As a Security Engineer at H&R Block, you are a guardian of one of the most sensitive datasets in the financial services industry. Our customers trust us with their most private financial information, and your role is to ensure that trust is never compromised. You will work at the intersection of finance and technology, building and maintaining robust security frameworks that protect millions of taxpayers during the high-stakes environment of the tax season.

The impact of this role extends across our entire digital ecosystem, from our consumer-facing tax preparation software to our internal financial systems. You will be responsible for identifying vulnerabilities, architecting secure systems, and responding to emerging threats in real-time. Whether you are focused on Red Teaming, Cloud Security, or Application Security, your work directly enables H&R Block to innovate safely while maintaining a world-class security posture.

This position offers a unique challenge: balancing rigorous security protocols with the need for high-performance, user-friendly financial tools. You will join a team of experts who value proactive problem-solving and strategic thinking. At H&R Block, security is not just a checkbox; it is a core business priority that requires engineers who are as passionate about defense as they are about the latest offensive security trends.

Expect a mix of standard domain questions and scenario-based inquiries. The goal of these questions is to see your thought process and your ability to apply security concepts to H&R Block's specific needs.

Red Teaming and Penetration Testing

• These questions test your offensive mindset and your ability to identify and exploit vulnerabilities.

• "Walk me through the steps you take when performing an external network penetration test."
• "How do you stay updated on the latest zero-day vulnerabilities and exploitation techniques?"

Preparation for the Security Engineer role requires a blend of deep technical proficiency and the ability to communicate risk to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. You should approach your interviews ready to demonstrate not just what you know, but how you apply that knowledge to solve complex, real-world security challenges within a large enterprise.

Role-Related Knowledge – You must demonstrate a mastery of security fundamentals, including network protocols, encryption standards, and common vulnerability patterns. Interviewers at H&R Block look for candidates who can explain the "why" behind security best practices and apply them to our specific financial tech stack.

Problem-Solving Ability – You will be evaluated on your ability to break down complex security incidents or architectural flaws. Interviewers often use scenario-based questions to see how you prioritize risks and develop remediation strategies under pressure, especially during high-traffic periods.

Communication and Influence – Security is a collaborative effort at H&R Block. You need to show that you can effectively partner with software developers and product managers to integrate security into the SDLC without causing unnecessary friction.

Culture Fit and Values – We value engineers who are proactive, curious, and deeply committed to data privacy. You should be prepared to discuss your opinions on current security trends and how you stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape.

The interview process for a Security Engineer at H&R Block is designed to be efficient, transparent, and rigorous. We aim to understand your technical depth while ensuring you align with our collaborative culture. Candidates typically describe the process as well-organized and responsive, allowing you to move through the stages at a steady pace while gaining a clear understanding of the team's expectations.

You can expect a progression that starts with foundational conversations and moves into deep technical evaluations. The early stages focus on your background and basic security knowledge, while later stages involve more senior leadership, including the Head of Department or Security Principals. This structure ensures that you have the chance to showcase both your hands-on skills and your strategic thinking.

This timeline illustrates the standard progression from initial contact to the final HR wrap-up. You should use this to pace your preparation, focusing on core technical concepts early on and shifting toward behavioral stories and high-level architecture as you reach the final rounds.

Offensive Security and Red Teaming

• This area evaluates your ability to think like an adversary to identify weaknesses before they can be exploited. At H&R Block, we prioritize proactive defense, and your expertise in penetration testing and vulnerability research is critical. Strong performance is characterized by a systematic approach to discovery and a clear plan for exploitation and reporting.

Be ready to go over:

• Penetration Testing Methodologies – Understanding the full lifecycle of an engagement from scoping to remediation.
• Common Exploit Techniques – Deep knowledge of OWASP Top 10, lateral movement, and privilege escalation.
• Tooling Proficiency – Experience with industry-standard tools like Burp Suite, Metasploit, or custom scripting for automation.
• Advanced concepts – Evasion techniques, custom payload development, and bypassing modern endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk us through a complex vulnerability you discovered and how you successfully demonstrated its impact to the business."
• "How would you approach a red team engagement against a cloud-native financial application?"
• "Describe a scenario where you had to bypass a specific security control and what that taught you about the underlying architecture."

Application and Cloud Security

• As H&R Block continues to modernize its infrastructure, securing our cloud presence and application code is paramount. This area tests your ability to build security into the development pipeline and manage risks in AWS or Azure environments. We look for candidates who understand DevSecOps principles and can implement automated security checks.

Be ready to go over:

• Secure SDLC – Integrating security testing (SAST/DAST) into CI/CD pipelines.
• Cloud Identity and Access Management (IAM) – Designing least-privilege policies in a complex enterprise environment.
• Container Security – Securing Docker images and Kubernetes clusters.
• Advanced concepts – Serverless security, infrastructure-as-code (IaC) scanning, and zero-trust architecture implementation.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How do you ensure that security misconfigurations are caught before they reach production in a fast-moving DevOps environment?"
• "Explain how you would secure a multi-tenant application hosted in a public cloud."
• "What are the most critical risks associated with moving legacy financial systems to the cloud, and how do you mitigate them?"