Our mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. We are working to change the trajectory of cancer mortality and bring stakeholders together to adopt innovative, safe, and effective technologies that can transform cancer care.
We are a healthcare company, pioneering new technologies to advance early cancer detection. We have built a multi-disciplinary organization of scientists, engineers, and physicians and we are using the power of next-generation sequencing (NGS), population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art computer science and data science to overcome one of medicine’s greatest challenges.
GRAIL is headquartered in the bay area of California, with locations in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom. It is supported by leading global investors and pharmaceutical, technology, and healthcare companies.
We are seeking a strategic and battle-tested Director of Cybersecurity Operations and Threat Intelligence to lead our defensive security strategy. In this pivotal role, you will own the "shield" of the organization, overseeing the Security Operations Center (SOC), Incident Response (IR), and Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) functions.
You will be responsible for detecting, analyzing, and neutralizing sophisticated cyber threats while proactively gathering intelligence to predict future attacks. This is a leadership role requiring a balance of deep technical expertise in defensive operations and the ability to communicate risk to executive leadership.
This role requires more than technical proficiency. We are looking for a leader who models GRAIL’s core values, embodies our LEAD leadership attributes, and delivers results with integrity, inclusivity, and strategic insight.
This role is based in Menlo Park, California, and will move to Sunnyvale, California in Fall 2026. It offers a flexible work arrangement, with the ability to work from GRAIL's office or from home. Our current flexible work arrangement policy requires that a minimum of 60%, or 24 hours, of your total work week be on-site. Your specific schedule, determined in collaboration with your manager, will align with team and business needs and could exceed the 40% requirement for the site. At our Menlo Park campus, Tuesdays and Thursdays are the key days where we encourage on-site presence to engage in events and on-site activities.
Responsibilities
Security Operations (SecOps) LeadershipSOC Management: Direct the 24/7 Security Operations Center (internal or MSSP/MDR), ensuring rapid detection and containment of threats.Incident Response: Serve as the primary commander during high-severity security incidents. Develop and maintain the Incident Response Plan (IRP) and conduct regular tabletop exercises.Tooling & Architecture: Oversee the deployment and optimization of security tooling, including SIEM, SOAR, EDR/XDR, and IDS/IPS systems.Automation: Drive the adoption of automation to reduce alert fatigue and decrease Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) and Mean Time to Respond (MTTR).Threat Intelligence & HuntingIntelligence Program: Build and mature a Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) program that aggregates strategic, operational, and tactical intelligence.Threat Hunting: Lead proactive threat hunting initiatives to identify indicators of compromise (IOCs) that evade automated detection tools.Adversary Analysis: Map threat actor TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures) against the MITRE ATT&CK framework to identify gaps in coverage.Vulnerability Management: Collaborate with engineering teams to prioritize patching based on active threat intelligence rather than just CVSS scores.Key responsibilities include: Strategy & Leadership: Develop and execute the Cybersecurity Operations and Threat Intelligence strategy. Lead a team of security professionals and foster a security-aware culture.Cloud Native Defenses: Lead the monitoring and defense of our AWS environment. Oversee the configuration of AWS Security Hub, GuardDuty, Shield, and container security tools (EKS/K8s).SaMD Monitoring: Establish post-market surveillance and monitoring for our Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) platforms, ensuring alignment with FDA pre- and post-market cybersecurity guidance.Data Integrity: Implement specific monitoring controls to detect unauthorized changes to genomic datasets (integrity attacks) and analysis pipelines.Lab Ops Defense: Secure the "physical" edge. Monitor and protect Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), DNA sequencers, and liquid handling robots.Network Segmentation: Ensure the segmentation between corporate IT, the Cloud Product environment, and the high-sensitivity Lab OT network signal are feeding into SoC.Legacy Device Management: Develop "compensating controls" and monitoring strategies for lab equipment that cannot be patched or runs on legacy OS.Bio-Espionage Focus: Develop a Threat Intelligence program specifically tuned to detect IP theft, industrial espionage, and state-sponsored threats targeting genomic data.Proactive Hunting: Lead threat hunts across petabytes of genomic data storage and compute environments to identify dormant threats or supply chain compromises.Vulnerability Prioritization: Contextualize vulnerabilities based on clinical risk. (e.g., “Does this vulnerability impact the accuracy of a patient report?”).Clinical Continuity: Design Incident Response (IR) plans that prioritize patient safety and lab uptime. Run tabletop exercises simulating ransomware in the lab or data corruption in the cloud.Forensics: Lead forensic investigations with a chain-of-custody approach suitable for regulatory reporting (HIPAA/GDPR) and potential legal action.Compliance & Governance: Ensure product adherence to relevant security regulations and industry standards. Stay updated on security trends and work with security, IT and legal teams.Incident Management: Work with the Incident Management team to integrate Lab, Software and Enterprise cyber threats into incident response procedures into enterprise Cyber Incident Response Plan (C-IRP).Reporting and Performance Monitoring: Define product security KPIs and present Cybersecurity operations and threat intelligence reports to senior management.Collaboration & Communication: Partner with various teams to integrate security into the cybersecurity operations and threat intelligence roadmap. Communicate security topics effectively and build relationships with internal and external partners.Collaboration with Stakeholders: Build strong relationships with IT, product, software, quality and security team, internal departments and external parties, and third-party vendors, to ensure effective governance and compliance practices.Continuous Improvement: Evaluate current product security processes, and identify opportunities for enhancements to improve efficiency and effectiveness.Strategic Execution & Business ImpactTranslate business objectives into technical strategies that reduce risk, align with regulations, and enable innovation.Build and evolve stakeholder and team relationships across business units and geographies, ensuring the delivery of tailored, high-value solutions.Serve as lead for key cybersecurity initiatives and milestones, while ensuring stakeholder preparedness and training for execution.Team Leadership & People DevelopmentInspire and build inclusive, high-performing teams that thrive in fast-paced and ambiguous environments.Mentor future leaders, create growth pathways, and embed feedback-rich, talent-building practices.Promote a collaborative culture that empowers individuals and celebrates curiosity and impact.LEADership Attributes in ActionThis Director level role is expected to lead through the LEAD framework:L: Lead by Example - Model trust, consistency, and resilience. Navigate ambiguity and manage conflict constructively.E: Engage Others - Inspire mission alignment, communicate effectively across all levels, and develop talent through coaching and feedback.A: Achieve Results - Drive execution through accountability, collaboration, and a clear sense of ownership—even when facing setbacks.D: Develop the Business - Address complex problems with clarity and innovation. Balance the needs of patients, clients, and partners in every decision.GRAIL Core Values & Expected BehaviorsThis Director level leader must live GRAIL’s values in every engagement:Be Courageous - Challenge the status quo, step up to address difficult issues, and support others who do the same.Solve Problems Together - Collaborate across boundaries, bring in diverse skillsets, and work with rigor, speed, and a data-driven mindset.Think BIG! - Pursue ambitious goals with focused execution and bring in external perspectives to shape future solutions.Embrace Change - Navigate ambiguity, anticipate the future, and turn complexity into opportunity.Bring an Open Mind - Cultivate curiosity, listen actively to diverse voices, and challenge assumptions to unlock innovation.These responsibilities summarize the role’s primary responsibilities and are not an exhaustive list. They may change at the company’s discretion.
Required Qualifications
12+ years in Information Security, with significant leadership experience in Biotech, Pharma, MedTech or Healthcare. We may also consider individuals with experience in innovative manufacturing backgrounds (like Tesla).Cloud Expertise: Deep operational experience with AWS (Amazon Web Services) security stacks and serverless/containerized architectures.Regulatory Knowledge: Strong familiarity with HIPAA, GDPR, FDA Cybersecurity Guidance for Medical Devices, and GxP (Good Practice) requirements.Hybrid Environments: Experience securing mixed environments containing both modern cloud tech and on-premise hardware/IoT (Lab equipment, manufacturing, or OT).SIEM/SOAR: Experience architecting detection logic in modern platforms (e.g., Splunk, Sumo Logic, Datadog Security, or AWS Lake Formation).Frameworks: Deep understanding of MITRE ATT&CK (specifically for Cloud and ICS/Medical) and NIST CSF.DevSecOps: Ability to integrate security operations into CI/CD pipelines to monitor infrastructure-as-code (IaC).Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Bioinformatics, or Cybersecurity or equivalent.Certifications: CISSP or CISM required. Specialized Certifications (Highly Preferred): AWS Certified Security – Specialty, HCISPP (Healthcare), or GICSP (Industrial Cyber Security).Strong communication and stakeholder management skills—from technical leads to C-suite executivesGlobal perspective from working with international stakeholders or teams
Preferred Qualifications
Experience leading cyber innovation initiatives across government and commercial sectorsSkilled at building cross-functional alignment and translating technical risks into business implicationsStrong interpersonal, coaching, and influence skills
What We Offer
What We OfferA leadership platform with the ability to shape cybersecurity strategy at scaleMeaningful work in a company that values courage, impact, and inclusionCompetitive compensation, executive bonus structure, and global exposureAccess to mission-driven, life-changing innovation through GRAIL’s transformative work.
The expected, full-time, annual base pay scale for this position is $224-322k. Actual base pay will consider skills, experience, and location.
This role may be eligible for other forms of compensation, including an annual bonus and/or incentives, subject to the terms of the applicable plans and Company discretion. This range reflects a good-faith estimate of the range that the Company reasonably expects to pay for the position upon hire; the actual compensation offered may vary depending on factors such as the candidate’s qualifications. Employees in this role are also eligible for GRAIL’s comprehensive and competitive benefits package, offered in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. This package currently includes flexible time-off or vacation; a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match; medical, dental, and vision coverage; and carefully selected mindfulness programs.
GRAIL is an equal employment opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a workplace where every individual can thrive, contribute, and grow. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, , or any other class or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws. Additionally, GRAIL will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in a manner consistent with applicable law and provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please contact us at rc@grailbio.com if you require an accommodation to apply for an open position.
GRAIL maintains a drug-free workplace. We welcome job-seekers from all backgrounds to join us!
