Jaroslav Šmíd studied technical cybernetics at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague. He has spent his entire professional life working in the field of information technology in the civil service.

He worked in state security agencies (Ministry of the Interior, BIS, UZSI) and participated in the establishment and development of the National Security Authority and the National Cyber and Information Security Agency, where he held the position of deputy director for many years.

He participated in the integration of the Czech Republic into international organizations, primarily NATO and the European Union.  He represented the Czech Republic at various forums dealing with information system security within NATO (CCDCOE – Steering Committee, SC4 for INFOSEC), CC (CCRA), EU (CSC, ENISA – Management Board, Security Scrutiny), ESA (Security Committee), etc.

At the national level, he was a member of, for example, the Council of the Security Research Program of the Czech Republic, the Government Council for the Information Society, the Coordination Council of the Minister of Transport for Space Activities, the Council of the National Competence Center for Cybersecurity, the MU Council for the Master's Program on Management of Service, SW, and Cybersecurity, etc.

In 2018, he was inducted into the Cybersecurity Hall of Fame.
He retired in June 2025.