Cyber Operations Project Lead: Strategy & Transition

MITRE; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 173,000 - 259,000; Full time

Job summary

MITRE’s Fort Meade/Annapolis Junction area seeks a Hard Targets Project Lead to guide critical cyber initiatives, translate concept into campaign‑ready capabilities, and manage sponsor relationships across MITRE, DoD, and government partners.

The role requires 10+ years in cyber operations, SCIF audiences, and a Top Secret/SCI clearance, with on‑site work four days per week and leadership of multidisciplinary teams toward measurable mission impact.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering or related field; or 8 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 5 years’ experience, or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Self‑starter with strong leadership and networking skills to reach back proactively into MITRE to identify and facilitate collaborative relationships in support of the program
• Ability to work onsite in a Secure Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) at both MITRE’s Fort Meade and McLean sites, as well as attend regular engagements at the sponsor’s Fort Meade site.
• Must have an active Top Secret/SCI U.S Government issued Security Clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI w/Poly U.S. Government issued Security Clearance. Per the U.S. Government’s eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
• This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on‑site.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and technical leadership as a trusted advisor to USCYBERCOM, shaping all tasks under the Hard Targets project
• Define and execute project objectives based on sponsor priorities, identifying where MITRE’s capabilities, cross‑cutting initiatives, and external S&T investments can have the greatest mission impact
• Help sponsors transition advanced capabilities from S&T organizations into operational use by defining the desired operational end state, transition criteria, readiness measures, risks, gaps, dependencies, and required stakeholder actions
• Develop and apply repeatable decision tools and readiness assessment frameworks to help senior leaders determine whether cyber capabilities are ready to support specific campaigns, operational outcomes, or mission needs
• Translate project objectives into clear, actionable outcomes, deliverables, products, and transition plans
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Command senior leadership, division leadership, branch chiefs, government personnel, subordinate warfighting headquarters, S&T organizations, and other mission partners
• Partner with sponsors to assess operational trade space, identify gaps, assign or recommend Offices of Primary Responsibility, and inform decisions for the USCYBERCOM mission
• Guide the integration of current and future Lines of Effort into a larger system‑of‑systems architecture that supports operational planning, execution, assessment, and mission management
• Select, lead, and mentor Task Leads; ensure effective staffing by partnering with MITRE resourcing organizations and executing mission engineering strategy
• Set clear expectations and goals for Task Leads and project team members, aligning work to impactful sponsor outcomes
• Identify and leverage MITRE research, internal innovation programs, and related enterprise efforts to strengthen project outcomes and accelerate mission impact
• Connect sponsor needs with relevant S&T, research, prototyping, experimentation, and transition activities across MITRE, government, academia, industry, and other mission partners
• Ensure technical and analytical quality through division quality practices, in‑progress reviews, peer reviews, effective knowledge management, and regular program execution reviews
• Oversee core project administration, including financial management, Clarity entries, project pages, meeting coordination, status reporting, facility needs, and task tracking
• Serve as a key point of contact for Group Leads on staff performance, career development, and recognition for project contributors

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Cyber operations

Strategic planning

DoD partnerships

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering

Master’s degree in related field

PhD with related experience

Tools

Clarity

Security clearance process

Job description

MITRE’s Fort Meade/Annapolis Junction area seeks a Hard Targets Project Lead to guide critical cyber initiatives, translate concept into campaign‑ready capabilities, and manage sponsor relationships across MITRE, DoD, and government partners.

The role requires 10+ years in cyber operations, SCIF audiences, and a Top Secret/SCI clearance, with on‑site work four days per week and leadership of multidisciplinary teams toward measurable mission impact.