Endpoint Security Ops Engineer (L2) – Defender Specialist

Gruve; United States; Remote; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Gruve is seeking an experienced L2 System Administrator to support Microsoft Defender security operations across enterprise endpoints and infrastructure. You will investigate alerts, analyze threats, and assist in containment and remediation while ensuring compliance and timely responses.

You will work with L1, L3, SOC, Endpoint, Identity, and Infrastructure teams to coordinate threat response and maintain SLA adherence in a global 24x7 environment.

Qualifications

• 3–6 years of experience in enterprise security operations or security incident support.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and its investigation capabilities.
• Knowledge of endpoint protection, malware detection, threat analysis and security incident handling.
• Experience investigating security alerts, device timelines, suspicious processes and endpoint activity.
• Understanding of Defender onboarding, sensor health, security policies and endpoint protection status.
• Knowledge of Windows operating systems, endpoint administration and basic PowerShell.
• Understanding of incident severity, containment, remediation and escalation procedures.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Defender portal and security monitoring dashboards.
• Experience with ServiceNow or equivalent ITSM tools and incident management processes.
• Strong analytical, documentation and cross-team coordination skills.
• Experience in enterprise 24x7 production or security operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide L2 support for Microsoft Defender alerts, incidents and service requests.
• Investigate endpoint detection alerts, malware detections, suspicious activities and security incidents using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
• Analyze device timelines, alert evidence, process activity and investigation data to determine incident scope.
• Troubleshoot Defender sensor health, onboarding, connectivity, policy application and reporting issues.
• Support approved threat containment and remediation activities, including device isolation and threat remediation.
• Investigate antivirus detection, scan failures, signature updates and endpoint protection configuration issues.
• Monitor endpoint protection status and coordinate remediation of Defender health and compliance gaps.
• Investigate escalated security alerts and determine appropriate response actions within approved procedures.
• Support threat hunting, incident investigation and evidence collection as required.
• Coordinate with SOC and L3 Security teams for complex or high-severity incidents.
• Execute authorized remediation actions and validate endpoint security restoration.
• Support vulnerability and exposure remediation activities using Microsoft security tools where applicable.
• Maintain incident timelines, investigation evidence and remediation records.
• Monitor Defender portal operations, security policies and endpoint protection configurations within authorized scope.
• Monitor security dashboards, device risk status, protection coverage and sensor health.
• Support onboarding and offboarding of endpoints into Defender in coordination with Endpoint teams.
• Investigate security policy deviations and coordinate corrective actions with the relevant teams.
• Support security reporting, audit evidence collection and compliance activities.
• Resolve security operations incidents within defined SLAs and escalation procedures.
• Follow Incident, Problem, Change and Security Incident Management processes.
• Participate in major incident response, service restoration and post-incident reviews.
• Maintain runbooks, investigation procedures, operational documentation and shift handover notes.
• Coordinate with L1/L3, SOC, Endpoint, Identity, Network and Infrastructure teams.
• Escalate complex threats, platform issues and incidents requiring advanced investigation to L3/SOC.
• Ensure effective APAC–EMEA–NLAM follow-the-sun handovers.

Skills

Security operations

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Threat analysis

Incident response

Cross-team coordination

Documentation

Windows administration

Incident severity handling

ITSM processes

Security monitoring

24x7 production/security operations

Tools

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

ServiceNow

PowerShell

Windows OS

Job description

Gruve is seeking an experienced L2 System Administrator to support Microsoft Defender security operations across enterprise endpoints and infrastructure. You will investigate alerts, analyze threats, and assist in containment and remediation while ensuring compliance and timely responses.

You will work with L1, L3, SOC, Endpoint, Identity, and Infrastructure teams to coordinate threat response and maintain SLA adherence in a global 24x7 environment.