Information security engineer career

Kaipūhanga haumaru mōhiohio

Information security engineers plan, build and manage security technology to protect data and devices.

Information security engineers plan, build and manage security technology to protect data and devices.

What would you do as an Information security engineer?

Information security engineers

  • usually work regular business hours but may work weekends or evenings
  • usually work in offices, and may travel locally
  • need to be accurate, responsible and identify and solve problems

Tasks

  • plan and build security technology
  • analyse system, network and data security
  • find and fix computer security issues
  • write security policies
  • monitor networks for cyber attacks
  • run cyber security training sessions
  • write technical reports
  • research new technology

How can you become an Information security engineer?

You usually need experience and a qualification to become an information security engineer.

You may need

  • experience in similar work
  • a bachelor's degree in computer science or similar
  • a Graduate Diploma in Cybersecurity
  • a Master of Cyber Security and Digital Forensics

If you're in school

You usually need University Entrance to do the study or training for this job.

Related career ideas

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Qualifications

View all qualifications

Our Bachelor of Computer Science and Bachelor of Applied Computing give you the programming and systems skills to start a career in information security. Like all our undergraduate degrees, both include work-integrated learning.

If you're coming from industry or a related degree, our Postgraduate Diploma or Master of Cyber Security lets you specialise in security and digital forensics. You'll learn from award-winning cyber security experts with international connections to organisations such as INTERPOL.

BCompSc

Bachelor of Computer Science

3 years Hamilton
Bachelors Degree
BAppComp

Bachelor of Applied Computing

3 years Tauranga
Bachelors Degree
MCS

Master of Cyber Security

1.5 years Hamilton
Masters Degree
PGDip

Postgraduate Diploma

1 year Hamilton
Postgraduate Diploma
View all qualifications

What our students are saying

Computing facilities at Waikato

The computing facilities give you 24 hour access to computer labs running the latest industry standard software.

Waikato is also home to New Zealand's first cyber security lab. This is where the Cybersecurity Researchers of Waikato (CROW) operate from, the team behind the annual New Zealand Cyber Security Challenge.

Build a successful career in cyber security

Demand for cyber security professionals is growing globally at 3.5 times the rate of the overall job market, and the industry has a 'near zero' unemployment rate. Waikato graduates go on to work across top public and private organisations in New Zealand and overseas, including Sjoerd de Feijter, now a Junior Software Engineer at Gallagher.

Information security engineer FAQs

Scholarships and prizes

Sir William Gallagher Cyber Security Scholarship

Not currently accepting applications.

The Sir William Gallagher Cyber Security Scholarship is for students intending to enrol in the dissertation or thesis part of a Master of Cyber Security by the end of A Trimester 2024. Candidates must have gained a 'B+' average for their most recent 120 points of study. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to gain industry experience through a research project at Gallagher.

Looking for more scholarships?

Visit our Scholarship Finder.

Australian Computer Society Accreditations

Australian Computer Society accredited

Accredited by the Australian Computer Society under the Seoul Accord, recognising Waikato computing qualifications against global ICT standards.

Contact us

Physical Address

School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences
Ground Floor, FG-Block Gate 8, The University of Waikato, Hillcrest Road, Hamilton New Zealand
+64 7 838 4322

Postal Address

The University of Waikato
Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.

Courier Address

The University of Waikato Mailroom
Gate 3a, 209 Te Koorama Place, Hamilton 3216