPR, HIPAA, FedRAMP, SOC 2.
  • Excellent communication skills — ability to translate complex cryptographic concepts to executive, technical, and compliance audiences.

Preferred technical and professional experience
  • Experience with quantum-safe migration tooling (IBM Quantum Safe, KeyFactor, Entrust, Palo ALto, Thales or equivalent).
  • Familiarity with CBOM/SBOM tooling and cryptographic asset discovery platforms.
  • Background in zero-trust architecture with strong identity and workload certificate integration.
  • Contributions to or engagement with NIST, ETSI, IETF, or Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) working groups.
  • Experience in regulated industries (Financial Services, Healthcare, Defense, Government).
  • Familiarity with FIPS 140-2/3 validation processes and cryptographic module evaluation.

ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT

IBM Consulting is IBM’s consulting and global professional services business, with market leading capabilities in business and technology transformation. With deep expertise in many industries, we offer strategy, experience, technology, and operations services to many of the most innovative and valuable companies in the world. Our people are focused on accelerating our clients’ businesses through the power of collaboration. We believe in the power of technology responsibly used to help people, partners and the planet.

YOUR LIFE @ IBM

In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.

Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.

Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.

Are you ready to be an IBMer?

ABOUT IBM

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.

Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.

At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS

IBM offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program. Eligible employees may have access to:

- Healthcare benefits including medical & prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, and mental health & well being

- Financial programs such as 401(k), cash balance pension plan, the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan, financial counseling, life insurance, short & long- term disability coverage, and opportunities for performance based salary incentive programs

- Generous paid time off including 12 holidays, minimum 56 hours sick time, 120 hours vacation, 12 weeks parental bonding leave in accordance with IBM Policy, and other Paid Care Leave programs. IBM also offers paid family leave benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law

- Training and educational resources on our personalized, AI-driven learning platform where IBMers can grow skills and obtain industry-recognized certifications to achieve their career goals

- Diverse and inclusive employee resource groups, giving & volunteer opportunities, and discounts on retail products, services & experiences

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.

This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 21 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role.

IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.

See more open positions at IBM