IDS/IPS Cyber Security Engineer

Recro, a Certified Small Business, helps federal agencies achieve their goals through IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, DevOps, cloud services, and digital transformation. We prioritize innovation, employee growth, and a collaborative work environment, guided by our core value - to make a difference.

Currently, Recro is seeking a motivated, career and customer oriented IDS/IPS Cyber Security Engineer, to join our team in McLean, VA, JB Andrews, MD, Norfolk, VA, Tampa, FL, Colorado Springs, CO, Reston, VA, College Park, MD

Clearance

• TS/SCI (Willing to Obtain a CI Poly)

Responsibilities:

We are seeking an experienced Network Intrusion Detection Engineer to join our cybersecurity team. The ideal c andidate must possess strong Linux engineering expertise with experience managing YAML configuration files, and how these configurations integrate and influence the Intrusion Detection Systems/Intrusion Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS). Highly qualified candidates will have hands-on engineering and O&M experience with Suricata and/or other network- based IDS capabilities such as Snort, VectraAI, Corelight, etc. You will play a critical role in deploying, tuning, and maintaining the IDS within a complex enterprise IT environment, primarily running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

What You'll Work On:

• Designing, deploying, and maintaining IDS/IPS systems across a large enterprise with multiple networks.
• Developing, reviewing, and optimizing YAML configuration files to ensure optimal detection capabilities and minimal false positives.
• Understanding and managing the interaction between YAML configuration and its runtime engine, including rule loading, protocol decoding, and logging.
• Tuning IDS/IPS for optimal performance with NICs, including configuring Direct Memory Access (DMA), RSS queues, interrupt coalescing, and leveraging any NIC-specific acceleration features.
• Collaborating with security teams to integrate IDS/IPS with SIEM and other security monitoring platforms.
• Troubleshooting installation and operational issues specific to IDS/IPS on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, addressing compatibility, kernel module requirements, SE-Linux policies, and performance tuning.
• Identifying and mitigating common pitfalls encountered when deploying IDS/IPS in large-scale enterprise environments, including package dependencies, system resource constraints, and NIC driver/configuration issues.
• Provide detailed documentation and runbooks for Suricata configuration, tuning NICs, and deployment processes.
• Staying current with Platform IDS/IPS Software releases, NIC driver updates, and community best practices for network interface tuning and IDS/IPS performance enhancement.

Required Qualifications:

• Proven experience working with Snort, Suricata, Corelight or other network IDS/IPS systems, including hands-on management of its YAML configuration files.
• Strong knowledge of configuration structure, syntax, and how it controls detection rules, logging, and output modules.
• Extensive experience administering Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) systems, including package management (yum/dnf), kernel module management, SE-Linux configuration, and system optimization via Unix CLI and other remote shell access vectors (puTTY, SSH, etc.)
• Hands-on experience tuning Suricata for high-performance packet capture with Napatech NICs or similar advanced network interface cards.
• Familiarity with NIC-specific features such as DMA, Receive Side Scaling (RSS), interrupt moderation, and offload capabilities, and how to configure them for Suricata.
• Experience troubleshooting Suricata's interaction with NIC drivers and kernel modules in an enterprise environment.
• TS/SCI clearance with the ability to obtain a counter-intelligence polygraph.
• Associate's degree and 5+ years of experience supporting IT projects and activities or Bachelor's degree and 3+ years of experience supporting IT projects and activities or Master's degree and 1+ years of experience supporting IT projects and activities. Years of experience may be accepted in lieu of degree.
• DoD 8570 IAT Level II Certification, including Security+ CE, CCNA-Security, GSEC, SSCP, CySA+, GICSP, or CND Certification.
• Ability to obtain a DoD 8570 Cyber Security Service Provider - Infrastructure Support Certification, including CEH, CySA+, GICSP, SSCP, CHFI, CFR, Cloud+, or CND Certification, within 60 days of start date.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with scripting languages (Bash, Python, YAML/Ansible, etc.) to automate Suricata configuration and deployment tasks.
• Proficient understanding of network protocols, intrusion detection methodologies, and security event correlation.
• Experience integrating Suricata with Splunk, or other SIEM solutions.
• Knowledge of containerized deployments of Suricata (Docker/Kubernetes) in enterprise environments.
• Detection and Response (NDR) solutions, including Trellix/FireEye, Corelight, Endace, Vectra AI, Dark Trace, Cisco Security Network Analytics, Open XDR, Fortinet FortiNDR, Trend Vision, etc.
• Ability to be a self-starter, work without considerable direction, and work with a team.
• Possession of excellent verbal and written communication skills, including client briefings and coordinating efforts

Benefits at Recro

• 100% paid medical, dental, and vision
• 401k - 6% matching and 401k profit sharing
• PTO - 120 Hours
• Federal Holidays
• Education and Tuition Reimbursements
• Wellness Benefits
• A lot of cool gear!

Working at Recro

• A Great Culture - We are building a culture at Recro where amazing people (like you) can do their best work. If you are ready to grow your career and recro (re-invent) the way our clients operate, you have come to the right place.
• A Great Place to Work - Employees are treated like people, not line items. We work smart when we can and hard when we must but we always do it together, as a team. We are a team with tons of passion and enthusiasm to blaze new trails and improve the state of our clients, the broader community, and even the world.
• A Great Place to Contribute - We believe diverse perspectives improve each challenge that we face. We trust and enable our amazing people to accomplish amazing feats. At Recro, you will be empowered to deliver your best work.
• A Great Place to Grow - We believe in our people and maximizing your potential. At Recro, we continue to look into the future and invest in each other through teamwork, collaboration, and training.