Cybersecurity Engineer

Logo Institution:
The University of South Dakota

Working Title:

Cybersecurity Engineer
Posting Number: CSA
02866P
Department: USD - Information Technology Services
Physical Location of Position (City):
Vermillion

The University of South Dakota is seeking an experienced, hands‑on Cybersecurity Engineer to join its established enterprise cybersecurity program.

This position is ideal for a cybersecurity professional who enjoys solving complex technical problems, investigating security threats, engineering security solutions, and using automation and artificial intelligence to improve security operations.

Working directly with the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), the Cybersecurity Engineer will play an important role in operating, optimizing, and advancing the university’s cybersecurity capabilities.

USD operates a modern, integrated security environment built around Microsoft Defender XDR, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Purview, Microsoft 365, and Cisco security technologies. The university is also advancing AI‑enabled security operations, integrating automation and intelligent security agents into threat detection, investigation, and response.

• Security Operations:
  Investigate and respond to security incidents using Microsoft Defender XDR, Microsoft Sentinel, Cisco XDR, and related security technologies.
• Security Engineering:
  Configure, maintain, troubleshoot, and optimize enterprise security controls across endpoints, identities, networks, cloud services, and data environments.
• Automation and AI:
  Develop automated investigation and response workflows using scripting, APIs, orchestration tools, and emerging AI‑enabled security technologies.
• Threat Detection and Hunting:
  Develop and refine detection rules, KQL queries, alert correlations, dashboards, and investigation procedures.
• Vulnerability Management:
  Identify, prioritize, and coordinate the remediation of security vulnerabilities across enterprise systems.
• Identity and Data Protection:
  Support technical security controls within Microsoft Entra , Microsoft Purview, and Microsoft 365.
• Incident Response:
  Work with internal IT teams and external security partners to investigate, contain, and remediate cybersecurity incidents.
• Continuous Improvement:
  Identify opportunities to strengthen existing security configurations, integrate technologies, and reduce manual operational effort.

We are seeking an experienced engineer who has already worked directly with enterprise security technologies and can independently execute technical security responsibilities.

• Five or more years of relevant professional IT or cybersecurity experience, including at least three years in hands‑on cybersecurity operations or engineering.
• Practical experience investigating and responding to cybersecurity incidents in an enterprise environment.
• Hands‑on experience administering or operating Microsoft Defender XDR or comparable enterprise endpoint detection and response technologies.
• Experience using a SIEM platform to investigate security events, correlate data, and analyze threats.
• Demonstrated ability to investigate technical security problems and implement effective remediation.
• Experience with vulnerability management and risk‑based remediation.
• Working knowledge of security scripting, APIs, or automation technologies.
• Ability to independently manage technical assignments, troubleshoot security issues, and collaborate with infrastructure and application teams.

• Hands‑on experience with Microsoft Defender XDR, Microsoft Sentinel, and Kusto Query Language (KQL).
• Experience with Microsoft Purview, Entra , Conditional Access, and Microsoft 365 security.
• Experience with Cisco Secure Access, Cisco XDR,…