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Commission approves cybersecurity-engineer series after debate over degree requirement
Summary
The commission approved a new cybersecurity engineer series emphasizing certifications and experience; commissioners debated whether higher-level positions should require a college degree, and city IT leaders said degree requirements could shrink a small municipal applicant pool.
The City of Glendale Civil Service Commission approved a new Cybersecurity Engineer job series on Feb. 12 after an extended discussion about whether to require college degrees for senior roles.
Ms. Adams presented the new series, noting the City Council approved the establishment of the classification on Jan. 21. Chris Lemus, introduced himself while presenting duties for the series, which include planning and implementing the City's cybersecurity strategy, maintaining security controls, conducting risk assessments and responding to incidents.
Several commissioners pressed whether a bachelor's degree should be mandatory for the higher‑level classifications. Commissioner McRaven (speaker 3) said she preferred stronger educational requirements for senior posts. CIO Jason Bradford urged caution about an explicit degree requirement for all levels, saying municipal recruiting is constrained by competition with the private sector: "We had a college degree as desirable because we wanna have as wide as an applicant pool as possible," Bradford said.
Staff explained the series requires certificates and specific experience at higher levels; a bachelor's degree is listed as "highly desirable" but is not required for the entire series as submitted. HR staff confirmed the FLSA study and classification designations were completed and recommended approval with the education language retained as 'highly desirable' rather than mandatory.
Commissioners ultimately approved the series with the modification to the minimum‑education phrasing consistent with earlier classifications (state-issued high‑school equivalency or listed acronyms). The commission asked HR to monitor recruitment outcomes and return with recommendations if the applicant pool is insufficient for senior roles.
Next steps: HR will conduct recruitment, with transfers or external recruitment possible; IT plans to centralize cybersecurity responsibilities into the new team and staff accordingly.
