Detection Engineer – Threat Hunter

Everforth ECS; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Everforth ECS is seeking a Detection Engineer – Threat Hunter to join our Arlington, VA hybrid team. You will proactively hunt threats, design and tune detections, and collaborate with SOC and IR during incidents to strengthen security monitoring across endpoints, networks, and cloud environments.

The ideal candidate has 7+ years in cybersecurity, deep knowledge of TTPs, MITRE ATT&CK, and hands-on experience with SIEM platforms, Sigma rules, YARA, and automation using Python/PowerShell/KQL.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in cybersecurity, CS, IT or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in cybersecurity, with direct experience in Threat Hunting, Detection Engineering, Security Operations, or Incident Response.
• Strong understanding of attacker tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
• Experience with SIEM platforms and security analytics tools.
• Knowledge of MITRE ATT&CK, Cyber Kill Chain, and threat hunting methodologies.
• Experience analyzing endpoint, network, cloud, and identity-based security telemetry.
• Familiarity with scripting and automation using Python, PowerShell, KQL, or similar languages.

Responsibilities

• Conduct proactive threat hunting activities to identify malicious, suspicious, or unauthorized activity across enterprise networks, endpoints, cloud environments, and applications.
• Design, develop, test, and maintain security detection content across SIEM, EDR/XDR, NDR, and cloud security platforms.
• Create and tune detection logic based on adversary TTPs, threat intelligence, and attack simulations.
• Develop and maintain Sigma rules, YARA signatures, SIEM queries, analytics rules, and detection playbooks.
• Continuously improve detection coverage using MITRE ATT&CK and industry threat frameworks.
• Define and validate true-positive criteria and effectively tunes/retires weak detections.
• Analyze large volumes of security telemetry from endpoints, networks, cloud platforms, identity systems, and applications.
• Correlate threat intelligence with internal security data to identify emerging threats.
• Perform root cause analysis and provide actionable recommendations to improve detection effectiveness.
• Develop metrics and dashboards that measure detection coverage and security monitoring effectiveness.
• Partner with Incident Response and SOC teams during active investigations.
• Provide advanced threat analysis and forensic context during security incidents.
• Assist with containment, eradication, and recovery efforts when necessary.
• Create post-incident detection enhancements to prevent adversary re-entry.
• Consume and operationalize threat intelligence from commercial, government, open-source, and internal sources.
• Map intelligence findings to security controls and detection opportunities.
• Identify threat actor tactics, techniques, procedures (TTPs), and Indicators of Compromise (IOCs).
• Collaborate with Cyber Threat Intelligence teams to enhance security monitoring capabilities.
• Assess existing detections for effectiveness and false-positive reduction opportunities.
• Conduct adversary emulation and purple team exercises to validate detection capabilities.
• Identify visibility gaps and recommend additional logging, telemetry, and monitoring controls.
• Stay current on emerging cyber threats, attacker methodologies, and detection technologies.

Skills

Threat Hunting

Detection Engineering

Security Analytics

MITRE ATT&CK

Cyber Kill Chain

SIEM platforms

Python

PowerShell

KQL

Threat intelligence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field, or equivalent experience

Tools

Sigma rules

YARA signatures

SIEM queries

analytics rules

detection playbooks

Job description

Everforth ECS is seeking a Detection Engineer – Threat Hunter to join our team in Arlington, VA (Hybrid). This position is contingent upon award.

We are seeking a highly motivated Detection Engineer / Threat Hunter to proactively identify, detect, and mitigate advanced cyber threats across the enterprise environment. This role combines threat hunting, detection engineering, and security analytics to improve the organization's ability to identify malicious activity before it results in business impact.

The ideal candidate will have experience working within Security Operations Centers (SOC), Incident Response, Detection Engineering, or Threat Hunting teams and possess strong analytical skills, knowledge of adversary tactics and techniques, and expertise in developing high-fidelity security detections.

Key Responsibilities

Threat Hunting

• Conduct proactive threat hunting activities to identify malicious, suspicious, or unauthorized activity across enterprise networks, endpoints, cloud environments, and applications.
• Leverage threat intelligence, behavioral analytics, and emerging threat research to develop hunting hypotheses.
• Investigate anomalous events and indicators that may represent compromise or active threats and translate findings into formal hunt/detection guidance.
• Document threat hunting methodologies, findings, and recommendations.

Detection Engineering

• Design, develop, test, and maintain security detection content across SIEM, EDR/XDR, NDR, and cloud security platforms.
• Create and tune detection logic based on adversary TTPs, threat intelligence, and attack simulations.
• Develop and maintain Sigma rules, YARA signatures, SIEM queries, analytics rules, and detection playbooks.
• Continuously improve detection coverage using MITRE ATT&CK and industry threat frameworks.
• Define and validate true-positive criteria and effectively tunes/retires weak detections.

Security Analytics

• Analyze large volumes of security telemetry from endpoints, networks, cloud platforms, identity systems, and applications.
• Correlate threat intelligence with internal security data to identify emerging threats.
• Perform root cause analysis and provide actionable recommendations to improve detection effectiveness.
• Develop metrics and dashboards that measure detection coverage and security monitoring effectiveness.
• Partner with Incident Response and SOC teams during active investigations.
• Provide advanced threat analysis and forensic context during security incidents.
• Assist with containment, eradication, and recovery efforts when necessary.
• Create post-incident detection enhancements to prevent adversary re-entry.
• Consume and operationalize threat intelligence from commercial, government, open-source, and internal sources.
• Map intelligence findings to security controls and detection opportunities.
• Identify threat actor tactics, techniques, procedures (TTPs), and Indicators of Compromise (IOCs).
• Collaborate with Cyber Threat Intelligence teams to enhance security monitoring capabilities.
• Assess existing detections for effectiveness and false-positive reduction opportunities.
• Conduct adversary emulation and purple team exercises to validate detection capabilities.
• Identify visibility gaps and recommend additional logging, telemetry, and monitoring controls.
• Stay current on emerging cyber threats, attacker methodologies, and detection technologies.
• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience in cybersecurity, with direct experience in Threat Hunting, Detection Engineering, Security Operations, or Incident Response.
• Strong understanding of attacker tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
• Experience with SIEM platforms and security analytics tools.
• Knowledge of MITRE ATT&CK, Cyber Kill Chain, and threat hunting methodologies.
• Experience analyzing endpoint, network, cloud, and identity-based security telemetry.
• Familiarity with scripting and automation using Python, PowerShell, KQL, or similar languages.
• Strong critical-thinking, investigative, and problem-solving skills.

Desired Skills

• Experience in enterprise SOC, Managed Detection & Response (MDR), or Cyber Defense operations.
• Knowledge of cloud security monitoring within Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud.
• Experience conducting proactive threat hunts against advanced adversaries.
• Familiarity with adversary emulation and purple team exercises.
• Understanding of malware analysis, digital forensics, and cyber threat intelligence.
• Experience supporting zero-trust and cloud-native security initiatives.

ECS Federal LLC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis any characteristic protected by law. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local jurisdiction law.

EverforthECS is the federal segment of Everforth, a $4B global organization with over10,000 employees. Our nearly 3,500 professionals deliver advanced technology solutions in data and AI, cybersecurity, and enterprise transformation, serving defense, intelligence, and federal civilian agencies.
Our work powers mission-critical outcomes, strengthens technology partnerships, and creates meaningful opportunities for our people. We are defined by a commitment to excellence in delivery, a culture of innovation, and an environment where talent can thrive and grow.
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