Principal EDR Engineer (HYBRID)

Quevera; Odenton (MD); On-site; USD 191,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% employer-paid medical coverage (E

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Education stipend ($5,000 annually)

401(k) match (up to 6%)

Profit sharing (4%)

Job summary

Quevera is seeking a Principal EDR Engineer to support NSA’s EDR program in Fort Meade, MD. The role requires leading EDR architecture, deployment, and optimization across hybrid environments with TS/SCI clearance and polygraph.

Strong experience with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Trellix HX, and advanced hunting using KQL and YARA is essential. The position offers senior engineering leadership and national security impact.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph.
• Bachelor's degree required with 5 years additional Systems Engineering experience possibly substituting the degree.
• Twenty (20) years of experience as a Systems Engineer on similar programs.
• DoD 8570/8140 IAM Level II or III baseline certification.

Responsibilities

• Lead lifecycle engineering and scale-out architecture of MDE and Trellix HX across hybrid environments (on-prem, cloud, VDI).
• Author complex system engineering and implementation plans.
• Tune agent configurations and exclusion policies to reduce mission friction.
• Monitor endpoint health at scale across environments.
• Collaborate with threat-hunting and intelligence analysts to translate threat intel into IOCs using KQL and YARA.
• Serve as primary technical advisor to Government stakeholders on system risks and engineering considerations.
• Provide advanced forensic support to SOC during high-priority incidents.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers within the program.

Skills

MDE architecture

Trellix HX

KQL

YARA rules

Policy management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering Science, Engineering Management, or related discipline

Tools

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE)

Trellix HX

Kusto Query Language (KQL)

YARA

MECM/SCCM

Intune

OpenIOC

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Salary Range: $191,000.00 To $230,019.00 Annually

Job Description:

Quevera is seeking a highly skilled Principal EDR Engineer with an active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph in Fort Meade, Maryland to support the National Security Agency’s Enterprise Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Program.

The Senior Systems Engineer (Level 3) serves as a principal technical leader and subject matter expert within the program. Operating in a highly classified, multi-domain infrastructure, you will drive the strategic architectural design, end-to-end integration, deployment, and optimization of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) and Trellix HX.

This role bridges high-level systems architecture with operational defense capabilities, supporting endpoint visibility, threat containment, and resilient configuration management across enterprise and mission-critical assets to defend national security infrastructure against sophisticated cyber threats.

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead the lifecycle engineering and scale-out architecture of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) and Trellix HX across hybrid environments, including on-premises, cloud, and virtual desktop infrastructures (VDI).


• Author complex system engineering and implementation plans.


• Tune agent configurations and exclusion policies to eliminate mission friction.


• Monitor overall endpoint health at scale.


• Collaborate with threat-hunting and intelligence analysts to translate actionable threat intelligence into custom technical indicators of compromise (IOCs) using Kusto Query Language (KQL) and YARA rules.


• Serve as a primary technical advisor to Government stakeholders on system risks and engineering considerations.


• Provide advanced forensic support to the Security Operations Center (SOC) during critical, high-priority incidents.


• Mentor junior and mid-level engineering personnel within the program.


• Active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph required.


• Twenty (20) years of experience as a Systems Engineer supporting programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity.


• Demonstrated experience planning and leading Systems Engineering efforts.


• Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE): Proven engineering experience with MDE architecture, deployment strategies through MECM/SCCM or Intune, policy ring management, and advanced hunting using Kusto Query Language (KQL).


• Trellix HX: Demonstrated experience engineering, deploying, and managing Trellix HX (formerly FireEye) controllers and agents within air-gapped or highly restricted networks, including the creation of OpenIOC and YARA rules.


• Operating System & Forensic Knowledge: In-depth technical understanding of Windows, Linux, and macOS internals, including file systems, registry structures, and process-execution mechanics.


• Compliance with DoD 8570/8140 IAM Level II or IAM Level III baseline certification requirements.


• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering Science, Engineering Management, or a related discipline from an accredited college or university.
  
  
  
  • Five (5) years of additional Systems Engineering experience may be substituted for the bachelor's degree.
  
  
  
  

Desired Skills:

• Vendor Certifications: Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate (SC-200), Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500), or Trellix Certified Engineering credentials.


• Methodologies & Toolsets: Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), Cameo, and workflow management within the Atlassian Suite (Jira and Confluence).


• Technical Frameworks: Familiarity with NSA Technical Manual Standards, such as NSA DS-89, and defense-in-depth engineering principles.


• Core Competencies: Strong record of team collaboration, exceptional transparency in managing high-consequence infrastructure, and an aptitude for developing technical leadership pipelines.

Why Join Quevera?

Award-Winning Culture

Quevera was recognized as a Top Workplace in the Washington, DC/Baltimore region for 2025, marking our fifth consecutive year receiving this distinction based on employee feedback.

We invest in our employees and their families through a highly competitive benefits package, including:

• 100% employer-paid medical coverage (optional plan)


• Competitive options for Medical, Dental and Vision insurance


• Employer-paid short-term and long-term disability coverage


• Employer-paid life insurance


• $5,000 annually for education, training, certifications, and professional development


• Career advancement through our structured iQTouch Program


• Up to 6% 401(k) match


• Additional 4% profit-sharing contribution, at company discretion

At Quevera, we believe exceptional people deserve exceptional opportunities. We're more than just a workplace—we're a team of innovators, problem-solvers, and industry experts committed to delivering mission-critical solutions while fostering professional growth, collaboration, and technical excellence.

Quevera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age or any other characteristic protected by law. #LI-AA1