AI Cybersecurity Architect and Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 176,000 - 265,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Health care and wellness plans

Relocation assistance

Professional growth programs

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation in Chantilly, VA seeks an AI cybersecurity architect and engineer to secure AI initiatives and align with OCISO. This senior role bridges mission teams and security governance, delivering OCISO-ready designs.

Responsibilities include cloud security, architecture, risk management, and collaboration across the Digital Innovation Division and OCISO, shaping security posture and architectural decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, CS, or related STEM field.
• 8+ years cybersecurity engineering/architecture experience, including cloud/enterprise environments.
• Direct experience assessing security of AI models/platforms/integrations.
• Experience liaising between technical teams and a security governance body (CISO/OCISO-type).
• Working knowledge of NIST AI RMF, NIST RMF, and one of: ISO 27001, OWASP, CMMC, DoD RMF.
• Cloud architecture / infrastructure-as-code experience.
• Willing to travel approx. 10% of the time.
• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, U.S. citizenship is required.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary liaison between DID/M-IT and OCISO on AI-related security matters.
• Provide embedded, first-line security consultation to DID project teams on AI initiatives.
• Partner with OCISO to inform architecture and infrastructure security planning for AI systems.
• Conduct preliminary security assessments of AI models, platforms, and integrations.
• Identify architectural and control gaps early and support remediation planning.
• Translate OCISO guidance and technical risk into clear terms for DID teams and leadership.
• Help standardize and pre-package DID's AI security documentation/requests.

Skills

Cybersecurity architecture

Cloud architecture

NIST RMF knowledge

AI security assessment

Security governance liaison

Security clearance eligible

CISSP or in progress

FedRAMP/DoD/CMMC

Education

Bachelor's in Cybersecurity/CS

Tools

Terraform

CloudFormation

Job description

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

Digital Innovation Division (DID) is accountable for generating and executing integrated strategies, providing governance, and managing internal investments associated with four technical pillars that form the foundation of Aerospace's digital transformation.Mission IT strives to provide computing for when and where our engineers and scientists need it to solve the nation’s hardest problems. One of the emerging areas is artificial intelligence. We are looking for a AI Cybersecurity Architect and Engineer (Senior Project Engineer – Cyber Security Architecture and Cloud Computing Architecture) who will be responsible for ensuring the security posture of our AI work and interface with the corporate information security office. This position sits at the intersection of mission, theory, and operations, offering the applicant a chance to transform the way the company performs work.

Work Model

This is a full-time position based in Colorado Springs, CO, Chantilly, VA, or El Segundo, CA, which requires 100% onsite work with occasional remote work and travel possible.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Serve as primary liaison between DID/M-IT and OCISO on AI-related security matters, streamlining communication and reducing turnaround time on reviews and approvals
• Provide embedded, first-line security consultation to DID project teams on AI initiatives — surfacing issues early and reducing the volume of unrefined requests reaching OCISO
• Partner with OCISO to inform architecture and infrastructure security planning for AI systems, ensuring DID designs arrive OCISO-ready
• Conduct preliminary security assessments of AI models, platforms, and integrations to prepare clean, well-documented packages for OCISO review
• Identify architectural and control gaps early, and support remediation planning in alignment with OCISO-defined risk priorities
• Translate OCISO guidance and technical risk into clear, actionable terms for DID project teams and leadership — and translate DID's technical context back to OCISO
• Help standardize and pre-package DID's AI security documentation/requests so OCISO can process them faster and with less back-and-forth

What You Need to be Successful - [Senior Project Engineer – Cyber Security Architecture and Cloud Computing Architecture]

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, CS, or related STEM field
• 8+ years cybersecurity engineering/architecture experience, including cloud/enterprise environments
• Direct experience assessing security of AI models/platforms/integrations
• Experience liaising between technical teams and a security governance body (CISO/OCISO-type)
• Working knowledge of NIST AI RMF, NIST RMF, and one of: ISO 27001, OWASP, CMMC, DoD RMF
• Cloud architecture / infrastructure-as-code experience
• Willing to travel [occasionally to work location or customer site/domestically/internationally] approx. 10% of the time
• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

• CISSP (or in progress), GCIH, GSEC, or CC
• Experience in regulated/federal environments (FedRAMP, DoD IL2/IL5, CMMC)
• CTI background
• Experience building a security program/capability from scratch

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below. Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills.

(Min - Max)

$176,400.00 - $264,600.00

Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change
• Engage with Impact
• Foster Innovation
• Deliver Results

Ways We Reward Our Employees

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire
• Flexible spending accounts
• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions
• Relocation assistance
• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career
• Education assistance programs
• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

We are all unique, from various backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other—the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at [e-mail] . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.