Security Engineer - Detection Engineering

About the role

As a Security Engineer within Tesco’s Detection Engineering

team, you will design and implement advanced security monitoring capabilities

that proactively protect a global retail ecosystem serving millions of

customers. This role is central to evolving Tesco’s cyber defence posture by deploying

scalable, detection and prevention solutions. You will bridge foundational

engineering, emerging architecture, embedding automation, innovation, and

resilience into the organisation’s security fabric. Operating with a strong

engineering mindset, you will help ensure threats are identified and mitigated

before they impact customers or operations.

You will be responsible for

• Engineer and deploy robust security controls and detection

  logic to proactively identify and mitigate cyber threats across Tesco’s

  technology landscape.

• Apply

  secure, test-driven development principles to build resilient, maintainable,

  and scalable security solutions.

• Leverage automation and Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance

  detection accuracy, reduce false positives, and optimise response workflows.

• Contribute to the hardening of cloud and enterprise environments through

  innovative detection and prevention mechanisms.

• Work closely with Security Operations Centre (SOC), Threat

  Intelligence, and platform engineering teams to deliver integrated,

  customer-first security outcomes.

• Actively

  learn from incidents, research emerging threats, and translate insights into

  improved detection coverage and engineering practices, fostering an inclusive

  and innovative team culture.

You will need

• Demonstrable understanding of software development lifecycles, with hands-on

  exposure to programming and building production-grade solutions.

• Experience applying secure coding practices and test-driven development

  approaches within an engineering or security context.

• Practical

  exposure to security platforms (e.g., Security Information and Event Management

  (SIEM), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)) and their role in detection

  engineering.

• Understanding of how custom detection rules, alerts, and telemetry are designed,

  tested, and implemented to identify malicious activity at scale. Able to reduce

  noise without impacting visibility, and to sustain detection quality over time,

• Evidence of strong curiosity and commitment to professional development,

  staying current with evolving threats and technologies.

• Ability to

  work effectively within diverse, cross-functional teams, contributing to an

  inclusive and supportive engineering environment.

• Solid critical

  thinking capability, with the ability to break down complex problems and

  deliver practical, scalable solutions.

Desirable:

• Exposure to core technology platforms and retail

  technology environments.

• Understanding of cloud and container security

  principles.

• Experience in security evaluation, functionality

  testing, and validation of controls.

• Familiarity with Applied Artificial Intelligence

  (AI) concepts in cyber defence.

• Experience using tools such as Github, Jira,

  Zendesk, and xMatters for engineering workflow and operational collaboration.

• Experience with a querying language such as SPL,

  KQL, SQL, etc. In a Security Environment.

• Strong communication and influencing skills

  within technical teams.

• Awareness of product methodologies and agile

  delivery approaches.

• Exposure to technical security architecture

  concepts and data analytics for security.

• Understanding of responsible AI governance and

  compliance principles.

Whats in it for you? We’re all about the little helps. That’s why we make sure our Tesco colleague benefits package takes care of you – both in and out of work. Click Here to find out more!

 

• Annual bonus scheme of up to 20% of base salary.

• Holiday starting at 25 days plus a personal day (plus Bank holidays).

• Private medical insurance.

• 26 weeks maternity and adoption leave (12 months service required at the qualifying date) at full pay, followed by 13 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay, we also offer 6 weeks fully paid paternity leave.

• Free 24/7 virtual GP service, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for you and your family, free access to a range of experts to support your mental wellbeing.

The above information is a shortened summary, refer to our policies for full details About Us You might know us as a supermarket, technology company or even for our award-winning mobile network. Truth is, we’re all of those things, and much more. Our colleagues work with one goal in mind, helping to make every day a little better for our customers, colleagues and communities all over the world. No two customers are the same, neither are our colleagues. 

 

At Tesco, we champion a balance that lets you thrive both in and out of work. Spend 60% of your week collaborating with colleagues at our office locations or local sites and the rest remotely. Whether you're just kicking off your career, juggling passions, or navigating big life events, we're here to support you. We always welcome a conversation about flexible working, so talk to us throughout your application about how we can support. 

 

We're proud to be an accredited Disability Confident Leader, where everyone’s welcome. That’s why we commit to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you need support with your application, click here  for more information. And if you're interested in joining our team but don't tick every box, don't let that hold you back from applying.