Overview
Building a security team means hiring engineers who can protect your company's systems, data, and infrastructure from threats. Unlike general engineering teams, security teams require specialized knowledge of threats, vulnerabilities, and security controls.
A well-built security team typically includes:
- Security Engineers — Build security controls, implement security practices, respond to incidents
- Application Security Engineers — Focus on secure code, security testing, and SDLC security
- Infrastructure Security Engineers — Focus on cloud security, network security, and infrastructure hardening
- Security Analysts — Monitor threats, investigate incidents, and manage security operations
- Compliance Specialists — Handle regulatory requirements (SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, etc.)
The composition depends on your needs: early-stage companies often start with one security engineer. As you scale and face compliance requirements, you add specialists.
Team Composition Strategy
The Foundation: Your First Security Hire
Security Engineer (First Hire)
- Sets up security practices and policies
- Implements basic security controls
- Responds to security incidents
- Conducts security assessments
- Creates foundation for security program
Why Security Engineer First:
- Security needs to be built in from the start
- Early security decisions affect everything later
- One strong security engineer can establish practices
- Critical for compliance and customer trust
Scaling to 3-5 Person Team
Option A: Compliance-Focused
- Security Engineer (foundational security)
- Compliance Specialist (SOC 2, ISO 27001)
- Security Analyst (monitoring and incidents)
- Application Security Engineer (secure development)
Option B: Product Security-Focused
- Security Engineer (foundational security)
- Application Security Engineer (secure code)
- Infrastructure Security Engineer (cloud security)
- Security Analyst (threat detection)
Option C: Balanced
- Security Engineer (foundational security)
- Application Security Engineer (secure development)
- Infrastructure Security Engineer (cloud and infrastructure)
- Security Analyst (operations and monitoring)
When to Add Specialists
Add Compliance Specialist when:
- You need SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other certifications
- Customers require compliance
- You're in regulated industries (healthcare, finance)
Add Application Security Engineer when:
- Secure development becomes critical
- You have frequent security vulnerabilities
- You need security testing and code review
Add Infrastructure Security Engineer when:
- Cloud security becomes complex
- You need dedicated infrastructure hardening
- Network security requires specialization
Add Security Analyst when:
- You need 24/7 monitoring
- Incident response becomes frequent
- Threat detection needs dedicated focus
Hiring Order Matters
Phase 1: Security Engineer (Weeks 1-12)
Why First:
- Sets up security foundation
- Establishes security practices
- Creates security policies
- Responds to incidents
- Critical for compliance readiness
What to Look For:
- 3-5+ years security experience
- Broad security knowledge (not just one area)
- Experience with security frameworks
- Can work independently
- Good communication skills
Phase 2: Application or Infrastructure Security (Weeks 8-16)
Choose Application Security if:
- Secure development is your biggest concern
- You have frequent code vulnerabilities
- You need security in SDLC
Choose Infrastructure Security if:
- Cloud security is your biggest concern
- Infrastructure hardening needs focus
- Network security requires specialization
What to Look For:
- 3-5 years specialized experience
- Deep expertise in chosen area
- Can work with engineering teams
- Good communication skills
Phase 3: Compliance or Analyst (Months 3-6)
Add Compliance Specialist when:
- Compliance becomes critical
- You're pursuing certifications
- Customers require compliance
Add Security Analyst when:
- You need dedicated monitoring
- Incident response needs focus
- Threat detection becomes important
Skills to Look For
Security Engineer Skills
Must-Have:
- Security fundamentals (threats, vulnerabilities, controls)
- Security frameworks (OWASP, NIST, etc.)
- Incident response
- Security assessments and audits
- Risk management
Nice-to-Have:
- Cloud security (AWS, GCP, Azure)
- Application security
- Infrastructure security
- Compliance knowledge
- Security tools (SIEM, vulnerability scanners)
Application Security Engineer Skills
Must-Have:
- Secure coding practices
- Security testing (SAST, DAST, penetration testing)
- SDLC security integration
- Vulnerability management
- Code review for security
Nice-to-Have:
- Bug bounty experience
- Security research
- Threat modeling
- Security training for developers
Infrastructure Security Engineer Skills
Must-Have:
- Cloud security (AWS, GCP, Azure)
- Network security
- Infrastructure hardening
- Identity and access management
- Security monitoring
Nice-to-Have:
- Kubernetes security
- Container security
- Zero trust architecture
- Security automation
Budget Planning
Salary Costs (US, 2026)
| Role | Salary Range | Total with Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Security Engineer | $170-240K | $210-295K |
| Security Engineer | $140-190K | $170-235K |
| Application Security Engineer | $150-200K | $185-245K |
| Infrastructure Security Engineer | $150-200K | $185-245K |
| Security Analyst | $100-140K | $120-170K |
| Compliance Specialist | $120-170K | $145-210K |
3-Person Team: $535K-750K annually
5-Person Team: $800K-1.1M annually
Other Costs
- Security Tools: $5-15K/month (SIEM, vulnerability scanners, security testing tools)
- Compliance: $20-50K for certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001)
- Security Training: $2-5K per person annually
- Recruiting: 20-25% of salary if using agencies
- Equipment: $3-5K per person
Common Mistakes
1. Hiring Security Too Late
Problem: Waiting until after a breach or compliance requirement. Much harder to retrofit security.
Better approach: Hire security engineer early, even before you have complex systems. They'll set up practices that scale.
2. Not Defining Security Roles
Problem: Unclear boundaries between application security, infrastructure security, and compliance.
Better approach: Define responsibilities clearly: application security focuses on code, infrastructure security on systems, compliance on certifications.
3. Security as a Blocking Function
Problem: Security team says "no" to everything, blocking engineering velocity.
Better approach: Security should enable engineering with secure defaults and guidance, not block with gates.
4. Ignoring Developer Education
Problem: Security team finds vulnerabilities but doesn't teach developers how to prevent them.
Better approach: Invest in security training for developers. Prevention is better than detection.
5. Not Planning for Compliance
Problem: Need SOC 2 in 3 months but haven't started security program.
Better approach: Plan compliance early. Security engineer should establish practices that support compliance.
Security Team Culture
What Great Security Teams Have
1. Security as an Enabler
- Provide secure defaults and tooling
- Guide engineering teams
- Enable secure development
- Don't just say "no"
2. Proactive Security
- Threat modeling
- Security assessments
- Vulnerability management
- Security training
3. Incident Response Readiness
- Incident response plans
- Regular drills
- Post-incident reviews
- Continuous improvement
4. Collaboration with Engineering
- Work closely with engineering teams
- Understand development workflows
- Integrate security into SDLC
- Build trust, not fear
How to Establish Culture
Start with Foundation: Security engineer establishes practices and policies.
Educate Developers: Security training and secure coding practices.
Build Trust: Security enables, not blocks. Work with engineering, not against.
Learn from Incidents: Post-incident reviews are learning opportunities.
Interview Strategy
What to Assess
Technical Skills:
- Security fundamentals
- Threat modeling
- Vulnerability assessment
- Incident response
- Security tools and frameworks
Problem-Solving:
- Can they identify security risks?
- Do they think like attackers?
- Can they balance security and usability?
- Do they consider business context?
Communication:
- Can they explain security to non-security people?
- Do they work well with engineering teams?
- Can they write clear security policies?
Red Flags
- Can't explain security fundamentals
- Only knows one security area
- Doesn't understand business context
- Poor communication skills
- "Security at all costs" mentality
Timeline Expectations
Realistic Hiring Timeline
| Phase | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Find Security Engineer | 8-12 weeks | Security talent is scarce |
| First Specialist | 6-10 weeks | Can start after security engineer hired |
| Additional Team Members | 6-10 weeks each | Can hire in parallel |
Total: 4-6 months to build a 3-person team
Factors Affecting Timeline
- Security talent is very scarce — Plan for longer timelines
- Certifications help — CISSP, CISM, etc. signal competence
- Remote expands pool — Consider remote-first
- Compensation — Competitive offers attract faster
Recruiter's Cheat Sheet
Key Insights
- Security engineer is critical first hire — Don't compromise
- Define roles clearly — Application vs. infrastructure vs. compliance have different skills
- Security enables, not blocks — Look for collaborative security engineers
- Compliance planning matters — Start early if you need certifications
- Developer education is important — Security team should train developers
Common Questions from Founders
"Do I need application security or infrastructure security?"
Application security if secure development is your concern. Infrastructure security if cloud/infrastructure security is your concern. Start with general security engineer, add specialists as needed.
"When do I need a security team?"
As soon as you handle customer data or have compliance requirements. Don't wait until after a breach.
"How much does security cost?"
$5-15K/month for security tools, plus $20-50K for compliance certifications. Security team salaries are $500K-1M annually for 3-5 person team.
"Can one person handle all security needs?"
One strong security engineer can establish security program for early-stage companies. As you scale and face compliance requirements, add specialists.