[Hiring] Cyber Range Content Engineer @SANS Institute

Role Description

The Cyber Range Content Engineer is a hands-on technical contributor responsible for developing, adapting, testing, and deploying cybersecurity challenge content, tooling, and frameworks that support the Cyber Simulations & Ranges product portfolio.

This role brings prototypes, frameworks, and content into production by:

• Extending solutions across games and platforms
• Refining and validating content
• Ensuring deliverables are well-tested, documented, and repeatable

The position works under the General Manager and broader Cyber Simulations & Ranges team to deliver business-unit priorities.

The ideal candidate combines strong cybersecurity knowledge with practical software development and automation skills and enjoys building hands-on technical experiences.

As a Cyber Range Content Engineer, you will:

Cybersecurity Content Development

• Develop, adapt, test, and publish hands-on cybersecurity challenge content across the Cyber Simulations & Ranges product portfolio, including BootUp CTF and the Applied Skills Analysis Platform (ASAP).
• Reconfigure and migrate existing challenge content to current delivery platforms, including re-platforming legacy BootUp CTF content to Skills Quest.
• Validate content prior to release, including functionality, solvability, difficulty progression, hint quality, and answer-key accuracy.
• Maintain and refresh published content to ensure technical accuracy and alignment with current cybersecurity threats, tools, and practices.
• Support alignment of cybersecurity content to workforce development frameworks such as DCWF, NICE, and NIST.

Platform, Framework & Tooling Development

• Deploy and adapt frameworks across games and products within the Cyber Simulations & Ranges portfolio, ensuring implementations are documented and repeatable.
• Build, maintain, and enhance scripts, automation, and technical utilities that improve the efficiency and consistency of content creation, deployment, testing, and reporting.
• Contribute to the development, refinement, and implementation of new tools and frameworks.
• Support the completion, refinement, and transition of business-unit tooling to appropriate technical teams, including the user behavior analytics platform (RUBA).

Technical Support & Quality Assurance

• Serve as the dedicated technical resource for the Cyber Simulations & Ranges business unit, supporting priorities across the product portfolio.
• Troubleshoot technical issues within live and in-development cyber range environments.
• Conduct quality assurance and testing to identify technical issues and ensure content and range experiences function as intended.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, runbooks, and handoff materials to ensure solutions are supportable and repeatable across the team.

Collaboration & Delivery

• Partner with Ranges content creators, the Senior Principal Architect, General Manager, and external content partners to coordinate development efforts and maintain quality standards.
• Collaborate with other SANS business units, Engineering, and product stakeholders on cyber range initiatives supporting Cyber Simulations & Ranges priorities.
• Communicate project status, technical issues, risks, and competing priorities to appropriate stakeholders.
• Escalate competing demands or resource constraints to the General Manager for prioritization.
• Participate in team meetings and cross-functional discussions as needed to support business-unit objectives.
• Work effectively as part of a remote, globally distributed team across multiple time zones.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Professional experience in cybersecurity, software development, cyber range development, cybersecurity training, or a related technical field.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity concepts, tools, technologies, and common attack and defense techniques.
• Experience developing or adapting hands-on cybersecurity challenges, labs, exercises, or similar technical content.
• Proficiency with scripting or programming languages such as Python, Bash, PowerShell, or similar.
• Experience with automation, testing, debugging, and troubleshooting technical environments.
• Ability to work with existing codebases, frameworks, and technical platforms and adapt them to new use cases.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a methodical approach to troubleshooting and quality assurance.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly document technical processes and solutions.
• Ability to work independently, manage assigned priorities, and collaborate effectively within a distributed team.
• Unrestricted authorization to work in the USA; visa sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

• Experience developing content for cyber ranges, CTFs, cybersecurity labs, or hands-on technical training environments.
• Experience with containerization, virtualization, cloud environments, APIs, or infrastructure-as-code.
• Experience working with cybersecurity workforce frameworks such as NICE, NIST, or DCWF.
• Experience developing automation or tooling to support content deployment, testing, or analytics.
• Familiarity with modern software development practices, including Git, CI/CD, code review, and issue tracking.
• SANS certifications or other relevant cybersecurity certifications.
• Experience working in a remote, globally distributed technical environment.

Benefits

• Expected salary range: $60,000 - $70,000, depending on geographic location, skills, and experience.
• Comprehensive benefits package supporting total well-being, including:
• Financial Benefits: Competitive base salary, bonus opportunities, and a 401(k) plan with company match.
• Health & Wellness: Robust medical, dental, and vision plans; company-provided short term disability; optional long-term disability, supplemental life and AD&D insurance for employees and dependents; voluntary benefits including accident insurance and identity theft protection; fitness and wellness programs; and a company paid employee assistance program (EAP).
• Time Off & Flexibility: Generous paid time off, including volunteer time.
• Learning & Development: Access to professional development and SANS training opportunities.
• Support for flexibility and balance in a primarily remote work environment.