Senior Staff Software Systems Engineer, Cybersecurity and Compliance

Vantor Inc. is seeking a Senior Staff Software Systems Engineer to serve as a senior technical authority within Core Mission Systems, focused on cybersecurity and compliance for complex software-intensive mission systems. This onsite role in Westminster, CO translates cybersecurity and compliance obligations into practical engineering solutions across classified and unclassified environments, supporting frameworks including NIST and CMMC.

In this position, you will help partner with engineering teams, security organizations, U.S. Government customers, and program leadership to align system architecture, development, and operational practices with applicable requirements. You will also support continuous compliance and risk management, while evaluating and applying AI-assisted engineering approaches in a way that preserves security and data protection needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the senior technical authority for cybersecurity and compliance across software-intensive mission systems, ensuring engineering solutions align with applicable security and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with engineering teams, security organizations, U.S. Government customers, and program leadership to translate compliance requirements into technical direction and engineering priorities.
• Lead the integration of cybersecurity and compliance requirements into system architecture, software development, cloud infrastructure, and operational processes.
• Assess technical risk, identify compliance gaps, and guide engineering teams on practical, sustainable remediation strategies.
• Support security assessments, accreditation activities, and continuous compliance efforts while balancing mission performance, schedule, and operational objectives.
• Mentor engineers and promote secure systems engineering practices that improve consistency, quality, and collaboration across multiple teams.
• Champion responsible use of AI-assisted engineering to improve compliance analysis, technical documentation, and engineering efficiency while maintaining security and data protection requirements.
• Apply AI-assisted techniques to improve compliance analysis, architecture reviews, requirements evaluation, technical documentation, and engineering workflows.
• Evaluate AI-generated technical work products using sound engineering judgment and cybersecurity best practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve engineering efficiency while maintaining the rigor required for mission-critical and classified environments.
• Ensure AI-assisted engineering practices align with organizational policies, customer requirements, and data protection standards.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Demonstrated experience applying systems engineering principles to complex software-intensive systems in regulated or classified environments.
• Experience implementing or supporting cybersecurity compliance frameworks such as NIST, CMMC, or comparable government security standards.
• Strong understanding of modern software architecture, cloud technologies, cybersecurity principles, and secure software development practices.
• Experience translating security and compliance requirements into engineering solutions, system designs, and technical implementation plans.
• Active U.S. Government security clearance appropriate for the supported mission environment.
• Excellent communication and technical leadership skills with the ability to influence engineering teams, security organizations, and government customers.

Technologies and Frameworks

• NIST
• CMMC
• Risk Management Framework (RMF)
• NIST 800 (53 and 171)
• DevSecOps
• Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, National Security Space, or other regulated government environments.
• Experience with Risk Management Framework (RMF), NIST 800 standards (53 and 171), CMMC, or other related security control implementation.
• Experience with DevSecOps, secure cloud architectures, or continuous compliance practices.
• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) or formal systems architecture methods.
• Relevant cybersecurity or cloud certifications (for example, CISSP, Security+, or AWS Security Specialty).

Benefits

• 401(k) with company match
• mental health resources
• student loan repayment assistance
• adoption reimbursement
• pet insurance
• incentive eligible with a target based on contribution, company performance, and/or individual results achieved

Eligibility, Export Control/ITAR, and Clearance

• Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws, requiring U.S. person status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).
• To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Citizen.
• This position requires an active U.S. Government security clearance. Applicants who do not currently hold the required clearance will not be eligible for consideration.
• Employment for cleared roles is contingent upon verification of clearance status.

Success Criteria

• Enable Core Mission Systems to achieve and sustain cybersecurity compliance while maintaining engineering agility and mission effectiveness.
• Translate complex compliance requirements into clear, actionable engineering solutions.
• Identify and resolve security and compliance risks early in the system lifecycle.
• Improve collaboration between engineering, cybersecurity, and program teams.
• Strengthen the organization’s cybersecurity posture through sound systems engineering and technical leadership.
• Deliver secure, resilient, and mission-ready capabilities that meet customer expectations.

Compensation and Application Window

• Salary range: $128,000 - $187,000 per yearly.
• Pay transparency (Colorado base pay range): $128,000.00 - $170,000.00 - $187,000.00 annually.
• For other states, geographic cost of labor is used to develop market-driven ranges.
• The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire.
• If the job is reposted, it remains posted for three days from the repost date and continues until a qualified candidate is identified.
• The posting date is shown on Vantor’s Career page at the top of each job posting.