Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Deputy CISO

DHS Headquarters; Springfield (VA); Remote; USD 176,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

DHS Headquarters in the United States seeks a CISO and Deputy CISO to lead the DHS Cybersecurity Service. You will guide the Information Security Program, shape the department's security strategy, and direct multi-year IT investments to protect national security.

The roles demand executive leadership, broad collaboration across DHS components, and the ability to balance federal acquisitions with program budgets while adopting emerging technologies such as AI and cloud.

Qualifications

• Degrees are not required; relevant experience is valued.
• Experience aligning engineering with enterprise security objectives.
• Ability to manage budgets and cross‑agency collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Advise DHS leadership on risk-driven security programs.
• Oversee enterprise security governance and multi-year IT investments.
• Lead security engineering, risk operations and cyber defense.
• Foster partnerships with government, industry, and international stakeholders.

Job description

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Deputy CISO

• Department: Department of Homeland Security
• Hiring Path: Public
• Number of Openings: 2
• Security Clearance: Sensitive Compartmented Information

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is hiring for two premier executive leadership roles within the DHS Cybersecurity Service (DHS-CS): Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Deputy Chief Information Security Officer (DCISO).

Key Responsibilities

The CISO and DCISO serve as the principal cybersecurity advisors to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), leading the statutory DHS Information Security Program. In these roles, you will architect the Department's information security strategy, ensure federal compliance (FISMA, OMB, Clinger-Cohen), and direct strategic planning and multi-year IT investments to safeguard national security.

The CISO holds the ultimate accountability for department-wide cybersecurity strategy, governance, and enterprise risk management. The DCISO acts as the principal deputy and operational lead, directing Headquarters cybersecurity operations and ensuring the day-to-day protection of DHS information assets.

In either capacity, you will apply technical executive leadership to: Advise senior DHS leadership and champion unified, risk-driven security programs across all DHS components. Oversee long-range planning and implementation of security engineering, risk operations, and cyber defense. Champion the adoption of emerging technologies, including AI, to proactively mitigate evolving threats.

Build high-performing, multidisciplinary teams and forge critical partnerships with government, industry, and international stakeholders. Oversee the statutory DHS Information Security Program to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of national security systems.

Successful candidates must demonstrate a proven track record of aligning engineering excellence with enterprise security objectives: Experience developing and refining secure systems, hardware, and software capabilities. Ability to build practical, scalable technical solutions while balancing lifecycle costs, federal acquisitions, and program budgets.

Proven capability to establish engineering requirements that ensure seamless integration between internal and external systems. Strategic understanding of cyber risk, ensuring vulnerability and threat mitigation are integrated into every phase of the engineering lifecycle. Demonstrated expertise in identifying and adopting emerging technologies (e.g., cloud, mobile, AI) to meet complex organizational security needs.

Expected Areas of Technical Evidence includes: Cybersecurity Hardware & Systems Engineering Secure Software & Application Design Cybersecurity Solutions Evaluation Technical Testing & Evaluation Processes

Requirements & Education

Degrees are not required for jobs in the DHS Cybersecurity Service, but DHS is interested in your level of education and the topics you studied. As you submit initial application information, you will be asked questions about your education.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with DHS Headquarters, Department of Homeland Security.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $176000 – $239500/yr.

Is this position remote or telework eligible?

This position is eligible for telework.

What security clearance is required?

This position requires a Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-11-04.

How many openings are available?

There are 2 openings for this position.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.