Senior Threat Detection Engineer

COGNNA; Medina Province; On-site; SAR 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP program

Job summary

COGNNA is seeking a Threat Detection Engineer to design high-impact detection strategies, build automation, and raise SOC operations to world-class standards at our Almadina office. You will mentor rising cyber talent and collaborate with threat intel, IR, and platform engineering teams.

In this role, you will translate adversary techniques into actionable logic, lead XDR/SIEM optimization, and automate detection testing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related field.
• Minimum 3 years of hands-on experience in developing and maintaining complex detection use cases.
• Strong understanding of attacker behavior, IR fundamentals, and digital forensics.

Responsibilities

• Design high-impact detection strategies and build automation to elevate SOC operations.
• Lead architecture and optimization of XDR, SIEM, and SOC tech stacks for scale and resilience.
• Collaborate with threat intel, incident response, and platform engineering teams to enrich detections.
• Mentor junior staff and improve SOC playbooks, SOPs, and workflows.

Skills

SIEM expertise

EDR

Network security

Scripting

OS internals

Threat intelligence

Cloud security

Education

Bachelor’s in Computer Science or Cybersecurity

Tools

SPL

KQL

Lucene

Wireshark

Job description

As a Threat Detection Engineer at COGNNA, you’ll design high-impact detection strategies, build powerful automation, and elevate SOC operations to a world-class standard. You’ll also mentor rising cyber talent and collaborate with teams across threat intel, incident response, and platform engineering.

Advanced Threat Detection Engineering

• Build high-fidelity correlation rules and behavioral detections within the COGNNA security platforms.
• Translate adversary TTPs (MITRE ATT&CK), threat intel, and vulnerability data into actionable logic.
• Identify detection gaps and introduce new data sources to cover evolving threat landscapes.
• Automate detection testing and maintain detection quality over time.

Platform Engineering & Optimization

• Lead architecture and optimization of XDR, SIEM, and SOC tech stacks for scale and resilience.
• Streamline log ingestion pipelines — from parsing to normalization and enrichment.
• Build scripts and automations (Python, PowerShell) to enhance SOC efficiency.
• Integrate tools across the SOC stack to enable seamless workflows and response.

Threat Hunting & Incident Response

• Collaborate with intel and IR teams to enrich detection use cases and support threat hunts.
• Provide Tier-3+ support for incident investigations and post-mortem analysis.

Mentorship & SOC Maturity

• Improve SOC playbooks, SOPs, and detection engineering workflows.
• Stay updated on global and regional threats — and evolve detection accordingly.
• Ensure compliance alignment (e.g., NCA ECC, SAMA CSF).

Education

• Bachelor’s in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related field.

Experience

• Minimum 3 years of experience with hands-on expertise in developing and maintaining complex detection use cases.
• Strong understanding of attacker behavior, IR fundamentals, and digital forensics.

Technical Skills (You’re a Power User!)

• SIEM: Expert in SIEM queries (SPL, KQL, Lucene), rule tuning, UEBA, and scaling.
• EDR: Deep knowledge of EDR tools and endpoint detection tactics.
• Network Security: Pro at packet analysis (Wireshark), IDS/IPS, and NetFlow.
• Scripting: Advanced skills in Python and/or PowerShell for automation and integration.
• OS Internals: Mastery of Windows/Linux/macOS logging, artifacts, and forensic value.
• Threat Intelligence: Skilled in turning threat intel into real-time detection logic.
• Cloud Security: Strong command of monitoring IaaS/PaaS/SaaS environments.

Certifications (Highly Preferred)

• SANS GIAC (GDAT, GMON, GCIA, GCTI, GCIH)
• Offsec (OSDA)
• INE (eCTHP, eCIR)
• (ISC)² CISSP, CSSLP

Soft Skills

• Exceptional analytical thinking and creative problem-solving.
• Excellent communication (English & Arabic), including technical reporting.
• Strong mentorship abilities and a collaborative spirit.
• Self-motivated, focused, and passionate about cyber defense.
• Capable of juggling priorities under high-pressure situations.

Impact that Matters – Build products that shape the future of cybersecurity and protect organizations globally.

On-Site Collaboration – Be at the heart of innovation in our Almadina office, working side by side with passionate experts.

Continuous Growth – Access to certifications, trainings, and opportunities to sharpen your expertise.

Ownership Mindset – Benefit from our ESOP program and grow with COGNNA’s success.

Culture of Trust – We empower talent, encourage ownership, and celebrate real outcomes.