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Howard Schmidt, a highly regarded technology executive who was former special adviser to U.S. President George W. Bush for cybersecurity, is returning to work with the Homeland Security Department on efforts to protect the nation’s computer networks.

Mr. Schmidt, the chief security officer for eBay Inc., will be named chairman of the U.S. Computer Emergency Response Team, an organization jointly run by the Homeland Security Department and private technology groups, including Carnegie Mellon University. He will work as a liaison to foster good relationships with the private sector, DHS spokeswoman Michelle Petrovich said late Wednesday.

Mr. Schmidt’s new role for DHS was expected to be revealed Monday in San Francisco at an industry meeting. Mr. Schmidt and Robert Liscouski, an assistant secretary at Homeland Security, briefed some officials in Washington on Wednesday about the plans.

Mr. Schmidt, who will be paid through Carnegie Mellon as a government contractor, was expected to remain at eBay. As Mr. Bush’s former special adviser, Mr. Schmidt helped create the administration’s National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, a set of dozens of recommendations to protect computer networks.

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