Cybersecurity Engineer – Cyber Defense Operations (ISSE)

Join a TS/SCI-cleared team supporting enterprise security posture and compliance in a secure DoD environment. This onsite role at the National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC) in Charlottesville, VA supports RMF and ATO activities, continuous monitoring, and technical risk reduction across complex DoD systems, applications, networks, and enterprise infrastructure.

Data Systems Analysts, Inc. is seeking a hands-on Cybersecurity Engineer to provide practical guidance, validate security controls, and help modernize defensive cybersecurity practices, including automation and secure adoption of emerging technologies.

Location: Fort Belvoir, VA (onsite) | Salary: USD 140,000 - 170,000 per yearly

Responsibilities

• Act as a hands-on cybersecurity technical authority, guiding teams and solving complex security challenges across DoD systems, applications, networks, and enterprise environments.
• Advise architects, system owners, engineers, administrators, and cybersecurity personnel on security requirements, system design, technical risk, and secure implementation.
• Assess system architectures, configurations, technologies, and proposed solutions to identify vulnerabilities, security risks, and mitigation strategies.
• Conduct vulnerability assessment and remediation using ACAS, Tenable/Nessus, SIEM, and other cybersecurity tools.
• Apply, validate, and troubleshoot DISA STIGs, SCAP benchmarks, security controls, configuration baselines, and system-hardening requirements.
• Support incident response, Continuous Monitoring (ConMon), vulnerability management, and ongoing assessment of system security posture.
• Implement and validate cybersecurity controls across operating systems, applications, networks, endpoints, and enterprise infrastructure.
• Identify opportunities to automate security assessments, vulnerability management, configuration validation, control testing, and other cybersecurity processes.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, modernization efforts, and architectural changes to surface cybersecurity requirements, technical risks, and secure implementation approaches.
• Provide cybersecurity engineering guidance for initiatives including Zero Trust, ICAM, cloud, DevSecOps, data-centric security, software supply chain security, security automation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• Support technical activities for RMF, ATO, and continuous authorization, including SSPs, POA&Ms, eMASS, security controls, risk assessments, and supporting technical evidence.
• Communicate complex cybersecurity risks, technical findings, remediation strategies, and overall security posture to technical teams, system owners, mission stakeholders, and leadership.

Requirements

• Education: BS degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field (experience may be substituted for degree).
• Clearance: TS/SCI Clearance.
• DoD 8140 (8570): IAT Level II Certification.
• Experience: Minimum 4 years of hands-on cybersecurity engineering experience, preferably supporting DoD or Intelligence Community environments.
• Strong knowledge of cybersecurity engineering principles and DoD cybersecurity requirements, with the ability to translate requirements into practical technical solutions.
• Experience assessing system architectures and technical implementations and providing cybersecurity guidance to architects, engineers, administrators, and system owners.
• Hands-on vulnerability management experience, including system hardening, DISA STIGs, SCAP, ACAS, Tenable/Nessus, and remediation of technical findings.
• Strong working knowledge of Windows and Linux systems, networking, authentication, access controls, and enterprise security technologies.
• Experience implementing, assessing, and validating security controls across systems, applications, networks, and enterprise environments.
• Practical knowledge of RMF, Continuous Monitoring, NIST SP 800-53, eMASS, POA&Ms, SSPs, and ATO processes.
• Ability to independently analyze complex cybersecurity problems, develop effective technical solutions, and clearly communicate risks and recommendations to technical teams and leadership.

Technologies

• Microsoft Copilot
• ACAS
• Tenable/Nessus
• SIEM
• DISA STIGs
• SCAP benchmarks (SCAP)
• Continuous Monitoring (ConMon)
• Zero Trust
• ICAM
• DevSecOps
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• RMF, ATO, continuous authorization
• SSPs, POA&Ms, eMASS
• NIST SP 800-53
• Windows, Linux, PowerShell, Python, Ansible
• APIs
• CASP+/SecurityX
• CGRC/CAP

Preferred Experience / Qualifications

• CISSP, CGRC/CAP, CISM, CASP+/SecurityX, CySA+, CEH, or other relevant advanced cybersecurity certifications.
• Experience with SIEM, endpoint security, IDS/IPS, firewalls, incident response, or defensive cyber operations.
• Experience with Zero Trust, ICAM, cloud security, DevSecOps, data-centric security, continuous authorization, or software supply chain security.
• Experience evaluating AI/ML technologies and providing cybersecurity guidance for their secure integration into enterprise environments.
• Experience with PowerShell, Python, Ansible, APIs, or other scripting and security automation technologies.
• Experience integrating cybersecurity requirements into system architecture, modernization, emerging technologies, and technology refresh efforts.