Cybersecurity Operations Engineer (mid-level)

Rapid Strategy; Great Falls Crossing (VA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A cybersecurity services company based in Virginia is seeking a Cyber Operations Specialist to enhance their security posture. The role involves managing security incidents, overseeing vulnerability management, and collaborating with IT teams. Ideal candidates have 3–5 years in cybersecurity operations and hands-on experience with security tools. This full-time position offers an opportunity for mid-level professionals looking to thrive in a structured IT environment.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in cybersecurity operations or incident response.
• Hands-on experience with CrowdStrike and Microsoft Security tools.
• Strong understanding of vulnerability management processes.

Responsibilities

• Manage and respond to security incidents using security tools.
• Oversee the vulnerability management lifecycle.
• Design security solutions and automations for monitoring.

Skills

Cybersecurity operations

Incident response

Security engineering

Communication skills

Tools

CrowdStrike Falcon

Microsoft Security tools

Jira

Job description

Overview

Rapid Strategy is an award-winning, African-American-owned small business providing advanced cybersecurity and IT services to federal and commercial clients. Our mission is to deliver secure, high-impact solutions that protect and enable mission success. We are currently seeking a Cyber Operations Specialist to support an existing customer.

This role will provide expert-level end-user support and technical troubleshooting across desktop, mobile, and enterprise systems. The ideal candidate brings extensive experience supporting modern IT platforms, ensuring system quality, and documenting processes in complex federal environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and respond to security incidents using tools such as CrowdStrike, Microsoft Security suite (Defender, Sentinel, Entra ID security), and other relevant platforms.
• Oversee and execute the vulnerability management lifecycle, from detection to remediation guidance, leveraging tools like Jira for tracking and reporting.
• Partner with IT and engineering teams to provide practical recommendations that improve security posture and reduce attack surfaces.
• Conduct internal threat modeling and security architecture reviews for applications developed in-house, ensuring secure design principles are implemented.
• Design and engineer security solutions and automations to strengthen monitoring, detection, and prevention capabilities.
• Support ongoing security awareness initiatives, including the use of KnowBe4 for phishing simulations and training programs.
• Collaborate with external partners (e.g., Coalition and other incident response or insurance providers) for risk reporting and posture improvement.
• Provide detailed reports and metrics on incident trends, vulnerabilities, and compliance posture to leadership.

Required Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in cybersecurity operations, incident response, or security engineering.
• Hands-on experience with CrowdStrike Falcon, Microsoft Security tools (Defender, Sentinel, Intune/Entra), and enterprise vulnerability management workflows.
• Familiarity with ticketing/project management systems such as Jira.
• Strong understanding of vulnerability management processes, patch cycles, and common frameworks (CVSS, MITRE ATT&CK).
• Knowledge of threat modeling methodologies and secure design principles in modern application development (cloud-native and/or hybrid).
• Familiarity with phishing simulation/awareness platforms (e.g., KnowBe4).
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate technical risk into clear business recommendations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Security certifications such as Security+, CySA+, or Microsoft Security certifications.
• Experience in vulnerability management, penetration testing and incident response.

This role is ideal for mid-level cyber professionals with a proven ability to deliver high-quality results in a fast-paced environment. If you\'re skilled in both technical execution and customer service, and you thrive in a structured, compliance-driven IT landscape, we encourage you to apply. We’re looking for detail-oriented professionals who can balance technical depth with clear communication and documentation.

Seniority and Employment

• Seniority level: Mid-Senior level
• Employment type: Full-time
• Job function: Consulting
• Industries: Technology, Information and Internet