Security Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
Security Engineer jobs in District of Columbia are concentrated in Washington DC and its immediate suburbs, where federal agencies, defense contractors, and cybersecurity firms create one of the most active markets for this role in the country. Employers such as Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and SAIC maintain large security engineering teams in the region, with consistent demand across government IT security, cloud security, and network defense. Openings range from cleared associate-level analysts moving into engineering to senior architects leading zero-trust and threat intelligence programs. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 118+ Security Engineer jobs
Windows Security protects Windows from the hardware up. We are looking for a Principal Software Engineer Manager to lead the engineering organization responsible for some of the foundational technologies that establish trust across Windows devices and cloud services.
Modern platform security depends on establishing trust across the full stack, from silicon and firmware through the operating system and into cloud services. Hardware Security builds the technologies that establish and protect that trust, including Microsoft Pluton, hardware-rooted platform security capabilities, and cloud-based device attestation services.
In this role, you will lead a broad engineering organization that develops security firmware and software shipping on Windows devices, advances Microsoft Pluton as an integrated security foundation for the Windows ecosystem, and builds and operates cloud services that allow devices and services to establish and prove their security state. The team partners across Windows, Azure, Microsoft Security, silicon and device partners, and industry standards organizations to advance platform security for billions of Windows customers.
This is a highly technical leadership role at the intersection of silicon, operating systems, security, and cloud services. We are looking for a leader who can set technical direction in complex and rapidly evolving areas, develop outstanding engineering leaders and teams, and turn emerging security threats and technologies into durable protections for customers.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
Responsibilities
- Lead the engineering strategy and execution for Windows Hardware Security, spanning Microsoft Pluton, hardware and firmware security, hardware-rooted platform security capabilities, and cloud-based attestation services.
- Define and drive a cohesive chip-to-cloud security architecture that connects hardware roots of trust with Windows security capabilities and cloud services.
- Advance Microsoft Pluton as a foundation for security innovation in the Windows ecosystem, working across hardware, firmware, operating system, and service boundaries to deliver new protections for customers.
- Lead the engineering and evolution of Windows attestation services, enabling devices and services to establish identity, integrity, and trusted security state using hardware-backed security signals.
- Lead the design, development, delivery, and operation of security-critical software, firmware, and services with a focus on security, reliability, scalability, performance, quality, and operational excellence.
- Partner with silicon vendors, device manufacturers, industry standards organizations, and engineering teams across Microsoft to influence hardware security architecture and bring emerging security capabilities into the Windows ecosystem.
- Identify emerging threats and technology shifts and translate them into engineering strategy, product roadmaps, and systematic security improvements.
- Drive engineering excellence across both Windows product engineering and cloud service development, including architecture, testing, telemetry, reliability, incident response, secure development, and live-site operations.
- Create clarity across complex cross-organizational initiatives, make thoughtful engineering and business tradeoffs, and drive accountability for delivering customer outcomes.
- Build, coach, and grow a high-performing organization of engineering managers and engineers, developing technical leaders and fostering a culture of curiosity, collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.
- Represent Microsoft and Windows Security with senior internal and external partners on critical hardware, platform security, and attestation topics.
- Leverage emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to improve engineering effectiveness, security analysis, operational efficiency, and the team's ability to respond to an evolving threat landscape.
Qualifications
Required/Minimum Qualifications:
-
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- OR equivalent experience.
Additional or preferred qualifications
Other Requirements: Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:
- Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
Preferred Qualifications:
-
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 10+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, or Python.
- OR equivalent experience.
- 6+ years of people management experience leading software engineering teams.
- Experience designing, building, shipping, or operating security-critical software, operating system components, embedded systems, firmware, hardware-integrated software, or large-scale cloud services.
- Experience leading complex engineering programs involving multiple teams, organizations, or external partners.
- Experience defining technical strategy and translating that strategy into engineering execution and measurable customer outcomes.
- Experience with operating system, platform, or hardware security architecture.
- Experience with hardware roots of trust, security processors, secure boot, firmware security, cryptography, device identity, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) technologies, confidential computing, or remote attestation.
- Experience building and operating highly available cloud services with security-sensitive workloads and demanding reliability requirements.
- Experience partnering with silicon vendors, device manufacturers, standards bodies, or other technology ecosystem partners.
- Experience leading engineering managers and senior technical leaders in a multi-team organization.
- Experience responding to security vulnerabilities or incidents and translating individual findings into systematic platform improvements.
- Experience influencing technical strategy across organizational boundaries and communicating complex engineering and security topics to senior leaders.
- Experience developing inclusive teams and growing engineers and engineering leaders across career stages.
#W+DJOBS
Software Engineering M6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $165,600 - $296,400 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $220,800 - $331,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process.
Windows Security protects Windows from the hardware up. We are looking for a Principal Software Engineer Manager to lead the engineering organization responsible for some of the foundational technologies that establish trust across Windows devices and cloud services.
Modern platform security depends on establishing trust across the full stack, from silicon and firmware through the operating system and into cloud services. Hardware Security builds the technologies that establish and protect that trust, including Microsoft Pluton, hardware-rooted platform security capabilities, and cloud-based device attestation services.
In this role, you will lead a broad engineering organization that develops security firmware and software shipping on Windows devices, advances Microsoft Pluton as an integrated security foundation for the Windows ecosystem, and builds and operates cloud services that allow devices and services to establish and prove their security state. The team partners across Windows, Azure, Microsoft Security, silicon and device partners, and industry standards organizations to advance platform security for billions of Windows customers.
This is a highly technical leadership role at the intersection of silicon, operating systems, security, and cloud services. We are looking for a leader who can set technical direction in complex and rapidly evolving areas, develop outstanding engineering leaders and teams, and turn emerging security threats and technologies into durable protections for customers.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
Responsibilities
- Lead the engineering strategy and execution for Windows Hardware Security, spanning Microsoft Pluton, hardware and firmware security, hardware-rooted platform security capabilities, and cloud-based attestation services.
- Define and drive a cohesive chip-to-cloud security architecture that connects hardware roots of trust with Windows security capabilities and cloud services.
- Advance Microsoft Pluton as a foundation for security innovation in the Windows ecosystem, working across hardware, firmware, operating system, and service boundaries to deliver new protections for customers.
- Lead the engineering and evolution of Windows attestation services, enabling devices and services to establish identity, integrity, and trusted security state using hardware-backed security signals.
- Lead the design, development, delivery, and operation of security-critical software, firmware, and services with a focus on security, reliability, scalability, performance, quality, and operational excellence.
- Partner with silicon vendors, device manufacturers, industry standards organizations, and engineering teams across Microsoft to influence hardware security architecture and bring emerging security capabilities into the Windows ecosystem.
- Identify emerging threats and technology shifts and translate them into engineering strategy, product roadmaps, and systematic security improvements.
- Drive engineering excellence across both Windows product engineering and cloud service development, including architecture, testing, telemetry, reliability, incident response, secure development, and live-site operations.
- Create clarity across complex cross-organizational initiatives, make thoughtful engineering and business tradeoffs, and drive accountability for delivering customer outcomes.
- Build, coach, and grow a high-performing organization of engineering managers and engineers, developing technical leaders and fostering a culture of curiosity, collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.
- Represent Microsoft and Windows Security with senior internal and external partners on critical hardware, platform security, and attestation topics.
- Leverage emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to improve engineering effectiveness, security analysis, operational efficiency, and the team's ability to respond to an evolving threat landscape.
Qualifications
Required/Minimum Qualifications:
-
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- OR equivalent experience.
Additional or preferred qualifications
Other Requirements: Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:
- Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
Preferred Qualifications:
-
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 10+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, or Python.
- OR equivalent experience.
- 6+ years of people management experience leading software engineering teams.
- Experience designing, building, shipping, or operating security-critical software, operating system components, embedded systems, firmware, hardware-integrated software, or large-scale cloud services.
- Experience leading complex engineering programs involving multiple teams, organizations, or external partners.
- Experience defining technical strategy and translating that strategy into engineering execution and measurable customer outcomes.
- Experience with operating system, platform, or hardware security architecture.
- Experience with hardware roots of trust, security processors, secure boot, firmware security, cryptography, device identity, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) technologies, confidential computing, or remote attestation.
- Experience building and operating highly available cloud services with security-sensitive workloads and demanding reliability requirements.
- Experience partnering with silicon vendors, device manufacturers, standards bodies, or other technology ecosystem partners.
- Experience leading engineering managers and senior technical leaders in a multi-team organization.
- Experience responding to security vulnerabilities or incidents and translating individual findings into systematic platform improvements.
- Experience influencing technical strategy across organizational boundaries and communicating complex engineering and security topics to senior leaders.
- Experience developing inclusive teams and growing engineers and engineering leaders across career stages.
#W+DJOBS
Software Engineering M6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $165,600 - $296,400 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $220,800 - $331,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process.
See All 118+ Security Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Security Engineer JobsSecurity Engineer Jobs by City in District of Columbia
Where District of Columbia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Security Engineer Job Market in District of Columbia
A snapshot from current District of Columbia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
What District of Columbia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in security engineer jobs across District of Columbia.
- Active DoD security clearance, typically Secret or Top Secret/SCI
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, cybersecurity, information technology, or a related field
- CISSP, CompTIA Security+, or CEH certification recognized by federal contracting standards
- Hands-on experience with SIEM platforms, vulnerability management tools, or intrusion detection systems
- Familiarity with NIST 800-53, RMF, or FedRAMP compliance frameworks required by federal clients
- Experience supporting federal agency environments or working within a cleared contractor setting
Security Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a security engineer in District of Columbia?
The most direct path is a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity, computer science, or information systems, followed by an entry-level role with a federal agency or contractor that sponsors clearance processing. DC does not issue a state-specific engineering license for cybersecurity roles, but obtaining a DoD security clearance and certifications such as CompTIA Security+ or CISSP are effectively required to compete for the majority of positions in the market.
How much do security engineers make in District of Columbia?
Security engineers in District of Columbia earn a median of about $156,590 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $87,400 for the lowest 10% to over $207,700 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire security engineers in District of Columbia?
Employers hiring security engineers in District of Columbia right now include Meta, Booz Allen Hamilton, and SpaceX, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. The DC market is heavily shaped by federal contracting, so large systems integrators and government technology firms consistently post the highest volume of openings.
Which District of Columbia cities have the most security engineer jobs?
The cities with the most security engineer openings in District of Columbia are Washington. The distribution reflects the concentration of federal agencies in Washington DC proper alongside the major contractor campuses in surrounding areas, which together create demand well beyond what a single city center would support on its own.
Are there remote security engineer jobs in District of Columbia?
Yes, but they're less common than in other tech disciplines. About 83% of security engineer openings tied to District of Columbia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the clearance and on-site access requirements that many federal agency roles impose. Roles focused on cloud security architecture or application security assessment tend to offer the most remote flexibility.
How can I get hired as a security engineer in District of Columbia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a cleared IT support, network operations, or systems administrator role at a federal contractor, then transitioning into a security engineering function once you have baseline clearance eligibility and a CompTIA Security+ certification. Large DC-area contractors such as Booz Allen Hamilton and SAIC run new-analyst and early-career programs that recruit candidates from local universities including Howard University and George Mason University, and these programs regularly place candidates into junior security engineering tracks.
Where can I find and apply to security engineer jobs in District of Columbia?
You can find and apply to security engineer jobs in District of Columbia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers across the region. Search the roles that fit your clearance level and technical background and apply directly to the ones that match your experience.
See All 118+ Security Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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