Essnova Solutions
Digital and IT services for government
Microsoft Defender Security Lead
Full-TimeUpdated on 9/12/2026
No salary listed
Senior, Expert
Bachelor's
Remote in USA+1 more
More locations: Bethesda, MD, USA
Hybrid
Hybrid-telework eligible; the posting identifies Bethesda/Rockville, Maryland as the office location.
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship Required
About the job
Requirements
- A bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Information Assurance, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field is required.
- At least 8 years of experience in endpoint security and/or cybersecurity engineering is required.
- At least 5 years of hands-on experience implementing or operating Microsoft Defender technologies is required.
- Hands-on experience with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender Antivirus, Endpoint Detection and Response, endpoint and server onboarding, endpoint security policies and configuration, Attack Surface Reduction, security coverage monitoring and remediation, threat and vulnerability management, telemetry validation and detection tuning, exception governance and remediation tracking, and enterprise security reporting is required.
- Experience supporting large-scale enterprise endpoint and server populations in complex, regulated, and/or federal environments is required.
- Experience executing or supporting antivirus and/or Endpoint Detection and Response migrations, including management of exceptions, blockers, continuity controls, and remediation, is required.
- Experience producing technical and security evidence supporting authorization, assessment, audit, vulnerability management, incident readiness, and compliance activities is required.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or otherwise eligible to meet applicable federal contract and Government system-access requirements.
- Must be willing and able to undergo and successfully satisfy the applicable federal Public Trust suitability/background investigation and Government system-access requirements.
- Selected personnel must satisfy applicable post-award security, privacy, training, rules-of-behavior, nondisclosure agreement, personnel security, and access requirements.
- Selected personnel must sign a Letter of Commitment as proposed Key Personnel.
Responsibilities
- Lead enterprise Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Microsoft Defender Antivirus implementation, sustainment, optimization, governance, and operational reporting.
- Lead Cylance-to-Microsoft Defender Antivirus migration activities and track migrated, excepted, blocked, and unresolved endpoint populations.
- Implement, maintain, troubleshoot, and govern approved Attack Surface Reduction, Tamper Protection, device control, endpoint-security, and Microsoft Defender policies.
- Monitor and report Microsoft Defender for Endpoint sensor coverage, Microsoft Defender Antivirus active protection, update currency, policy posture, unhealthy sensors, and approved exceptions.
- Drive coverage-gap remediation, endpoint and server onboarding, policy issue resolution, and exception remediation.
- Support Threat and Vulnerability Management, vulnerability remediation, telemetry validation, detection tuning, and enterprise security reporting.
- Support Microsoft Defender governance across endpoint and server populations and coordinate Microsoft Defender for Cloud alignment.
- Coordinate with the NIH Security Operations Center and Government security stakeholders while maintaining boundaries between endpoint-security engineering, Security Operations Center operations, and server administration.
- Develop and maintain security governance artifacts, operational documentation, metrics, dashboards, reports, remediation evidence, and knowledge-transfer materials.
- Support security reviews, authorization and Authority to Operate activities, assessments, audits, incident readiness, compliance evidence, and security-control documentation.
- Support applicable federal cybersecurity and compliance requirements, including NIST, FISMA, HHS security and privacy requirements, and Section 508-compliant deliverables.
- Support transition of NIH endpoint-security capabilities from modernization and migration activities into steady-state enterprise operations.
Desired Qualifications
- Experience supporting NIH, HHS, or another civilian federal health or science agency.
- Experience with Cylance-to-Microsoft Defender Antivirus migration or comparable third-party antivirus or Endpoint Detection and Response migration.
- Experience with Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint server governance.
- Experience with Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Entra, Azure, Azure Arc, or related Microsoft enterprise security and endpoint-management technologies.
- Knowledge of NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-171, FISMA, HHS security requirements, federal authorization and Authority to Operate processes, and audit requirements.
- Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert, Security Operations Analyst Associate, or a current equivalent Microsoft certification.
- CISSP, GIAC, Security+, or comparable cybersecurity certification.
- Demonstrated experience achieving measurable improvements in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint sensor coverage, Microsoft Defender Antivirus protection status, update currency, vulnerability remediation, security compliance, or exception closure.
About the company
Essnova Solutions is a technology contractor delivering digital services and mission support to public-sector customers. Its capabilities include software development, cloud, data and analytics, cybersecurity, enterprise IT, and program support. The company works with federal agencies on modernization and operational technology needs. Essnova delivers contract-based federal technology services rather than mass-market software, combining technical specialists, program controls, security requirements, documentation, customer missions, and modernization objectives within public-sector engagements.
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