Cyber Defense Engineer

Leidos LLC; Suitland (MD); On-site; USD 108,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellness programs

Income Protection

Paid Leave

Retirement

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a Cyber Defense Infrastructure Support Engineer to join the ONI Hopper Global Communications Center in Suitland, MD. You will build, configure, integrate, and maintain security systems to protect TS/SCI networks, serving as a senior technical resource with Tier 3 escalation support.

You will lead engineering and administration of cybersecurity capabilities across the environment, evaluating new tools and technologies and ensuring secure, reliable operation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Information Assurance, or related area; Master’s preferred.

Responsibilities

• Research and evaluate emerging cybersecurity technologies and capabilities for potential use within the enterprise environment.
• Lead engineering and system administration for implementation of new cybersecurity tools and technologies.
• Install, configure, integrate, administer, and maintain cybersecurity technologies across complex networks.
• Perform RMF activities to meet DoD security requirements and benchmarks.
• Provide Tier 3 technical support with complex troubleshooting and performance tuning.
• Support Windows and Unix/Linux environments.
• Support tool integration, upgrades, maintenance, and lifecycle management.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation and system diagrams.

Skills

LAN/WAN networking

Windows

Unix/Linux

Python

PowerShell

C

C++

Java

JavaScript

Perl

Ruby

Education

Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity/Information Technology/Information Assurance

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

VMware

Azure Virtual Machines

VirtualBox

Splunk

Microsoft Sentinel

Elastic

BeyondTrust Retina

Tenable Nessus (ACAS)

SCAP

ServiceNow

Job description

Cyber Defense Infrastructure Support Engineer Location: Suitland, MD Clearance: Active TS/SCI Join a mission focused team supporting the Navy's cybersecurity environment at the ONI Hopper Global Communications Center! As a Cyber Defense Infrastructure Support Engineer in Suitland, MD, you will build, configure, integrate, and maintain the security systems that help protect critical TS/SCI networks and keep essential cybersecurity tools and services operating securely and reliably. You will serve as a senior technical resource, providing Tier 3 escalation support, evaluating emerging technologies, and leading the engineering and administration of cybersecurity capabilities across the environment.

Responsibilities

• Research and evaluate emerging cybersecurity technologies and capabilities for potential use within the enterprise environment.
• Serve as an engineering and system administration lead for the implementation of new cybersecurity tools and technologies.
• Install, configure, integrate, administer, and maintain cybersecurity technologies across complex network environments.
• Perform network and system hardening and support Risk Management Framework (RMF) activities to meet applicable DoD security requirements and benchmarks.
• Provide Tier 3 technical support, including complex system troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and performance tuning.
• Provide operating system and application support across Windows and Unix/Linux environments.
• Support cybersecurity tool integration, upgrades, maintenance, and lifecycle management.
• Validate interoperability between new technologies and existing enterprise capabilities.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, system diagrams, procedures, and user guides.
• Develop and deliver training on cybersecurity tools, architectures, technologies, and processes.
• Support annual cybersecurity exercise planning and execution.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Information Assurance, or a related area of study desired; Master’s degree preferred.
• 15+ years of relevant professional experience in lieu of a Bachelor's degree.
• Active TS/SCI Security clearance in DISS.
• 10+ years of professional experience with Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN) technologies, networking protocols, file systems, ports, services, and commands, including experience with Windows and Unix/Linux environments.
• 6+ years of professional experience integrating, implementing, and operating cybersecurity technologies.
• Knowledge of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platforms such as Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, and Elastic.
• Experience with enterprise network management and cybersecurity tools.
• Knowledge of vulnerability management and assessment technologies such as BeyondTrust Retina, Tenable Nessus (ACAS), and SCAP.
• Knowledge of virtualization technologies such as VMware, Azure Virtual Machines, and VirtualBox.
• Knowledge of scripting and programming languages such as Python, Perl, Ruby, JavaScript, PowerShell, C, C++, and Java.
• Knowledge of ticketing and reporting systems such as ServiceNow.

Required Certifications

• Active IAT or IAM Level II/III DoD approved 8570 baseline certification, such as SecurityX CE or CASP certification, or the ability to obtain the required certification within 30 days of hire.
• Computing Environment (CE) certification or the ability to obtain the required certification within 30 days of hire.

Pay Range: Pay Range $107,900.00 - $195,050.00 The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

Leidos Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

• competitive compensation
• Health and Wellness programs
• Income Protection
• Paid Leave
• Retirement

More details are available here.

Securing Your Data

Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information at any part of the employment application process. And Leidos will communicate with you only through emails that are sent from a Leidos.com email address. If you receive an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information, please report the email to [e-mail].

Commitment and Diversity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.