Our guide shows you how to hire DevSecOps engineers and some of the pitfalls and challenges of recruiting for this highly specialized skill. DevSecOps engineers are some of the most in-demand IT professionals in the world. The market for this service continues to explode, with a value of 5.15 billion in 2023 and a projected value of 16.2 billion by 2030.
The reason why DevSecOps workers are necessary is due to the evolving role of security in app development and release management processes. DevSecOps tools help companies build security into their applications and reduce their risk of potential cyber threats. A poll by Deloitte shows that almost half of C-Suite and other executives expect cyber attacks on essential systems to increase in the future.
IT professionals who have the combination of skills and engineering design analysis that DevSecOps requires are also rare and hard to come by. Engineers with this specialty need to know how to code, navigate application security, utilize the cloud and deploy an application successfully. With most businesses switching to a focus on cloud technologies, professionals in this realm also need experience building and working with cloud-based systems.
Integrating software development, security and operations has worked out positively for many organizations. One example of a success story comes from the Pokemon Go mobile app, a gaming application primarily designed for children. The company successfully prioritized children’s data privacy and security without impacting the game’s design and user experience.
According to John Visneski, director of information security and data protection officer at the Pokemon Company International, “You have to raise the security culture of your entire organization. Eventually, people become privacy and security experts and they won’t even realize it.”
The future of software development is in this approach that combines all of the essentials. Hiring DevSecOps team members may push your company towards greater efficiency and maximum impact.
Hiring a Freelance DevSecOps Engineer
When you are ready to hire a freelance DevSecOps engineer, you have to figure out your staffing strategy. Some companies that focus on software development in their architect solutions may want a full-time team of developers. For smaller startups, medium companies and other organizations that only need a proprietary app, it makes more sense to outsource with freelancers.
A group of freelance software developers helps you scale your cross-functional teams and match your specific day-to-day needs. Working with on-demand talent gives you more options with flexibility with hours, project scope and skills needed for your tasks. This model also saves you in recruiting and payroll costs.
What Does a DevSecOps Engineer Do?
Within the IT industry, there is some confusion about this question: What does a DevSecOps engineer do?
One expert, Steven Zimmerman, DevOps security solutions manager with the Synopsys Software Integrity Group, explains the importance of DevSecOps like this, “Now we’ve got new software components, containers, infrastructure-as-code, templates, serverless functions, all of which present new attack vectors for cybercriminals,” he said. “So now we need to layer on the tests that help identify security risks within those.”
A DevSecOps engineer’s primary focus is on application security. Unlike other data security professionals, a DevSecOps pro includes security best practices during the development and operations stage of software creation. They are responsible for the audit processes and software integration for security.
Why hire DevSecOps engineers? Any company that uses software applications in its business processes may need developers with this expertise. Instead of thinking about data security after your app creation and going back and fixing problems, DevSecOps engineers have a more intuitive and time-saving approach.
DevSecOps engineers have to be familiar with all different aspects of computer programming, coding, security analysis, cloud computing and risk management strategies. They have to work seamlessly with other professionals in your organization and understand regulations and principles of data privacy for different parts of the world. DevSecOps engineers for hire have to align with your corporate culture and also understand your deliverables and project management style.
Because of their specialized skills and knowledge, it makes the most sense to hire dedicated DevSecOps engineers. Having a team of engineers available to you may help you protect your company’s proprietary data and information about customers or stakeholders.
How To Hire DevSecOps Engineers
Whenever you need to hire a new team member, there should be a process your organization follows to acquire the best talent. First, consider the duties you want a DevSecOps engineer to do in your organization and the scope of the project. You will need to define the professional’s role within your team to figure out what your hiring goals will be.
Then, you and your leadership team need to find sources of talent with this skill. There are multiple avenues you could use to find strong candidates, such as LinkedIn, Indeed, ZipRecruiter or freelance marketplace sites. To hasten the process, consider reaching out to agencies that focus on top IT developers.
The next place to find capable engineers for your needs is by looking at individual organizations within the IT industry. Software development companies in Silicon Valley or other tech centers may have talented professionals looking for a career change. Additionally, coding clubs, universities and hackathons are also potential sources.
Hiring for DevSecOps could be time-consuming and tedious. You will need to understand the role of DevSecOps in your organization and be able to spot talent. If you are not up to the task of evaluating coding skills and understanding how DevSecOps works with your applications, you may need to use an expert hiring resource to help you source strong candidates.
What Skills To Look For When Hiring DevSecOpsEngineers
Hiring experts need to define the DevSecOps engineer skills when looking for new people to join their projects. DevSecOps engineers have many essential technical skills, but they also have several important soft skills that make them more successful. Here are the most in-demand general skills:| Soft Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking Skills | DevSecOpsEngineers must make complex connections between software problems and potential solutions. |
| Time Management Capability | Developing applications and integrating security systems require excellent time management skills and the ability to meet tight deadlines. |
| Teamwork Ability | People working in this field have to work together on teams and must navigate coworking relationships effectively. |
| Strong Written Communicator | DevSecOps engineers have to author software systems and use written communication to document. |
DevSecOps engineers also have to demonstrate mastery of some technical skills. Here is a list of common hard skills needed for this job:
- Experience with risk assessment and threat modeling
- Knowledge of DevOps tools and scripting applications
- Experience with IaC tools
- Knowledge of privacy and security regulations, such as PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR
- Understanding of cloud security tools
- Expertise in container security, such as Docker and Kubernetes
How Much Does It Cost To Hire DevSecOps Engineers?
DevSecOps engineers command competitive salaries because of their necessity in software development. The average salary for a full-time engineer is $101,752 per year, according to ZipRecruiter. The average hourly rate for a standard employee is $49. DevSecOps engineers may make more or less than the average depending on the number of years of experience they have, their geographical location and their reputation within the industry.
Tips for Writing a DevSecOps Engineer Job Description
Many job sites and freelance platforms require you to write a job posting. If you master writing a strong DevSecOps engineer job description, you will increase your chances of hiring someone who is a good fit.
Your team needs to understand what you want the DevSecOps professional to do within your organization before writing the posting. In your DevSecOps engineer job description, include plenty of specific skills you want the candidate to possess to allow for AI matching.
The next stage of the recruitment process is checking out resumes and evaluating skills. You can use written assessments to check technical prowess and character evaluations to check if someone is a good corporate culture fit.
When you are ready to interview, consider different interviewing techniques, such as behavioral, panel or case interviews. Having an open mind to different candidates could bring diverse, new ideas into your organization.
Common Interview Questions To Ask When You Are Looking To Hire a DevSecOps Engineer
An effective interview strategy for this role is to evaluate your candidate’s technical knowledge and comprehensive experience. If you do not have an IT background, consider holding a panel interview with experts by your side. Another tactic is to have a recruiting team handle your screening and interviewing for you.
One question to open your interview with is, what strategies do you use to prioritize security during software development? When answering, the candidate should emphasize how the security development should happen during the software creation process. They should talk about running security audits through application building, testing and operations.
Next, ask the person you are interviewing to explain the difference between DevOps and DevSecOps. Listen for an answer that demonstrates a clear difference between the two practices. DevOps promotes collaboration and communication between departments working on applications, but DevSecOps focuses more on implementing security practices throughout the development stage.
Finally, make sure you also ask this essential question: what are the DevSecOps tools you use on a daily basis? The candidate should explain that they use various security tools. Look for details about their experience with Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools, Web Application Firewalls (WAFs), container applications, Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) tools and applications to manage the organization’s vulnerability.
How To Find Freelance DevSecOps Engineers for Hire
Businesses struggle to find DevSecOps engineers who can do what they need because of how competitive the market is for this skill. To save time and money, look at our recommended sites to hire DevSecOps engineers, reach out to your network and try some nontraditional hiring methods to find great talent.
Toptal is an excellent hiring site to start with. Toptal provides quality developers who can complete your project and improve your application development. Their team takes on the technical side of the recruiting process so you can focus on running your company.
The future of software development is with the DevSecOps process. Your business model may not be feasible if you do not employ an integrated approach to designing software applications. Data security is a priority, no matter what industry your business is in, so recruiting talented DevSecOps engineers is a must.
Hiring DevSecOps Engineers FAQs
- Are DevSecOps Engineers in demand?
- Since so many companies now need to rethink their software development process for the new generation, there will be a higher demand for DevSecOps. The industry will grow significantly in the next decade, and there will be more security practices to learn, making this role more valuable. There is a shortage of skilled professionals in this field, and companies may have to compete with each other to land the most talented people.
- Where can I hire DevSecOps Engineers?
- Skilled DevSecOps engineers are available across all industries. The most common spot to find them is in the top IT organizations and coding companies. There are also millions of freelance software developers who have the skills required for DevSecOps. Freelancers who work remotely may be in other parts of the world, such as India, Latin America or Eastern Europe. Freelance marketplace sites, outsourcing agencies and tech hiring firms are great ways to find skilled DevSecOps engineers.
- Why should you hire a DevSecOps Engineer?
- Hiring DevSecOps engineers helps streamline your software development cycle. With these professionals on your team, you can effectively incorporate security systems within your applications as they get developed. You do not have to backtrack and add things after the fact and lose precious time and efficiency.