Lumen is the trusted network for the AI-powered world, connecting people, data, and applications through our expansive fiber network and connected ecosystem. We enable secure, high-performance connectivity across cloud, edge, and AI workloads for enterprises, governments, and communities.
At Lumen, you'll work on infrastructure customers rely on today and build for what's next, where performance, security, and resilience matter.
This is a high accountability environment where bold ideas drive real innovation for our customers, partners, and industry. The work is challenging, expectations are clear, and trust is built into how we operate. If you're ready to take ownership, deliver meaningful impact, and help shape the future of AI-ready connectivity, join us today.
The Role
Black Lotus Labs has an opening for a Senior Lead Security Engineer that will leverage Lumen's unique visibility to hunt, investigate, and scale discovery of evolving malicious threats, provide mission-relevant intelligence, and support mitigations on large networks. Our global visibility into one of the world's largest and most interconnected IP backbones, combined with our computing cluster and analytic platforms, presents exciting opportunities to integrate machine learning, graph analytics, automation, and approved AI-enabled tools as we find new ways to hunt for threats across the internet. Black Lotus Labs has detected and disrupted key evolving threats at an internet scale for years.
This position will work alongside Black Lotus Labs advanced security researchers, data engineers, malware reverse engineers, data scientists, and our customers to tackle evolving threats accelerated by technologies like our Hadoop ecosystem (HBase, HDFS, Spark, Kafka, AirFlow), Elasticsearch and Redis clusters, Docker using Docker Swarm, malware environment, a network of honeypots, and modern AI-assisted research and development capabilities.
This is a close-knit, experienced, amazingly smart team that you can be a part of and help build out.
This position requires an active TS/SCI security clearance w/ CI Poly.
Location
This is a remote position with office visits in Herndon, VA approximately 2 times per month.
The Main Responsibilities
Research latest threat attacker tools, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) with a goal of automating detection.
Work with cyber operators, when requested, to conduct in-depth investigations on cyber threat activity and provide mitigation guidance.
Automate investigations through Python scripting and data analysis using visualization in Jupyter Notebooks and Grafana
Build and maintain trust relationships with other intelligence teams, law enforcement, and other outside groups.
Support customer RFIs on incidents and emerging threats.
Use approved AI-enabled tools to accelerate research, coding, data exploration, documentation, and knowledge discovery while validating outputs through independent analytical judgment.
Develop repeatable workflows that combine analyst expertise, automation, and AI-assisted capabilities to improve investigative efficiency and analytical quality.
What We Look For in a Candidate
Candidates must effectively communicate complex domain-specific concepts, ensuring clarity for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Familiarity with adversary capabilities, infrastructure, and techniques that can be applied in collaboration with supporting teams and partners to discover, track, and defend against the adversaries aggression towards customer networks.
Experience using OSINT methods for investigation, including discovering novel threats in malware repositories.
Scripting experience with Python and familiarity with distributed computing.
Extensive experience hunting threat actors and developing algorithms and techniques to identify new threats from large data sets.
Deep knowledge of network-based threats and identifying behaviors without attack payloads.
Strong analytical thinking and ability to quickly pick up new methods, tools and programming languages.
User-level experience in a Unix-based environment.
Familiarity with extracting data through SQL.
Strong writing skills to assist in sharing our knowledge with the public.
Demonstrable knowledge of several of the following areas: cybersecurity concepts, network protocols, firewalls, IDS/IPS systems, cyber threat hunting, malware analysis tools and techniques, cyber threat intelligence, common threat actor TTPs, application security concepts, cloud security fundamentals.
Ability to rapidly develop proficiency in unfamiliar technical domains through foundational analytical skills, self-directed learning, and effective use of AI-assisted research and problem-solving tools.
Ability to use AI-enabled tools responsibly to augment technical research, analysis, coding, documentation, and report development while maintaining professional skepticism and analytical rigor.
Ability to evaluate, challenge, and validate AI-generated outputs before using them in customer-facing analysis, findings, or recommendations.
Well experienced candidates may also have the following skills:
Previous work experience with Department of Defense (DoD), Intelligence Community, or other government agencies (e.g., DHS, DOE, VA, etc.)
Experience with Spark and distributed computing
Experience developing automation and analysis in Python-based environments.
Ability to work with others in providing direction and assisting in learning new topics.
Experience using generative AI, AI-assisted coding, retrieval-augmented analysis, or agent-based workflows in cyber research, threat hunting, or intelligence production. Preferred :
Proficient in analyzing NetFlow data to identify unusual patterns and potential security threats.
Interest in conducting trend analysis to uncover patterns and emerging threats, enabling proactive defense strategies.
Demonstrated ability to responsibly leverage AI-enabled tools within a regulated or mission-focused environment while maintaining data protection requirements, analytical integrity, and human accountability for findings and recommendations
Compensation
This information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors.
Location Based Pay Ranges
$132,232 - $176,310 in these states: AL AR AZ FL GA IA ID IN KS KY LA ME MO MS MT ND NE NM OH OK PA SC SD TN UT VT WI WV WY
$138,844 - $185,124 in these states: CO HI MI MN NC NH NV OR RI
$145,456 - $193,940 in these states: AK CA CT DC DE IL MA MD NJ NY TX VA WA
Lumen offers a comprehensive package featuring a broad range of Health, Life, Voluntary Lifestyle benefits and other perks that enhance your physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing. We're able to answer any additional questions you may have about our bonus structure (short-term incentives, long-term incentives and/or sales compensation) as you move through the selection process.
Learn more about Lumen's:
Benefits (https://jobs.lumen.com/global/en/benefits-statement)
Bonus Structure
LI-Remote
What to Expect Next
Requisition #: 343089
Life at Lumen
Life at Lumen is human and connected, even in a fast moving, AI-focused organization. We set clear expectations and trust people to meet them. With real support and shared accountability, teams collaborate better, move faster, and deliver meaningful outcomes.
Our Lumen 8 behaviors guide how we interact, make decisions, and work together, shaping a culture built to perform and win.
To learn more about Life at Lumen and how we live the Lumen 8, please visit:
https://jobs.lumen.com/global/en/life-at-lumen
Background Screening
If you are selected for a position, there will be a background screen, which may include checks for criminal records and/or motor vehicle reports and/or drug screening, depending on the position requirements. For more information on these checks, please refer to the Post Offer section of our FAQ page (https://jobs.lumen.com/global/en/faq) . Job-related concerns identified during the background screening may disqualify you from the new position or your current role. Background results will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Equal Employment Opportunities
We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability, genetic characteristic or information, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, family status, pregnancy, or other legally protected status (collectively, "protected statuses"). We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job assignments or training.
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Lumen is committed to protecting the privacy and security of personal information collected during the recruitment and hiring process. Our Applicant Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect applicant information, as well as how individuals may request access to or deletion of their personal data.
To review Lumen's Global Employment Applicant and Talent Community Privacy Notice, please visit:
https://jobs.lumen.com/global/en/privacy-notice
Disclaimer
The job responsibilities described above indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to include a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities for this job. Job duties and responsibilities are subject to change based on evolving business needs and conditions.
In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Please be advised that Lumen does not require any form of payment from job applicants during the recruitment process. All legitimate job openings will be posted on our official website or communicated through official company email addresses. If you encounter any job offers that request payment in exchange for employment at Lumen, they are not for employment with us, but may relate to another company with a similar name.
