Junior Cyber Engineer

Job Description

Description

SAIC is seeking a Cybersecurity Engineer Associate to support a critical U.S. government agency in the National Capital Region. This entry-level hybrid position is ideal for early-career professionals or recent graduates interested in launching a career in cybersecurity engineering. The associate will work under the guidance of senior engineers to support the implementation, maintenance, and optimization of cybersecurity tools across a variety of enterprise systems and cloud environments.

This is a great opportunity for someone who is technically curious, eager to learn, and excited to support real-world cybersecurity operations in a collaborative, mission-focused environment. The Cybersecurity Engineer Associate will gain hands-on experience across a wide range of security platforms and technologies that support threat detection, compliance, and infrastructure protection.

Responsibilities:

• Assist with the configuration, deployment, and routine maintenance of cybersecurity tools including EDR, DLP, email/web filtering, firewalls, and identity solutions.
• Support daily tool health checks and conduct basic troubleshooting tasks; escalate complex issues to senior staff or vendor support.
• Participate in system upgrades and assist with integration efforts across cloud-native and hybrid IT environments.
• Document standard operating procedures (SOPs), tool configurations, and system updates.
• Support automation efforts by contributing to basic scripting tasks using PowerShell, Python, or Bash.
• Collaborate with security operations, compliance, and IT teams to ensure tools meet monitoring and policy objectives.
• Help identify and suggest improvements to existing workflows, processes, or documentation.
• Support the creation and tuning of detection rules, alerts, or scripts to enhance accuracy and reduce false positives.
• Stay current with cybersecurity trends, tool capabilities, and industry best practices.

Qualifications

Requirements:

• Final-year student or recent graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field – or equivalent hands-on experience via coursework, labs, or internships.
• Foundational understanding of core cybersecurity concepts and security tool categories (endpoint, identity, network, cloud).
• Basic knowledge of Windows and/or Linux system administration.
• Introductory experience in scripting or automation using PowerShell, Python, or Bash.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to follow instructions and work effectively in a team-based technical environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Exposure to SIEM or threat analytics platforms through labs, coursework, or internships.
• Practical experience (lab-based or professional) supporting IT/security tools in an enterprise or government setting.
• Basic cybersecurity certifications such as CompTIA Security+, Microsoft SC-900, or Splunk Fundamentals.
• Motivation to pursue additional vendor-specific certifications related to enterprise cybersecurity tools.

Clearance Requirement:

• All candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Public Trust clearance.

This hybrid role requires a minimum of three on-site days per week in Washington, DC.

Part-Time position Not to exceed 32 hours per week.

Overview

SAIC accepts applications on an ongoing basis and there is no deadline.

SAIC® is a premier Fortune 500® mission integrator focused on advancing the power of technology and innovation to serve and protect our world. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, civilian and intelligence markets includes secure high-end solutions in mission IT, enterprise IT, engineering services and professional services. We integrate emerging technology, rapidly and securely, into mission critical operations that modernize and enable critical national imperatives.

We are approximately 24,000 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. SAIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $7.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom.