Role Objective
The QRadar Administrator – Senior Engineer is a design and architecture-focused role, responsible for building, scaling, and integrating QRadar SIEM into the broader enterprise or MSSP environment.
This role defines how the platform evolves — from onboarding new data sources to developing correlation rules and integrating with SOAR and threat intelligence systems.
Roles and Responsibilities
Architecture & Deployment
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Design, implement, and optimize QRadar architecture across on-prem, cloud, and hybrid environments.
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Plan and execute new deployments, expansions, and clustering based on business growth and data volume.
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Lead log source onboarding strategy — including DSM mapping, parsing customization, and new integrations.
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Develop custom DSMs, property extractions, and event categories for unsupported sources.
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Implement and manage data retention, storage scaling, and license optimization strategies.
Engineering & Integration
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Build and fine-tune correlation rules, building blocks, and reference sets to enhance detection accuracy.
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Develop custom dashboards, reports, and analytics for SOC and compliance requirements.
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Integrate QRadar with SOAR platforms (IBM Resilient, ServiceNow, Splunk Phantom) to automate alert triage and response.
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Leverage APIs, scripts, and integrations to connect QRadar with other tools — EDRs, vulnerability scanners, CMDBs.
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Collaborate with detection engineering teams to align use cases with MITRE ATT&CK mapping.
Optimization & Leadership
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Conduct performance tuning and EPS optimization for large or multi-tenant environments.
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Lead architecture review sessions and advise on best practices for scaling and hardening.
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Prepare high-level and low-level design documents, data flow diagrams, and deployment guides.
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Mentor platform and support engineers on architecture, onboarding workflows, and parser design.
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Participate in proof-of-concept (PoC) initiatives for new integrations and technologies.
Mandatory Skills Required
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Proven experience in end-to-end QRadar architecture design, deployment, and configuration.
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Expertise in DSM customization, parser development, and event normalization.
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Deep understanding of QRadar correlation rules, building blocks, and reference sets.
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Proficiency in Linux administration, networking protocols, and security event analysis.
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Hands-on experience with SOAR integration and automation scripting (Python/Bash/REST API).
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Knowledge of compliance frameworks (ISO 27001, PCI DSS, NIST) and reporting automation.
Educational Requirements
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Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Security, Computer Science, or related field.
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MBA or specialization in Security Architecture or IT Infrastructure (preferred).
Certifications (Mandatory / Preferred)
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IBM Certified Administrator – QRadar SIEM (mandatory).
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IBM SOAR (Resilient) Certified Engineer (preferred).
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CISSP / CISM / CEH / CySA+ or equivalent cybersecurity certification (preferred).
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Cloud platform certifications (AWS/Azure/GCP) (advantage)