DevSecOps engineers build security into your software delivery pipeline, so vulnerabilities surface while they're cheap to fix instead of after code reaches production. For teams shipping fast, that means faster delivery, fewer incidents, and lower long-term risk.
What does a DevSecOps engineer do?
A DevSecOps engineer connects development, security, and operations so security checks run early and often. This "shift left" approach catches issues during development instead of after deployment, keeping teams fast without cutting corners on safety.
In practice, the role is part engineer and part advocate. The best candidates automate the tedious parts of security so developers barely notice them, then coach the wider team on secure habits.ย
Here's what DevSecOps engineer tasks look like day to day:
- Automate security testing such as static analysis (SAST), dynamic analysis (DAST), software composition analysis (SCA), and container scanning inside CI/CD pipelines
- Secure infrastructure as code and enforce policy as code for least-privilege access and hardened deployments
- Manage secrets and credentials, and lead vulnerability response and incident collaboration
How to hire a DevSecOps engineer on Upwork
Hiring a DevSecOps engineer on Upwork takes four steps: post a job, evaluate candidates, interview your top choices, and agree on scope. Each step is designed to help you move with confidence, so you know exactly what to do next. You can move quickly, too, since the median time from job post to first hire is six hours.
Step 1: Post a job
Start with a clear job post that spells out your stack and the security work you need done. The more context you share about your environment and goals, the better your matches will be, so lead with specifics rather than generalities.
- List the pipeline, cloud, and tooling context (for example CI/CD platform, IaC framework, and scanning tools)
- Name must-have skills such as SAST, DAST, SCA, secrets management, and policy as code
- Note required certifications or clearances if relevant
- Specify the cloud platforms and environments the engineer will secure, such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, or on-premises infrastructure
- Describe your compliance requirements, such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, or FedRAMP
- Note whether the project involves securing existing pipelines or designing a DevSecOps program from scratch
- Draw ideas from this DevOps engineer job description
Use our Job Post Generator powered by Umaโข, Upwork's Mindful AI. Describe what you need in a few sentences and Uma will draft a job post for DevSecOps engineers. You can write a new post, update a saved draft, or reuse an existing post.
Step 2: Evaluate candidates
Review proposals and profiles to find freelancers whose experience matches your security goals. Focus on proof of hands-on work rather than credentials alone because a strong portfolio tells you more about how someone actually solves problems.
- Look for portfolios showing CI/CD security gates, container scanning, or policy-as-code work
- Check for relevant certifications and hands-on tool experience
- Weigh communication skills since the role coaches developers on secure coding
- Review examples of infrastructure-as-code security, Kubernetes hardening, or cloud security implementations
- Look for experience integrating security into developer workflows without slowing releases
- Confirm familiarity with your preferred cloud provider, CI/CD platform, and infrastructure tooling
Uma can conduct instant video interviews and provide shortlists of candidates with side-by-side comparisons to speed up your review.
Step 3: Interview your top choices
Talk with candidates on your shortlist to gauge technical depth and determine how they think about risk. Prepare a few security and DevOps interview questions and pay attention to how clearly each candidate explains complex trade-offs, since that skill carries into their work with your developers.
- Ask "How do you ensure security in CI/CD pipelines?" and "How do you approach continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD)?"
- Discuss threat modeling and vulnerability response approaches
- Explore how they reduce alert fatigue without weakening controls
- Ask how they prioritize vulnerabilities and balance security with deployment speed
- Discuss their experience implementing least-privilege access, secrets management, and identity controls
- Ask how they measure the success of a DevSecOps program over time
Schedule and conduct interviews within Upwork Messages, and get an immediate transcript and summary after each conversation.
Step 4: Agree on scope and begin work
Once you've chosen a freelancer, align on deliverables and timelines before work starts. Clear expectations help keep the engagement on track and make it easy to measure progress as security work rolls out across your pipeline.
- Set scope around pipeline stages, tools, and target environments
- Agree on milestones such as scanning coverage, policy enforcement, and remediation timelines
- Clarify reporting and handoff expectations
- Define the security standards, compliance requirements, and acceptance criteria the project must meet
- Confirm the expected deliverables, such as pipeline configurations, security policies, runbooks, documentation, and training materials
- Establish a process for validating remediation work and retesting vulnerabilities before project completion
- Provide access to your pipelines and cloud environments
Use messaging and the contract workroom to communicate and manage the project, with identity verification, payment protection, hourly tracking, and project funds keeping the engagement secure. On Upwork, 89% of first-time clients complete their contracts.
The rates and information provided in this article are based on current data and industry sources available at the time of publication. Freelance rates can vary depending on factors such as experience, location, project scope, and market conditions. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research to confirm current rates and trends, as this information may change over time.
Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.