Job Title
Cybersecurity SME
Location
Virginia Beach, VA 23450 US (Primary)
Category
Research, Development, and Engineering
Job Type
Full-Time
Career Level
Staff
Education
Bachelor's Degree
Travel
Security Clearance Required
Secret
Job Description
Prescient Edge is seeking a
Cybersecurity Subject Matter Expert (SME) to support a federal government client.
Benefits & Compensation:At Prescient Edge, we believe that acting with integrity and serving our employees is the key to everyone's success. To that end, we provide employees with a best-in-class benefits package that includes:
- A competitive salary with performance bonus opportunities.
- Comprehensive healthcare benefits, including medical, vision, dental, and orthodontia coverage.
- A substantial retirement plan with no vesting schedule.
- Career development opportunities, including on-the-job training, tuition reimbursement, and networking.
- A positive work environment where employees are respected, supported, and engaged.
- Salary range: $120,000 - $170,000. Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills and the abilities of the applicant internal equity, and alignment with market data.
Position Overview:The Cybersecurity SME protects the networks, systems, and data that support U.S. Navy unmanned systems (UxS) operations. This role secures the connections between unmanned surface vessels (USVs), ground control stations, operating picture systems, and partner organizations, and helps ensure new capabilities are fielded securely.
Working alongside the Mission Integration team, the Cybersecurity SME brings both defensive cyber expertise and a solid understanding of network engineering. This position serves as the team's lead for security monitoring, threat analysis, incident response, and secure network design, and advises government customers on cyber risk and mitigation.
Job Requirements
Key Responsibilities: - Security Monitoring and Threat Detection: Establish and maintain monitoring of program networks and systems. Identify unusual activity, unauthorized devices, and potential threats, and develop detection approaches tailored to the operational environment.
- Incident Response and Forensics: Lead investigation and response to security events, including evidence collection, scope and root-cause analysis, and mitigation recommendations across Windows and Linux systems.
- Threat Analysis: Analyze threat activity, malware, and adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) using frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK. Assess risks to unmanned systems, communications links, and vendor equipment.
- Secure Network Design: Support the design, configuration, and hardening of tactical and site networks, including routers, firewalls, VPNs, satellite and cellular links, and mesh radios. Validate that data flows only where intended.
- Vendor and System Security Assessment: Evaluate vendor hardware and software for security risks, including unexpected outbound communications, and recommend safeguards before systems are fielded.
- Compliance and Risk Management: Support DoD cybersecurity requirements, including Risk Management Framework (RMF) activities, security documentation, and authorization support.
- Automation: Develop scripts and tools to automate evidence collection, monitoring, and repeatable security tasks.
- Documentation and Briefing: Develop security playbooks, SOPs, and technical guides. Brief findings, risks, and recommendations to both technical and leadership audiences.
- Customer and Partner Coordination: Coordinate with government customers, partner organizations, and industry on cyber threats, information sharing, and secure connectivity.
Required Qualifcations:- Active SECRET clearance (TS/SCI preferred).
- 8+ years of experience in cybersecurity, including security operations, incident response, digital forensics, or threat hunting.
- Military experience (U.S. Navy, USCG, Marine Corps, or SOCOM preferred).
- Hands-on experience with SIEM and endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools.
- Working knowledge of network engineering fundamentals, including TCP/IP, routing, switching, firewalls, and VPNs.
- Experience with network traffic and packet analysis.
- Experience investigating and responding to incidents across Windows and Linux environments.
- Familiarity with the MITRE ATT&CK framework and adversary TTPs.
- Strong technical writing and briefing skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Ability to lead tasks independently and coordinate across government and contractor teams.
- Active DoD 8140/8570-compliant certification (e.g., CompTIA Security+).
Desired Qualifcations:- Experience with network security monitoring tools (e.g., Zeek, Suricata, Wireshark, Splunk).
- Experience with malware analysis and reverse engineering (e.g., Ghidra).
- Scripting experience (Python, PowerShell, or Bash) for security automation.
- Experience with cloud security and investigations (Azure, Azure Government, AWS) and Zero Trust concepts.
- Experience securing network devices (e.g., Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, Peplink).
- Experience securing operational technology (OT), tactical, or air-gapped environments.
- Familiarity with unmanned systems, tactical communications, or maritime operations.
- Experience with RMF, STIGs, and system authorization processes.
- Experience with AI-assisted analysis and security automation.
Education:- Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related technical field preferred.
- Relevant military or industry experience may substitute for a degree.
- Certifications such as CompTIA Network+, CySA+, GIAC (GCIH, GCFA, GREM), or CISSP are a plus.
Security Clearance:- Active SECRET clearance required; TS/SCI preferred.
Work Schedule & Environment: - Primarily on-site at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.
- Flexible hours allowed, but the majority of time is on-site.
- Field events may involve extended hours, on-water operations, and expeditionary conditions.
Physical Requirements:- Ability to lift 40+ lbs during equipment staging.
- Ability to embark vessels for at-sea operations.
- Ability to work outdoors in maritime environments.
