Carnegie Mellon University

Technical Engagement Lead

Carnegie Mellon University$110K — $130K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • BS in computer science or related field with 8 years of experience, MS with 5 years, or PhD with 2 years; or equivalent experience.
  • Experience in managing complex technical projects including planning, scheduling, and risk tracking.
  • Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with mission partners and convert their needs into technical requirements.
  • Proven track record of ensuring deliverable quality meets both mission expectations and internal standards.
  • Excellent communication skills to convey complex technical information clearly to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

  • Develop a technical strategy for IC mission partners in alignment with broader strategic goals.
  • Lead execution of project portfolios, ensuring alignment with state-of-the-art methodologies in malware analysis and AI security.
  • Foster a collaborative team culture focused on technical rigor and accountability.
  • Coordinate support functions to provide project teams with necessary resources for execution.
  • Serve as a primary liaison to mission partners, conducting regular project assessments and addressing operational needs.
  • Encourage innovative initiatives within the team for transitioning to mission partners.
  • Synthesize feedback and project performance data for strategic planning and technical direction.

Benefits

  • Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
  • 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
  • Paid time off and holidays.
  • Opportunities for professional development and continuing education.
  • Flexible work schedule options available.
Full Job Description

Position Summary

As a Technical Engagement Lead in Threat Analysis, you will work closely with the TA leadership team to oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of a portfolio of technical projects supporting our Intelligence Community (IC) mission partners.  You will partner with our Cybersecurity Innovations and Initiatives (CII) team to coordinate with our IC mission partners, ensuring project performance meets expectations, deliverables are on schedule, and technical approaches remain aligned with partner needs.  You will monitor project health through regular reviews, track milestones and risks, and provide TA leadership with clear assessments of how our work is landing with the sponsors.  You will partner across SEI technical and support staff, to create and sustain a culture of technical excellence, creativity, cross-enterprise collaboration, innovation within the portfolio, and secure capability transitions.  Finally, you will also contribute technically, helping shape approaches to analyzing, assuring, and countering software systems in support of National Security.

Who you are:

  • Technical Leadership: You have experience managing complex technical projects from initiation through delivery, including planning and scheduling, resource coordination, risk tracking, milestone management, and assessments.  You can organize cross-functional teams and keep execution on track across multiple concurrent efforts.
  • Solutions Engineer:  You partner with our CII team to create and maintain strong working relationships with mission partners, conducting regular check-ins to assess satisfaction, gather feedback, and ensure alignment between delivered work and partner priorities. You translate partner needs into actionable technical requirements for project teams.
  • Quality-Driven:  You ensure deliverables meet both mission partner expectations and SEI standards.  You conduct regular project reviews, identify quality gaps, develop corrective actions, and verify that SEI standards for safety, security, and compliance are satisfied.
  • Outcome-Focused: You are a driven by a sense of duty to deliver outcomes that advance the state-of-the-art and practice for analyzing, assuring, and countering software systems to enhance National Security. 
  • Communicator and Collaborator: You have outstanding written and oral communication skills.  You can synthesize complex technical information into clear status updates, risk assessments, and executive briefings for both internal leadership and external mission partners.
  • Culture:Help develop a team culture that fosters innovation, technical excellence, and leadership.

What you’ll do:

In conjunction with the TA leadership team, you will:

  • Develop an IC mission partner technical strategy in alignment with TA’s and CERT’s broader technical strategy.
  • Lead the technical execution of TA's portfolio of projects for IC mission partners ensuring our plans are sound and aligned with the state-of-the-art in malware analysis, vulnerability research, and/or AI security. This includes conducting regular internal TA project reviews, evaluating technical progress, delivery quality, and team performance.  Approve externally delivered products, ensuring all internal quality, safety, and security requirements are met.
  • Foster a team culture of technical rigor, accountability, and cross-team collaboration.
  • Coordinate across SEI and CMU support functions (including security, IT, contracting, and human resources) to ensure project teams have what they need to execute.
  • Serve as a primary technical liaison to IC mission partners alongside our CII team, conducting regular project reviews to assess how TA work is meeting their operational needs and where adjustments are required.
  • Cultivate a culture on projects that encourage team members to create and pursue new initiatives for future transition to our intelligence community mission partners.
  • Contribute to strategic planning by synthesizing customer feedback and project performance data into recommendations for future technical direction.
  • Represent the CERT technical portfolio of work and operations; communicate with external mission partners and internal collaborators in concert with CERT directorates and teams.

Requirements:

  • BS in computer science, software engineering, networking, information systems, or a related technical field with eight (8) years of experience; MS in computer science ortechnical/engineering field with five (5) years of experience; PhD in computer science or technical/engineering field with two (2) years of experience or equivalent combination of training and experience. Other educational backgrounds of a technical nature with experience as described may be considered.
  • You have a willingness to travel (25%) outside of your office location to other SEI offices, sponsor sites, conferences, and offsite meetings. 
  • You will be subject to a background investigation, and you must have the ability to obtain and maintain a Department of War security clearance.

Location

Pittsburgh, PA

Job Function

Software/Applications Development/Engineering

Position Type

Staff – Regular

Full time/Part time

Full time

Pay Basis

Salary

About Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university that was founded in 1900. The university is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is known for its programs in computer science, engineering, and the arts. Carnegie Mellon has a diverse student body and offers undergraduate and graduate programs in a variety of fields. The university has a strong focus on research and has partnerships with a number of companies and organizations. Carnegie Mellon is consistently ranked among the top universities in the United States.
Learn more about Carnegie Mellon University
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