Senior Detection Engineer - Cloud

Position Overview 

We are seeking an experienced Threat Detection Engineer to extend Vectra's detection capabilities across cloud and identity environments, with additional exposure to network-based threat detection. 

Vectra's Attack Signal Production Group is responsible for building Vectra's core threat detection and prioritization technology, leveraging AI and other methods to alert customers to critical threats across their cloud, identity, and network environments. 

Threat Detection Engineers work closely with Data Scientists who are developing AI models, and Security Researchers who are researching the threat landscape and assisting modeling efforts. This role will focus primarily on developing detections for cloud and identity attack behaviours, including threats across AWS, Azure, GCP, and identity platforms such as Microsoft Entra ID. 

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience investigating cloud and identity threats using telemetry such as authentication and audit logs, CloudTrail, cloud platform logs, and network flow data. Familiarity with network threat models, protocols, and network-based telemetry is important, particularly as cloud detection increasingly incorporates data sources such as VPC and flow logs. 

The role is primarily focused on cloud and identity threat detection, while providing the versatility to contribute to network detection initiatives where relevant. 

Responsibilities and Accountabilities 

• Research cloud and identity attack behaviours and identify opportunities for new detections. 

• Develop, test, and maintain detection logic using Python and other appropriate detection technologies. 

• Analyze telemetry from cloud and identity environments, including authentication activity, control-plane activity, audit logs, application logs, and network flow logs. 

• Develop detections across common cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure as well as identity environments such as Microsoft Entra ID. 

• Investigate malicious activity and reproduce attacker techniques to validate detection hypotheses. 

• Collaborate with Data Scientists and Security Researchers to improve detection coverage and accuracy.  

• Continuously assess detection effectiveness and improve detections based on real-world data. 

• Stay current with emerging cloud, identity, and network attacker techniques and TTPs. 

• Work with large and diverse security datasets using technologies and techniques such as Python, notebooks, SQL, Pandas, and cloud analytics platforms. 

• Contribute to network threat detection where appropriate, including analysis of network protocols, flow data, PCAPs, and network attack behaviours. 

Attitudes and Behaviours 

• Focus on impact and results; work on the right problems and drive them through to completion. 

• Demonstrate curiosity and a strong investigative mindset when working with unfamiliar attacker behaviours, telemetry, or technologies. 

• Show drive and resourcefulness in overcoming technical ambiguity and incomplete information. 

• Have a track record of successfully solving complex and ambiguous problems. 

• Balance detection coverage with detection quality, scalability, and maintainability. 

• Demonstrate high integrity and an ability to collaborate effectively across Security Research, Data Science, Engineering, and Product teams. 

Qualifications and Experience 

• 6+ years of cybersecurity experience, preferably focused on threat detection, security research, threat hunting, incident response, or detection engineering. 

• Strong experience investigating threats in cloud and identity environments. 

• Hands-on knowledge of AWS/Azure cloud platform. 

• Strong understanding of identity concepts, cloud and identity attack techniques; experience with Microsoft Entra ID is preferred. 

• Experience working with security telemetry such as CloudTrail, cloud audit logs, authentication logs, flow logs, PCAPS and network telemetry.  

• Working proficiency in Python, including experience using Python for data analysis, automation, investigation, or detection development. 

• Working knowledge of network security fundamentals, protocols, and network threat models. 

• Familiarity with large-scale analytics or data platforms such as Databricks, cloud-native log analytics platforms, or equivalent technologies. 

• Excellent technical, analytical, communication, and collaboration skills. 

Preferred Experience 

• Experience building and operating production-quality cloud or identity detections, rather than solely investigating alerts generated by existing products. 

• Experience developing detections using multiple telemetry sources or correlating activity across identity, cloud control-plane, workload, and network data. 

• Experience with adversary simulation or offensive security techniques in AWS, Azure or identity environments. 

• Experience analyzing network traffic using tools such as Wireshark, Zeek, Suricata, or similar technologies. 

• Optional certifications such as OSCP, GCIA, GCDA, GSEC, cloud security certifications, or equivalent practical experience.