Investigative Technologist

State of Utah Office of the Governor•Salt Lake City, UT

10d•$50 - $63•Onsite

About The Position

The Utah Office of the Attorney General is hiring for a new role as a Technologist & Investigator in the Antitrust & Data Privacy Division. We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced Technologist & Investigator to help build and support the Attorney General’s enforcement efforts primarily in data privacy and cybersecurity matters. Cybersecurity enforcement is a quickly developing field that touches on many different sectors, including schools, government, healthcare, social media, AI, and basically every area where businesses and consumers interact digitally. The statutes that would be the primary focus of the job include the Utah Protection of Personal Information Act and the Utah Consumer Privacy Act; however, work might include projects on any laws that protect the public. These cases often involve challenging and high-impact enforcement initiatives where the Division coordinates with other state or federal enforcement authorities, as well as other agencies of the State of Utah. This is a mid-level position. The Technologist & Investigator will provide industry research, data analysis, and technical expertise to the attorneys and staff in pursuing investigations and enforcement actions. The position will, in part, be responsible for reviewing and analyzing business cybersecurity policies and procedures and notifications of data breaches of private and government entities. Additionally, the position will have input on planning and will be independently responsible for conducting industry research projects on issues that impact consumer privacy; gathering and interpreting qualitative and quantitative data; and preparing reports and recommendations to management and attorneys. The Technologist & Investigator will be expected to learn and explain the technological intricacies of digital privacy, online data flows, online advertising, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, algorithmic design, application development, and human-computer interaction. The Technologist & Investigator may serve on high profile and sensitive cases, task forces, or working groups that have wide-ranging impact on consumers.

Requirements

A Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Cybersecurity and five years of relevant experience; or Seven years of recent and relevant experience with advanced technology research, software engineering, or cybersecurity, two of which must be as an expert advisor, supervisor, or team lead.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, presentation and interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated interest in emerging technology and related policy issues.
Highly organized, self-directed, and resourceful.
Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, and to assess the need to shift priorities.
Good problem-solving skills and the confidence to know when to ask questions.
Experience executing technology projects, products, platforms, or services using expertise in software development, design, data science, or research.
Experience examining large data sets using scripting languages (e.g., Python, R, SQL, etc.) to investigate allegations of illegal conduct.
Experience analyzing, collecting, and using information and data for law enforcement or investigation purposes.
Ability to be self-directed and manage workload.
Experience advising leaders or stakeholders on technical concepts to achieve organizational or project objectives.
Must successfully pass a criminal history check.

Responsibilities

Assess the reasonableness of businesses’ cybersecurity policies and practices, including alignment with recognized security frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF), industry norms, and statutory obligations;
Analyze the technical root causes of data breaches and evaluate the adequacy of organizations’ security controls, access management practices, system configurations, logging/monitoring systems, breach containment, data exfiltration prevention measures, and incident response actions taken before, during, and after the breach;
Support investigative work by helping to craft targeted civil investigative demands;
Analyze materials received through civil investigative demands to help build case theories and identify additional lines of inquiry;
Aid in the review of data and documents related to investigations and investigative findings;
Conduct presentations and briefings of investigative conclusions through written reports;
Support the development of case theories and aid in the creation of effective remedies;
Serve as an expert advisor to enforcement staff regarding technology and privacy.
Develop internal guidance and educational materials that translate cybersecurity concepts into clear, accessible information for non-technical staff;
Develop technology-related policies, procedures, tools, examination techniques, and inquiry methods to be applied in connection with consumer protection.