Principal Security Engineer

Principal Security Engineer

• Initial 2-month contract with strong potential for extension or conversion to a permanent role
• Hybrid working arrangements
• Enterprise Microsoft security environment

We're seeking an experienced Principal Security Engineer to join a high-performing Cyber Security team on an initial 2-month contract, with strong potential for extension or a conversion to a permanent opportunity.

As a Principal Security Engineer, you'll play a key role in protecting and improving security across complex environments.

You'll lead security investigations, provide technical leadership, support incident response activities, and help drive the continued maturity of security operations and engineering capabilities.

Working closely with technical teams and stakeholders, you'll provide expert guidance on security tooling, best practices, and emerging threats while contributing to strategic security initiatives and continuous improvement efforts.

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior security professional looking for a highly visible role with a mix of hands-on engineering, technical leadership, and security operations responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the investigation, containment, and remediation of complex security incidents
• Act as an escalation point for high-priority security events and technical issues
• Design, implement, and maintain security monitoring and detection capabilities
• Deploy, configure, and manage security technologies across enterprise environments
• Drive continuous improvement across security operations, processes, and standards
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to security team members
• Conduct security reviews and contribute to governance, risk, and compliance initiatives
• Partner with stakeholders to improve overall security posture
• Support security architecture, solution design, and technical decision-making
• Stay current with emerging cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and industry trends
• Participate in an on-call support roster as required

About You

• 5+ years' experience in Cyber Security, Security Engineering, or Security Operations
• Strong background in incident response, threat detection, and security monitoring
• Experience operating within Microsoft security environments
• Deep understanding of cyber security threats, attack vectors, and security frameworks
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills
• Proven ability to provide technical leadership and mentor other team members
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• A proactive approach to continuous improvement and learning

Technical Experience Experience with some of the following technologies would be beneficial:

• Microsoft Sentinel
• Microsoft Defender Suite
• Microsoft 365 Security
• Microsoft Entra ID
• Qualys
• Tenable
• Mimecast
• SIEM and security monitoring platforms
• KQL, PowerShell, or Python

Relevant Microsoft security certifications would be highly regarded.

All applications are confidential.

For more information, apply directly or contact Holly Greenwood at holly@evolverecruitment.co.nz or 021 216 2940.