Cyber Range Content Engineer

SANS Institute; Rockville (MD); Remote; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with match

Health, dental, vision plans

Paid time off

SANS training opportunities

Remote-friendly environment

Job summary

SANS Institute in Rockville, MD, is seeking a Cyber Range Content Engineer to develop, adapt, test, and deploy hands-on cybersecurity challenges across the Cyber Simulations & Ranges portfolio. You will re-platform legacy content, validate quality, and refresh material to align with current threats and standards.

You will build automation tooling, collaborate with global teams, and ensure documentation and repeatable processes while supporting workforce frameworks like NICE and NIST.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS, Cybersecurity, IT, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Professional experience in cybersecurity, software development, cyber range development, or related field.
• Strong cybersecurity concepts, tools, techniques, and attack/defense knowledge.
• Experience developing or adapting hands-on cybersecurity challenges, labs, or similar content.
• Proficiency with Python, Bash, PowerShell or similar scripting languages.
• Experience with automation, testing, debugging, and troubleshooting technical environments.
• Ability to work with existing codebases and adapt to new use cases.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and documentation skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to work in a distributed team.
• Unrestricted authorization to work in the USA; visa sponsorship is not available.

Responsibilities

• Develop, adapt, test, and publish cybersecurity challenge content across the Cyber Simulations & Ranges portfolio.
• Migrate content to current platforms and re-platform legacy content.
• Validate content for functionality, solvability, difficulty, hints, and answer keys.
• Refresh published content to reflect current threats, tools, and practices.
• Align cybersecurity content with workforce frameworks such as DCWF, NICE, and NIST.
• Deploy and adapt frameworks across games and products with documentation.
• Build and enhance scripts and tooling to improve content creation, deployment, testing, and reporting.
• Collaborate with content creators, architects, GM, and external partners to maintain quality.
• Provide technical support and troubleshoot live cyber range environments.
• Create runbooks and handoff materials to ensure repeatable solutions.

Skills

Cybersecurity knowledge

Software development

Automation & tooling

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Communication skills

Independent work

Remote collaboration

USA work authorization

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Containerization

Virtualization

Cloud environments

APIs

Infrastructure-as-code

Job description

About SANS

Founded in 1989, SANS Institute (SANS) began as a cooperative research and education organization. Over the next 25 years, it grew to become the most trusted and widely recognized provider of information security training and certification in the world. Today, SANS has served more than 300,000 cybersecurity professionals around the world, with more than 60,000 earning Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) security certifications-the leading certification that provides assurance to employers that their people and prospective hires can do the job.

Why SANS?

At SANS, our culture is defined by three pillars: Mission, Brand, and People.

• Our Mission is to hire people who understand the importance fighting against cybersecurity threats.
• Our Brand reflects a commitment to delivering the highest quality training.
• Our People are grounded in a culture of fairness, honesty, customer focus, and a pragmatic approach.

What You'll Achieve at SANS

The Cyber Range Content Engineer is a hands‑on technical contributor responsible for developing, adapting, testing, and deploying cybersecurity challenge content, tooling, and frameworks that support the Cyber Simulations & Ranges product portfolio.

This role brings prototypes, frameworks, and content into production by extending solutions across games and platforms, refining and validating content, and ensuring deliverables are well‑tested, documented, and repeatable. The position works under the General Manager and broader Cyber Simulations & Ranges team to deliver business‑unit priorities.

The ideal candidate combines strong cybersecurity knowledge with practical software development and automation skills and enjoys building hands‑on technical experiences.

As a Cyber Range Content Engineer, you will:

Cybersecurity Content Development

• Develop, adapt, test, and publish hands‑on cybersecurity challenge content across the Cyber Simulations & Ranges product portfolio, including BootUp CTF and the Applied Skills Analysis Platform (ASAP).
• Reconfigure and migrate existing challenge content to current delivery platforms, including re‑platforming legacy BootUp CTF content to Skills Quest.
• Validate content prior to release, including functionality, solvability, difficulty progression, hint quality, and answer‑key accuracy.
• Maintain and refresh published content to ensure technical accuracy and alignment with current cybersecurity threats, tools, and practices.
• Support alignment of cybersecurity content to workforce development frameworks such as DCWF, NICE, and NIST.

Platform, Framework & Tooling Development

• Deploy and adapt frameworks across games and products within the Cyber Simulations & Ranges portfolio, ensuring implementations are documented and repeatable.
• Build, maintain, and enhance scripts, automation, and technical utilities that improve the efficiency and consistency of content creation, deployment, testing, and reporting.
• Contribute to the development, refinement, and implementation of new tools and frameworks.
• Support the completion, refinement, and transition of business‑unit tooling to appropriate technical teams, including the user behavior analytics platform (RUBA).

Technical Support & Quality Assurance

• Serve as the dedicated technical resource for the Cyber Simulations & Ranges business unit, supporting priorities across the product portfolio.
• Troubleshoot technical issues within live and in‑development cyber range environments.
• Conduct quality assurance and testing to identify technical issues and ensure content and range experiences function as intended.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, runbooks, and handoff materials to ensure solutions are supportable and repeatable across the team.

Collaboration & Delivery

• Partner with Ranges content creators, the Senior Principal Architect, General Manager, and external content partners to coordinate development efforts and maintain quality standards.
• Collaborate with other SANS business units, Engineering, and product stakeholders on cyber range initiatives supporting Cyber Simulations & Ranges priorities.
• Communicate project status, technical issues, risks, and competing priorities to appropriate stakeholders.
• Escalate competing demands or resource constraints to the General Manager for prioritization.
• Participate in team meetings and cross‑functional discussions as needed to support business‑unit objectives.
• Work effectively as part of a remote, globally distributed team across multiple time zones.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

What We're Looking For

Every SANS employee brings something unique. For this role, we're looking for candidates with:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Professional experience in cybersecurity, software development, cyber range development, cybersecurity training, or a related technical field.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity concepts, tools, technologies, and common attack and defense techniques.
• Experience developing or adapting hands‑on cybersecurity challenges, labs, exercises, or similar technical content.
• Proficiency with scripting or programming languages such as Python, Bash, PowerShell, or similar.
• Experience with automation, testing, debugging, and troubleshooting technical environments.
• Ability to work with existing codebases, frameworks, and technical platforms and adapt them to new use cases.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with a methodical approach to troubleshooting and quality assurance.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly document technical processes and solutions.
• Ability to work independently, manage assigned priorities, and collaborate effectively within a distributed team.
• Unrestricted authorization to work in the USA; visa sponsorship is not available.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Experience developing content for cyber ranges, CTFs, cybersecurity labs, or hands‑on technical training environments.
• Experience with containerization, virtualization, cloud environments, APIs, or infrastructure‑as‑code.
• Experience working with cybersecurity workforce frameworks such as NICE, NIST, or DCWF.
• Experience developing automation or tooling to support content deployment, testing, or analytics.
• Familiarity with modern software development practices, including Git, CI/CD, code review, and issue tracking.
• SANS certifications or other relevant cybersecurity certifications.
• Experience working in a remote, globally distributed technical environment.

Benefits and Perks of Working at SANS

We're committed to fair and equitable compensation. The expected salary range for this position is $60,000 - $70,000, depending on geographic location, skills, and experience. At SANS, pay equity and transparency are priorities.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that supports your total well‑being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:

• Financial Benefits: Competitive base salary,bonus opportunities, and a 401(k) plan with company match.
• Health & Wellness: Robust medical, dental, and vision plans; company‑provided short term disability; optional long term disability, supplemental life and AD&D insurance for employees and dependents; voluntary benefits including accident insurance and identity theft protection; fitness and wellness programs; and a company paid employee assistance program (EAP).
• Time Off & Flexibility: Generous paid time off, including volunteer time.
• Learning & Development: Access to professional development and SANS training opportunities.

Flexibility and Balance at SANS

We support our colleagues with the tools and flexibility they need to thrive, both professionally and personally. As a primarily remote work environment, we are committed to maintaining strong connections, collaboration, and a vibrant culture across virtual teams. While most roles operate remotely, some positions may require occasional in‑person presence depending on role-specific or business needs.

SANS is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

SANS is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

If, because of a medical condition or disability, you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact SANS Human Resources.

SANS complies with all applicable state and local laws regarding the consideration of applicants with arrest or conviction records. For positions governed by federal and/or state banking regulations, SANS will adhere to relevant requirements when evaluating candidates with criminal histories.

Employment eligibility in the United States is required. SANS does not provide visa sponsorship for this position.