Microsoft 365 Security Engineer

About

Talascend is currently seeking a Microsoft 365 Security Engineer for a contract opportunity with our client in Washington, District of Columbia. This role involves designing, implementing, and managing Microsoft Office 365 security solutions to safeguard the USMINT IT/OT environments. The engineer will provide technical leadership in configuring security configurations, compliance, identity management, and incident response within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Responsibilities

• Design, deploy, and manage security solutions and compliance controls across the multi-tenant M365 ecosystem (MS Defender, Purview, Entra, Intune, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams)
• Provide technical oversight and subject matter expertise in MS Defender (EDR & Email Security), Purview (DLP & Compliance and Governance)
• Develop and implement strategies for MS Defender and Purview across on‑premises and cloud environments (Azure & AWS)
• Architect, design, and enhance MS Defender and Purview solutions and technologies
• Perform risk assessments to identify gaps in security coverage
• Research latest trends, threats, and evasion techniques related to M365 security products
• Interface with division stakeholders and facilitate technical working group meetings
• Develop technical artifacts including requirements, architecture, test plans, and implementation plans
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams such as program/project management, security operations, and system owners
• Coordinate with vendors and analyze alternatives for M365 security solutions
• Contribute to business continuity and disaster recovery planning

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field
• Active US Public Trust
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience providing technical leadership in M365 security and deployments
• Strong hands‑on experience with M365 security architecture and tools including MS Defender, Purview, Entra, Intune, Sentinel, SharePoint, Teams
• Experience with data governance, DLP policies, and eDiscovery using MS Purview
• Proven expertise in deploying and managing MS Defender for threat protection
• Experience configuring Entra ID for identity and access management
• Understanding of security compliance frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, SOC2
• Proficiency in documenting technical reports, procedures, and architecture diagrams
• Ability to identify threat vectors, vulnerabilities, perform risk assessments, and respond to incidents
• Excellent problem‑solving, communication, and presentation skills
• Proficiency in PowerShell scripting
• Microsoft 365 administrator certifications such as MS‑102 and MS‑900 preferred

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Azure AD and cloud services integrations
• Experience deploying and managing security solutions in hybrid and cloud environments