Cybersecurity Engineer - Training Lab Developer
About Ultimate Knowledge
Ultimate Knowledge (UKI) is a globally recognized leader in delivering advanced cyber training, readiness assessments, and certification programs that prepare professionals for the world’s most demanding cybersecurity challenges. Our mission is to empower defenders through hands-on, scenario-driven learning built on real-world technologies, adversarial simulations, and mission-relevant labs.
We partner with DoD, federal, and commercial organizations to design training environments that replicate the complexity of modern hybrid IT/OT networks—helping learners build true operational capability.
Role Overview
We’re seeking a Cybersecurity Engineer – Training Lab Developer to design, build, and sustain cutting-edge cyber training labs that simulate real-world threats, vulnerabilities, and defensive operations. You’ll work with an elite team of cyber professionals to create dynamic, immersive environments used across national defense and commercial programs.
This position is ideal for engineers who love breaking and defending systems, building environments from scratch, and seeing their work directly shape the next generation of cyber defenders.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, develop, and deploy virtualized and containerized training environments that replicate enterprise and operational technology networks.
- Build interactive, hands-on scenarios that cover topics such as network defense, exploitation, incident response, malware analysis, and cloud security.
- Collaborate with SMEs and instructional designers to align labs with course objectives, NICE/NIST and DCWF frameworks, and current threat intelligence.
- Integrate and automate tools (e.g., SIEM, IDS/IPS, EDR, log pipelines, attack frameworks, etc.) to simulate realistic defender workflows.
- Evaluate new tools and platforms (e.g., Elastic Stack, Graylog, Security Onion, Caldera, Atomic Red Team, Guacamole, PCTE) for use in training.
- Maintain and monitor lab infrastructure for performance, security, and scalability across cloud and on-prem environments.
- Develop automation scripts (Python, PowerShell, Bash, Node.js) to streamline environment builds, resets, and telemetry capture.
- Perform QA testing to validate scenario functionality, scoring, and learner experience.
- Support instructors and learners during training events, ensuring lab reliability and technical support responsiveness.
Requirements
Required Qualifications
- U.S. Citizenship (required for clearance eligibility)
- Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, or related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
- 2+ years of professional experience in cybersecurity engineering, system administration, or cyber training/lab development.
- Demonstrated knowledge of networking, virtualization (VMware, VirtualBox, Hyper-V), and Linux/Windows administration.
- Proficiency in at least one scripting or automation language (Python, Bash, PowerShell, or Node.js).
- Familiarity with common cybersecurity tools and frameworks: Wireshark, Metasploit, Nmap, Zeek, Suricata, Burp Suite, Nessus, etc.
- Understanding of core security domains (host and network defense, exploitation, forensics, and cloud security).
- Excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills with a commitment to producing high-quality, functional environments.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
- Experience using or integrating security monitoring platforms (Elastic, Splunk, Graylog, or Security Onion).
- Experience with infrastructure-as-code or automation tools (Ansible, Terraform, Docker).
- Familiarity with Active Directory, DNS/DHCP configuration, and attack simulation frameworks (Atomic Red Team, Caldera, Metta, etc.).
- Professional certifications such as CISSP, CEH, OSCP, CompTIA Security+, or equivalent.
Benefits
Why Work With UKI
At Ultimate Knowledge, you’ll join a team that’s redefining cyber training through technical innovation, creativity, and mission focus. We offer:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Short and long-term disability coverage
- Basic life insurance
- Optional supplementary life insurance policy available
- UKI will cover 100% of your individual premium for medical, dental, vision, disability, and basic life.
- 401k plan with basic safe harbor matching (up to 4% match with 5% contribution)
- 15 days of PTO annually for either vacation or sick days
- 12 company holidays (same as 11 federal holidays) plus Christmas Eve
- Professional Training and Certification Support
- Fully Remote Work Environment
- The opportunity to build the next generation of cyber warriors