Cyber Blue Team Analyst

ARA Brand; Fort Belvoir (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

Job summary

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) seeks a Cyber Blue Team Analyst to join a team conducting cyber assessments of DoD and allied systems. You will identify vulnerabilities, assess risk, and craft remediation strategies aligned with mission assurance benchmarks.

The role involves adverse-scenario assessments, testing protection strategies, and documenting findings. Candidates need a TS clearance, IAT II, CSSP Auditor certs, and strong Linux and scripting skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher plus 4 years of experience; 10 years commensurate experience can substitute for degree
• Active DoD Top Secret clearance with SCI access
• IAT II and CSSP Auditor certifications required
• Hands‑on with Linux environments (Red Hat, CentOS, Ubuntu)
• Understanding of IT threats and cybersecurity practices
• Hands‑on with security monitoring, threat hunting, packet analysis, malware analysis, signature development or shell scripting
• Hands‑on with network monitoring and packet inspection tools
• Programming experience (Perl, Python, C)

Responsibilities

• Assess vulnerabilities and provide remediation recommendations based on DoD benchmarks
• Identify threats to IT/OT and evaluate risk to assets
• Perform adversarial assessments to test protection strategies and document findings
• Examine telecom, data, and cyber space operations to inform resilience plans

Skills

Linux

Threat hunting

Packet analysis

Malware analysis

Shell scripting

Network monitoring

Perl

Python

C

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher in CS/IT/CE or related discipline

Tools

IAT II (DoDD 8570.01)

CSSP Auditor

Job description

The Mission Concepts and Capabilities (MCC) Division of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) is seeking a Cyber Blue Team Analyst to join our team conducting cyber assessments of vulnerabilities of critical U.S. and Allied systems, networks, infrastructures, and assets. Our team will support the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Nuclear Enterprise Support Directorate (NE)’s Mission Assurance Department (MA) program. We are seeking hands‑on cyber analysts with and understanding of both the compliance standards and the tools and techniques to assess vulnerabilities to be a part of our team.

Assessment teams will identify risks that may lead to mission loss or degradation and provide recommendations for risk reduction based on DoD Mission Assurance Assessment benchmarks. Teams will identify threats to information technology and operational technology and assess the vulnerability and risk to assets. Selected candidates will apply in-depth knowledge of cyber threats to develop recommendations to remediate system vulnerabilities.

Our teams will provide a balanced look at the mission survivability of key DoD facilities and provide recommendations with supporting rationale to leadership. Teams will also perform assessments from an adversarial viewpoint to identify weaknesses, test and evaluate protection strategies, and demonstrate exploitation of identified vulnerabilities. Components of these assessments include but are not limited to examining telecommunications (e.g., video, voice and data, commercial and military) and cyber space operations (e.g., computer networks, IA tools use, operations security).

Cyber assessment teams may be deployed to high-threat but permissive environments anywhere in the world. Each team can support up to 10 assessments per year that range from one to six weeks in duration, from start to submission.

This position is contingent upon a program expansion/opening and customer approval of the candidate’s resume.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in computer science, information technology, computer engineering, electrical engineering or related discipline and 4 years of experience. 10 years Commensurate experience can serve as a substitute for degree requirements.
• Current DoD Top Secret clearance and the ability to obtain SCI access
• Active certifications required – IAT II as described in DoDD 8570.01 and CSSP Auditor
• Demonstrated experience with Linux environments (Red Hat, CentOS, Ubuntu)
• Understanding of information technology threats, and cybersecurity practices.
• Hands‑on experience with security monitoring, threat hunting, packet analysis, malware analysis, signature development, and/or shell scripting
• Hands‑on experience with network monitoring and packet inspection tools
• Programming experience (Perl, Python, C, etc.)

Desired Qualifications

• Possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to operate the advanced cyber analytical toolkit and perform required assessments
• Possess working knowledge of DoD’s IT system and network certification and accreditation processes to include system security authorization agreements
• Experience conducting Information Operations Computer Network Defense/Exploitation assessments
• Programming experience (Perl, Python, C, etc.)
• Experience with firewalls and network TAP technologies
• Experience installing, configuring, administering software applications
• Demonstrated skills in troubleshooting problems with software and hardware
• Experience configuring, managing and maintaining networking equipment
• Working knowledge of Department of Defense’s Information Assurance
• Experience in Vulnerability Alert processes
• Working knowledge of Computer Network vulnerability/compliance analysis software

Compensation & Benefits:

Compensation & Benefits: Pay Ranges: From $120,000.00 - $135,000.00 per year based on years of experience, degree and any special skills and knowledge that they may bring to the position. ARA offers competitive benefits that address our employees’ needs now and in the future. Learn more about each of our benefits at https://www.ara.com/benefits/

COMPANY INFORMATION:

Applied Research Associates, Inc. is an employee‑owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs over 1400 professionals. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for environmental site characterization, pavement analysis, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership fosters greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives its employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging; innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience. For additional information and an opportunity to join this unique workplace, please visit our website at www.ara.com.