AI Security Specialist

Leidos Inc; Ashburn (VA); On-site; USD 107,900 - 195,050; Full time

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a sécurité-minded AI Security Engineer to join the DHS CBP SOC program in Ashburn, VA. The role focuses on protecting CBP information systems from AI-enabled threats and leading model governance efforts.

Qualifications include a BS in IT/Software, 8–12 years of experience, and active Secret clearance. The position requires onsite presence up to 5 days/week and collaboration with enterprise security teams.

Qualifications

• BS degree in Information Technology, Software Engineering, or related field with 8–12 years of experience.
• Experience with generative AI models, prompt engineering, NLP tasks.
• Familiarity with LLMs and agent frameworks.
• Experience with vector databases.
• Experience deploying in containerized environments.
• Active Secret Clearance and CBP background clearance.
• Must be able to report to the Ashburn, VA office up to 5 days per week.

Responsibilities

• Test capabilities to determine vulnerabilities in AI implementations.
• Identify areas vulnerable to AI-assisted attacks and provide protection solutions.
• Support enterprise architecture activities for AI solutions.
• Integrate appropriate tools within established frameworks.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align with security requirements.
• Manage project timelines and deliverables to quality standards.
• Facilitate communication between technical teams and stakeholders.
• Stay updated on AI/ML industry trends.

Skills

Generative AI

Prompt engineering

Chain-of-thought reasoning

NLP tasks

LLMs

Vector databases

Containerized environments

Education

BS in Information Technology / Software Engineering or related field

Master’s degree in IT Management / Engineering (preferred)

Tools

Python

R

Java

Docker

Job description

Description

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cyber Security Directorate (CSD) Security Operations Center (SOC) is a US Government program responsible to prevent, identify, contain and eradicate cyber threats to CBP networks through monitoring, intrusion detection and protective security services to CBP information systems including local area networks/wide area networks (LAN/WAN), commercial Internet connection, public facing websites, wireless, mobile/cellular, cloud, security devices, servers and workstations. The CBPSOC is responsible for the overall security of CBP Enterprise-wide information systems, and collects, investigates, and reports any suspected and confirmed security violations.

Primary Responsibilities

• Testing capabilities to determine what vulnerabilities exist in various AI implementations.
• Identify areas vulnerable to attacks leveraging AI capabilities and provide assistance in identifying and implementing solutions to protect from AI assisted attacks.
• Support enterprise system architecture activities to define and scope various AI solutions.
• Identify and integrate appropriate COTS, government, and custom tools within established frameworks.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment with enterprise architecture and security requirements.
• Manage project timelines and deliverables, ensuring adherence to quality standards.
• Facilitate communication between technical teams and stakeholders to align project goals.
• Stay updated on industry trends and advancements in AI/ML technologies.
• Develop and implement best practices for model development and deployment.
• Ensure compliance with cybersecurity policies and standards throughout the project lifecycle.

Basic Qualifications

• BS degree in Information Technology, Software Engineering, or related field and a minimum of 8-12 years of prior relevant experience
• Additional experience or applicable certifications acceptable in lieu of degree.
• Solid understanding and hands‑on experience with generative AI models including prompt engineering, chain‑of‑thought reasoning, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks such as entity extraction, summarization, and semantic search.
• Working knowledge of Large Language Models (LLMs) and agent frameworks
• Experience using various vector databases
• Familiarity with deployment processes of virtualized and containerized environments
• Organized and detail‑oriented
• Strong leadership skills
• Ability to manage and prioritize own work
• Active Secret Clearance required
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a CBP -BI background clearance.
• Must be able to report to the Ashburn VA office up to 5 days per week.
• Experience with data pipeline construction and management

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in IT Management, Engineering, or related field
• Experience designing enterprise AI governance, model risk management, and bias mitigation frameworks.
• Experience integrating AI/ML workloads with GPU‑accelerated environments and performance optimization strategies.
• Experience supporting enterprise data, analytics, and AI platform modernization initiatives.
• Advanced cloud architecture certification (e.g., AWS Solutions Architect – Professional, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Google Professional Cloud Architect).
• Proven experience in designing and deploying AI/ML models in production environments.
• Strong programming skills in languages such as Python, R, or Java.

Pay Range

Pay Range $107,900.00 - $195,050.00

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That’s why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.