Active Directory Engineer

Title: Active Directory Engineer

Location: Charlotte or Raleigh, NC

Duration: 12 Months Contract

Key Responsibilities

• Active Directory Upgrades: Execute and support enterprise-scale Active Directory upgrades, coordinating production deployments, application testing, and phased implementation activities.
• Authentication Protocol Management: Diagnose and remediate authentication issues related to Kerberos and NTLM, including reducing reliance on legacy or less secure protocols in alignment with Microsoft security guidance.
• LDAP Security: Support initiatives to eliminate unsigned LDAP binds and enforce LDAP signing across enterprise systems and applications.
• Active Directory Security Remediation: Identify and resolve Active Directory security misconfigurations and vulnerabilities identified through penetration testing, security audits, security operations teams, and assessment tools.
• DNS Administration and Troubleshooting: Manage and troubleshoot DNS configurations and dependencies associated with Active Directory, ensuring reliable name resolution and authentication services.
• Application Integration and Troubleshooting: Work directly with application owners and technical teams to identify authentication dependencies, investigate application failures, and develop appropriate remediation plans.
• Technical Collaboration: Partner with infrastructure, security, and application teams to coordinate remediation activities and minimize operational disruption.
• Continuous Improvement: Proactively identify technical risks, recommend remediation opportunities, and advance assigned work independently.
• Knowledge Sharing: Document technical findings, share expertise, and collaborate with team members to strengthen operational knowledge and support the development of broader Active Directory ownership.

Required Qualifications and Technical Skills

• Demonstrated experience engineering, upgrading, and supporting Active Directory environments in large enterprise organizations.
• Strong, in-depth knowledge of Kerberos authentication, including troubleshooting authentication failures and supporting the removal of legacy RC4 encryption.
• Working to advanced knowledge of NTLM authentication, including identifying legacy protocol dependencies and supporting the retirement of weaker NTLM versions.
• Working to advanced knowledge of LDAP and LDAP signing, including identifying unsigned bind dependencies and implementing secure configurations.
• Proven experience identifying and remediating Active Directory security vulnerabilities and configuration issues.
• Strong DNS knowledge, including troubleshooting DNS issues and understanding the relationship between DNS and Active Directory.
• Experience troubleshooting application authentication issues and communicating technical findings to application owners and stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize remediation activities, and deliver technical changes in a structured enterprise environment.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with enterprise DNS and DHCP management platforms, such as BlueCat.
• Familiarity with Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS), and Windows Server administration.
• Experience implementing or deploying Active Directory domain controllers.
• Exposure to enterprise security assessments, vulnerability remediation, and identity infrastructure hardening.

Professional Competencies

• Self-directed execution: Independently assesses technical issues, identifies improvement opportunities, and progresses work with minimal day-to-day oversight.
• Application-focused troubleshooting: Investigates application code, authentication flows, and infrastructure dependencies to determine the root cause of complex issues.
• Clear communication: Explains technical findings, risks, and remediation requirements to application owners and stakeholders with varying levels of technical expertise.
• Adaptability: Quickly learns existing infrastructure, operational processes, and technical standards.
• Collaboration: Works effectively with infrastructure, security, and application teams while respecting established ownership and responsibilities.
• Knowledge sharing: Contributes to team development through documentation, collaboration, and the exchange of technical expertise.
• Growth mindset: Demonstrates the ability and willingness to expand technical capabilities and assume increasing responsibility for Active Directory operations over time.

Role Expectations

The successful candidate will be a hands-on engineer who can contribute quickly to enterprise Active Directory upgrade and security remediation initiatives. They will combine strong authentication and DNS troubleshooting skills with a proactive, collaborative approach to resolving technical challenges.

The role is best suited to an engineer who can deliver independently within an established technical environment while building the expertise needed to support broader Active Directory service ownership.