Senior Cybersecurity Systems Engineer SME

Modern Technology Solutions - Alexandria, VA

Full-time - Senior

Alexandria, VA

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Senior Cybersecurity Systems Engineer SME at Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) is responsible for providing security engineering, assessment, and oversight for complex weapon systems. This role involves working closely with Special Access Programs (SAPs) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to ensure security requirements are met throughout the system development lifecycle (SDLC). The position emphasizes risk mitigation while maintaining operational capabilities and involves collaboration with various stakeholders, including program managers and defense contractors.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct security engineering support to the Air Force acquisition community throughout the system development lifecycle (SDLC).
• Understand operational needs of systems at varied stages of the SDLC through participation in acquisition meetings and working groups.
• Design and develop security requirements that drive down risk while maintaining operational capability.
• Work between architecture-level and implementation-level engineering meetings to maintain a system-wide view of security functions.
• Guide and verify defense contractors' work against program requirements and goals, including participating in technical discussions and conducting research on industry best practices.
• Interface with program managers to explain security goals and mitigations relative to their priorities of cost and schedule.
• Perform Security Control Assessor duties on behalf of the Authorizing Official (AO).
• Select and tailor controls from the NIST SP 800-53 control catalog based on system needs and constraints.
• Review system and network artifacts and conduct assessments against selected control baselines, assessing residual risk and providing recommendations to the Authorizing Official.
• Evaluate software and hardware prior to entry to networks.

Requirements

• 15+ years' of related technical experience.
• Firm understanding of the DoD 8500.1-M, Joint SAP Implementation Guide (JSIG), and NIST SP 800-53.
• Demonstrated ability to assess and articulate risk to non-technical audiences.
• History of finding unique mitigations to varied systems' security challenges.
• Technical proficiency in at least one area of security (e.g., communications, networks, embedded systems, software, system testing or assessment).
• Strong research skills and a desire to learn new technologies.
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to travel approximately 30% of the time for program meetings.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with Special Access Programs, acquisition programs, software engineering, or code review.
• Certifications such as IAM II (e.g., CISSP, CISM) and sub-field specific certifications (e.g., CCSP, AWS Solutions Architect, OSCP, GPEN).

Benefits

• Starting PTO accrual of 20 days PTO/year + 10 holidays/year
• Flexible schedules
• 6% 401k match with immediate vesting
• Semi-annual bonus eligibility (July and December)
• Company funded Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Up to $10,000 in annual tuition reimbursement
• Life and disability insurance
• Optional zero deductible Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance plan