Principal EDR Engineer

Quevera is seeking a Principal EDR Engineer with an active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph to support the National Security Agency's Enterprise Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Program in Fort Meade, Maryland. Operating within a highly classified, multi-domain infrastructure, you will serve as a principal technical leader and subject matter expert responsible for strengthening endpoint visibility, threat containment, and configuration resilience across enterprise and mission-critical assets.

In this role, you will lead the architecture, integration, deployment, optimization, and lifecycle engineering of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) and Trellix HX across on-premises, cloud, virtual desktop infrastructure, air-gapped, and other highly restricted environments. You will bridge enterprise systems architecture with operational cyber defense capabilities to protect national security infrastructure against sophisticated cyber threats. As a Principal EDR Engineer, you will advise Government stakeholders on system risks and engineering decisions, collaborate with threat-hunting and intelligence teams, provide advanced support during critical incidents, and mentor junior and mid-level engineering personnel across the program.

Responsibilities

• Lead the lifecycle engineering, architecture, integration, deployment, and optimization of enterprise EDR capabilities.
• Design and implement scalable Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Trellix HX architectures across hybrid enterprise environments.
• Develop complex systems-engineering, architecture, deployment, and implementation plans.
• Engineer and manage MDE deployments using Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (MECM/SCCM) or Microsoft Intune.
• Develop and maintain MDE policy rings, agent configurations, exclusion policies, and endpoint-health monitoring capabilities.
• Engineer, deploy, and manage Trellix HX controllers and agents within air-gapped and highly restricted networks.
• Monitor endpoint health, agent performance, policy compliance, and platform coverage at enterprise scale.
• Tune endpoint-security configurations and exclusions to reduce operational friction while maintaining effective security controls.
• Collaborate with threat-hunting and intelligence analysts to translate actionable threat intelligence into technical detection capabilities.
• Develop custom indicators of compromise using Kusto Query Language (KQL), OpenIOC, and YARA rules.
• Provide advanced endpoint forensic and engineering support to Security Operations Center personnel during critical, high-priority incidents.
• Analyze endpoint behavior across Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems.
• Advise Government stakeholders on system risks, architecture decisions, implementation strategies, and engineering considerations.
• Apply defense-in-depth principles to endpoint-security architecture and configuration management.
• Develop and maintain systems-engineering documentation, implementation plans, technical standards, and architecture artifacts.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers and contribute to the development of technical leadership across the program.

Minimum Requirements

• 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.
• Proven engineering experience with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint architecture and enterprise deployment.
• Experience deploying MDE through MECM/SCCM or Microsoft Intune.
• Experience managing MDE policies, deployment rings, endpoint configurations, exclusions, and advanced hunting capabilities.
• Experience developing advanced hunting queries using Kusto Query Language.
• Experience engineering, deploying, and managing Trellix HX controllers and agents.
• Experience supporting Trellix HX within air-gapped or highly restricted network environments.
• Experience creating and managing OpenIOC indicators and YARA rules.
• In-depth knowledge of Windows, Linux, and macOS internals, including file systems, registry structures, and process-execution mechanics.
• Experience supporting endpoint investigations, forensic analysis, or high-priority cybersecurity incidents.
• Current DoD 8570/8140 IAM Level II or IAM Level III certification (SecurityX/CASP+ CE, CGRC/CAP, CISM, CISSP or Associate of ISC2, GSLC, or CCISO, as applicable).
• 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

• Current DoD 8570.01-M IAT Level II certification (Security+ CE, CySA+, GSEC, GICSP, CND, SSCP, or CCNA Security).
• Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate (SC-200).
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500).
• Trellix Certified Engineering credential or comparable vendor certification.
• Experience applying Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies.
• Experience using Cameo for systems modeling and architecture development.
• Experience using Jira and Confluence for workflow management and technical documentation.
• Familiarity with NSA technical manual standards, including NSA DS-89.
• Knowledge of defense-in-depth engineering principles.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills within high-consequence technical environments.
• Experience mentoring engineers and developing technical leadership capabilities.

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.

Outstanding Benefits: 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.