Senior Cybersecurity Specialist

Location: Dayton OH ( 100% on-site)

The target hiring compensation range for this role is $175,000 – $195,000. Compensation is based on several factors including, but not limited to education, relevant work experience, relevant certifications, and location. 

Our client is a critical airborne node that integrates warfighter data into the DAF BATTLE NETWORK. As the Senior Cybersecurity Specialist, you will be the program’s leading authority, ensuring the security of Nomad hardware, Smith software, and Watch operations through Major Release 2 (FY 25-27). Your expertise in zero-trust architectures, continuous-ATO tooling, and cross-domain safeguards will be pivotal in enabling PG to operate effectively in contested environments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead Cyber Strategy & Authorization: Own the PG Cybersecurity Strategy, System Security Plan (SSP), and Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M). Drive the Risk Management Framework (RMF) process, manage artifacts in eMASS, and develop continuous-ATO dashboards with automated compliance scans (ACAS, SCAP, Nessus, Tanium). Chair cyber risk boards, briefing SES/GO stakeholders.
• Secure DevSecOps & Supply Chain: Embed S-BOM analysis, container hardening, and code-signing into Smith’s 90-day software release cadence. Evaluate third-party components for supply-chain risks and drive mitigations.
• Cross-Domain & Crypto Engineering: Develop guard rulesets and data-flow enforcement for Multi-Level Security (MLS) cross-domain solutions. Coordinate Type-1 crypto key-management plans with NSA and author KOV-11/SKL handling procedures.
• Vulnerability & Incident Management: Conduct penetration tests and red-team exercises on Integration SIL builds, tracking findings to closure. Draft and rehearse PG-specific incident response/hunt-forward playbooks for Watch operations.
• Platform & Flight-Test Support: Generate cyber annexes for AF Form 1067s, Safety-of-Flight packages, and Interim Authorizations To Test (IATT). Deploy secure configurations on flight hardware and provide on-site cyber assurance during ground and flight events.
• Mentorship: Coach engineers on secure-by-design principles, STIG implementation, and zero-trust concepts, fostering a secure DevSecOps mindset.

Required Qualifications:

• U.S. Citizenship with an Active TS/SCI clearance.
• B.S. in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field, plus 15+ years of experience securing DoD or IC C4ISR/avionics systems. (Or Master’s + 12 years).
• At least 5 years as a lead cybersecurity engineer or ISSM.
• Hands-on mastery of RMF, NIST 800-53, DISA STIGs, SCAP/ACAS, and eMASS workflows.
• Proven experience designing or accrediting cross-domain solutions and Type-1 crypto architectures.
• Working knowledge of container security, IaC (Ansible/Terraform), and DevSecOps pipelines (Platform One, Iron Bank).

Desired Qualifications:

• DoD 8570/8140 IAM/IASAE Level III certification (CISSP-ISSEP, CISM, GSLC, etc.).
• Prior involvement in ABMS, CJADC2, OMS/UCI, or tactical data-link programs.
• Familiarity with zero-trust enforcement for SATCOM, SDR, and software-defined networking.
• Red-team/pen-test credentials (OSCP, GXPN, CEH) and experience authoring mitigations.

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