What you will be doing?This position is contingent upon contract award. We are currently pursuing a proposal and are seeking qualified candidates to include in our submission and identify candidates for future hiring needs on the program once awarded.At AIS, we are dedicated to providing our employees with diverse opportunities to grow their careers while supporting a variety of impactful projects. For this position, we are seeking a talented individual to join AIS as a Lead Security Engineer.
- Core Knowledge & Skills: Develops strategic security plans, applies advanced cryptography, manages security programs, and designs secure cloud architectures.
- Work & Complexity: Leads strategic projects, integrates security into business processes, develops risk management strategies, and ensures compliance.
- Quality & Independence: Delivers strategic projects, develops innovative solutions, maintains high standards, and ensures stakeholder satisfaction.
- Teamwork & Communication: Leads and mentors teams, aligns efforts with organizational goals, manages performance, and develops training programs.
- Consulting & Engagement: Provides high-level consulting, leads innovation initiatives, develops technology roadmaps, and manages vendor contracts.
As your initial project assignment, you will support the unique needs of our client as a Information System Security Officer, Senior.
Position SummaryThe Senior ISSO provides leadership and oversight for system security compliance, authorization, and continuous monitoring activities. This role ensures that systems meet all federal cybersecurity requirements and drives timely authorization outcomes while mentoring junior staff and coordinating across technical and program teams.
This is a proposal-based position; employment is contingent upon contract award and funding availability.
Key Responsibilities- Lead documentation, testing, and comprehensive review of system security controls
- Ensure full system boundary definition and accurate inventory of all technologies
- Oversee and validate implementation of all assigned NIST 800-53 controls
- Drive and manage system authorization (ATO) efforts to completion
- Ensure proper system lifecycle management, including decommissioning strategies
- Establish and enforce consistent continuous monitoring processes
- Advise stakeholders on cybersecurity risks, compliance posture, and remediation strategies
- Mentor Junior and Mid-level ISSOs
- Interface with ISSMs, AO representatives, and auditors
Required Qualifications- Minimum 8+ years of ISSO or ISS Engineer experience in a cleared environment
- Minimum 8+ years of cybersecurity or related technical experience
- Bachelor's or advanced degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, IT, or related discipline. An additional 4 years' of experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
- DoD 8570/IAT Level II certification or equivalent (CCNA Security, CyA+, GICSP, GSEC, Security+ or SSCP)
- Advanced experience with security tools such as:
- Tenable Nessus / Security Center
- Splunk
- IBM Guardium
- HP WebInspect
- NMAP or similar tools
- Deep expertise in:
- RMF and NIST 800-53
- System authorization processes (ATO, IATT, ATO renewals)
- Continuous monitoring best practices
- Active Top Secret clearance
Preferred Qualifications- Experience supporting high-visibility federal or DoD programs
- Prior experience mentoring or leading security teams
At AIS, we are committed to offering competitive and fair compensation that reflects the skills, experience, and contributions of each team member.The targeted base salary range for this role is $120,000-$181,000 per year. Please note that this range is provided as a guideline and the final offer will be based on several factors, including but not limited to, skillset and competencies, level of experience, education, certifications, and location.We value transparency in our hiring process and are happy to discuss how your unique qualifications align with our compensation structure during the interview process.
