Cybersecurity Data Engineer

VAE is seeking a Cybersecurity Data Engineer to design, build, and optimize the data pipelines that power cyber defense operations on our C5ISR contract. Working within the Elastic ecosystem, you will ensure high volumes of security log and telemetry data are ingested, enriched, and available for detection, threat analysis, and incident response. You will work closely with Detection Engineering, Threat Analysis, Endpoint, and other cyber teams to turn raw data into mission-ready insight. The position is a Hybrid position with 3 days per week on-site at the Adelphi Laboratory Center. (ALC), Adelphi, MD, * Configure and optimize data ingestion, storage, and retrieval across the Elastic Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana, Fleet) to support high-volume, high-availability operations.

• Design, maintain, and optimize scalable cybersecurity ETL pipelines using Elastic tools.
• Develop transformations and enrichments for diverse security log and telemetry sources.
• Maintain index templates, mappings, schemas, and data models that support analytics and detection logic.
• Implement data validation, deduplication, and quality controls to ensure data integrity.
• Automate ingestion, transformation, and engineering workflows using Python, Bash, and related tools.
• Monitor pipeline and indexing performance, troubleshoot data-flow issues, and optimize throughput, storage, and query performance.
• Maintain traceability and troubleshoot dependencies across Kafka, Elastic, and CI/CD tooling.
• Partner with Detection Engineering, Threat Analysis, Endpoint, and other cyber teams to meet operational requirements.
• Maintain technical documentation, SOPs, and engineering artifacts.

• Active Top Secret clearance.
• 8570 certification required
• Bachelors Degree
• Hands-on experience administering and engineering solutions within the Elastic Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana, Fleet).
• Experience building and maintaining ETL or data pipelines for log and telemetry data.
• Working knowledge of index management, mappings, and data modeling.
• Ability to work on-site at ALC in Adelphi, MD, three days per week.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with Kafka, Python/Bash automation, CI/CD, or DevSecOps practices.
• Experience working with Ruby.
• Experience supporting AWS, Azure, GCP, Oracle Cloud, hybrid-cloud, or multi-cloud environments.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity operations, including SIEM, threat detection, incident response, and security monitoring.

CLEARANCE LEVEL: Top Secret

CERTIFICATIONS: 8570 certification required

VAE, Inc. is a full service IT Infrastructure Solutions Company focused on building, securing and supporting our clients’ mission critical enterprises. We provide a distinctive array of design, integration and implementation services as well as fully managed service offerings. VAE is at the forefront of leveraging multi-tenant capable technologies and shared IT services to create secure, reliable and cost-effective end-to-end services and solutions. We deliver exceptional infrastructure solutions with extremely talented employees using a client-focused partnering approach.