Senior Cyber Infrastructure Engineer & Architect (Security Platforms SME)

About Us:

VT-ARC a technical services and applied research company has built an organizational culture marked by four primary values: Teamwork Integrity Excellence and Service. Integral to our success is our staffs enthusiasm for solving tough problems by working together in teams to get the job done. We foster a culture where every employees contribution is valued and performed with integrity while maintaining a fun work environment. VT-ARC strives for excellence in all that is done for our clients and such achievement is recognized through service/merit awards. Moreover we promote a sense of community larger than VT-ARC alone where staff and institutional resources can be applied in service to our country.

We are proud to be the recipient of the Best Workplace in Defense Award by Emergent Magazine an honor that recognizes companies with positive cultures that not only impact their people but also make a meaningful difference in the community.

About You:

You are a senior cyber infrastructure engineer security platform engineer or cyber systems architect with hands-on experience building and sustaining the platforms that cybersecurity operations teams depend on. You know how to make SIEM EDR/XDR vulnerability scanning log collection telemetry and security workflow platforms work in real enterprise environments.

You are not limited to policy GRC audit or SOC alert triage. You bring the architect and systems administration depth needed to deploy tools integrate data sources tune performance automate workflows troubleshoot failures and transition capabilities into reliable day-to-day operations.

You understand how cyber platforms connect to endpoints servers network devices firewalls identity systems cloud services vulnerability scanners ticketing systems CMDBs and mission applications. You can work across cybersecurity systems network identity cloud infrastructure and operations teams to turn security requirements into operational capability.

You are comfortable serving as a senior technical focal point for cybersecurity infrastructure decisions especially where security tools must be engineered automated accredited monitored and sustained in classified or sensitive environments.

Position Overview:

VT-ARC is seeking a Senior Cyber Infrastructure Engineer & Architect (Security Platforms SME) to support cybersecurity platform engineering security infrastructure modernization automation and operationalization for mission-critical enterprise communications network modernization and secure infrastructure programs within TS/SCI environments.

This role is focused on hands-on security infrastructure engineering across the full implementation lifecycle from requirements interpretation and architecture input through detailed design deployment integration tuning automation validation documentation and transition to operations.

The selected candidate will help architect deploy integrate and sustain security operations platforms such as SIEM EDR/XDR enterprise vulnerability scanning security telemetry pipelines log collection infrastructure compliance and configuration monitoring and API-driven security workflows. The role requires strong system administration instincts scripting depth and the ability to make complex security platforms operationally supportable.

Active Top Secret/SCI clearance is required.

VT-ARC offers a competitive signing bonus for qualified candidates.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Architect deploy integrate tune maintain and modernize core cybersecurity operations platforms including SIEM EDR/XDR enterprise vulnerability scanning log collection telemetry compliance monitoring and related security infrastructure capabilities.
• Engineer security data flows across endpoints servers network devices firewalls identity systems cloud services mission applications vulnerability scanners management platforms and operational support tools.
• Configure and maintain complex log ingestion pipelines including data source onboarding parser and field mapping support normalization enrichment indexing retention storage sizing source health monitoring and data quality validation.
• Support SIEM and detection engineering teams by ensuring reliable data coverage correlation readiness dashboard support alert quality use-case enablement and operational visibility across enterprise and mission environments.
• Support EDR/XDR deployment and sustainment activities including sensor rollout policy configuration telemetry validation exclusions health monitoring upgrade planning and endpoint coverage reporting.
• Support enterprise vulnerability management infrastructure including scanner placement credentialed scanning agent-based coverage asset inventory alignment scan policy configuration results validation remediation tracking support and rescanning workflows.
• Develop scripts API integrations and automation in Python PowerShell Bash or similar languages to automate platform administration data source onboarding reporting enrichment ticketing remediation support and repetitive operational tasks.
• Integrate cyber platforms with Active Directory/LDAP PKI identity and access management endpoint management CMDB ticketing SOAR DevSecOps monitoring and enterprise management systems.
• Tune platform performance storage utilization retention policies indexing alert volume job scheduling resource allocation high availability backup recovery and monitoring to support mission-scale operations.
• Coordinate technical dependencies with cybersecurity systems engineering network engineering cloud identity infrastructure COMSEC operations vendors integrators and Government stakeholders.
• Support lab validation proof-of-concept activities integration events operational testing troubleshooting deployment planning cutovers and transition to operations.
• Develop architecture diagrams data flow diagrams port/protocol matrices integration plans implementation guides SOPs runbooks configuration records test procedures and operational handoff documentation.
• Support RMF ATO STIG continuous monitoring security control implementation vulnerability remediation and compliance evidence activities as they relate to cybersecurity infrastructure platforms.
• Mentor technical staff on security platform administration automation practices logging architecture operational sustainment troubleshooting and secure infrastructure implementation.

Required Education Certification Skills Capabilities:

• Senior-level experience as a cyber infrastructure engineer security platform engineer cyber systems architect cyber systems administrator security tools engineer or equivalent role supporting classified DoD IC federal or high-assurance enterprise environments.
• Proven hands-on experience architecting deploying integrating and continuously maintaining core cybersecurity operations platforms such as SIEM EDR/XDR enterprise vulnerability scanning log collection telemetry or compliance monitoring systems.
• High proficiency in scripting and automation using Python PowerShell Bash or similar languages to automate routine operational tasks build API integrations orchestrate security workflows and improve platform reliability.
• Demonstrated ability to configure complex log ingestion pipelines tune system performance manage data source onboarding validate telemetry monitor source health and troubleshoot data quality or platform availability issues.
• Strong working knowledge of Windows Linux Active Directory/LDAP DNS PKI/certificates TLS endpoint management authentication ports/protocols firewalls proxies and enterprise management services as they relate to cybersecurity platform integration.
• Experience operationalizing security platforms including monitoring health checks patching/upgrades role-based access high availability backup and recovery configuration management runbooks and transition to operations.
• Ability to coordinate technical dependencies across cybersecurity systems network cloud identity infrastructure operations vendors integrators and mission stakeholders.
• Experience supporting vulnerability management endpoint security security telemetry continuous monitoring RMF ATO STIG NIST or equivalent cybersecurity requirements for enterprise infrastructure.
• Ability to produce clear technical documentation including architecture diagrams data flow diagrams implementation guides standard operating procedures automation documentation test procedures and operational support materials.
• Candidates should bring hands-on platform engineering and administration depth; GRC-only audit-only or SOC alert-triage experience without engineering ownership is not sufficient for this role.

Desired Education Certification Skills Capabilities:

• Experience with SIEM or security analytics platforms such as Splunk Enterprise/Splunk ES Elastic Microsoft Sentinel QRadar ArcSight or equivalent technologies.
• Experience with log pipeline data routing or telemetry platforms such as Cribl Logstash Kafka Fluent Bit syslog-ng or equivalent tools.
• Experience with EDR/XDR endpoint security or endpoint management platforms such as Microsoft Defender CrowdStrike SentinelOne Trellix Tanium Carbon Black or equivalent technologies.
• Experience with enterprise vulnerability scanning and exposure management platforms such as Tenable/ACAS Nessus SecurityCenter Qualys Rapid7 or equivalent technologies.
• Experience with SOAR ticketing CMDB and workflow integration using platforms such as ServiceNow Jira Cortex XSOAR Splunk SOAR Phantom or equivalent tools.
• Experience with automation configuration management or DevSecOps tools such as Ansible Terraform Git GitLab Jenkins PowerShell DSC or CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience supporting classified enclaves air-gapped environments cloud IL5/IL6 Zero Trust-aligned architectures continuous diagnostics and mitigation or high-assurance mission networks.
• Experience with packet capture API troubleshooting certificate troubleshooting endpoint telemetry validation agent deployment troubleshooting or performance analysis across complex enterprise environments.
• Professional certifications such as Security CySA CASP/SecurityX CISSP CISM GCIH GCIA GCED GDSA GCFA CCSP Splunk Elastic Microsoft AWS Azure Red Hat VMware or equivalent technical credentials.

Primary Work Location: Work is expected to be fully onsite in Arlington VA. The selected candidate must be able to support in-person program customer and technical coordination activities as required.

Special Work Conditions: Travel may be required up to 10%.

Security:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance is required

Competitive Salary: VT-ARC offers a competitive salary and benefits package designed to attract and retain senior technical talent supporting mission-critical programs.

Salary Range: $200000$275000 annually

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation: VT-ARC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit R&D organization affiliated with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech or VT). Our mission is to provide superior analytic and technology solutions across multiple domains by leveraging Virginia Techs multidisciplinary research and innovation ecosystem. With unique access to the broad and rich research enterprise found at Virginia Tech VT-ARC forms multi-disciplinary teams to apply innovative solutions to the real-world problems that strain our social political industrial and economic foundations.

To learn more about VT-ARCs Benefits Perks Culture & more visit our Careers page: Tech Applied Research Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin age disability veteran status or any other status protected by law. As a federal contractor we are committed to providing equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete the application or interview process please contact Human Resources at

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