Cyberspace Operations Planner, Junior

Leidos; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 51,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos is seeking Cyberspace Operational Planners to support USCYBERCOM-related planning and on-site contract work. You will develop and staff CO plans, coordinate with joint teams, and integrate cyber capabilities into broader planning efforts.

Ideal candidates bring TS clearance, relevant STEM/National Security studies background, and experience in military operations, JP 5-0 planning, and cyber infrastructure.

Qualifications

• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility and Polygraph required.
• Associates degree or higher within STEM field, National Security Studies, or field of study supporting operational art & science, or ability to complete degree within one year of hire.
• CO Planner with <2 years recent experience; waivers may apply for related roles or combat mission team experience.
• Familiarity with military operations including phases of planning, approval, and execution.
• Intimate familiarity with JP 5-0 Joint Operational Planning.
• Formal Cyber Operational Planner training within DoD or Intelligence Community.
• Broad knowledge of Blue-space Cyber capabilities and available cyber infrastructure.
• Knowledge of CO range and underlying intelligence support needs.
• Knowledge of networking fundamentals and communications media.
• Ability to produce timely analytical documents, summaries, issue papers, and briefings.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Able to work across DoD and IC agencies to support goals.

Responsibilities

• Engage in approved plans development and staffing to enable CO across planning guidance.
• Support targeting selection, validation, synchronization, and integration during Cyber Warfare activities.
• Draft and staff Operational Plans, OPORDs, and FRAGOs.
• Support Joint Operational Planning Groups and Teams and integrate cyberspace capabilities into plans.
• Develop concepts of support, courses of action, and document comprehensive plans.
• Provide situational awareness to projects, Crisis Action Teams, and current operations.
• Develop and review CO plans for integration into broader activities and resource alignment.
• Analyze cyber threats and vulnerabilities; apply cyber threat awareness to planning.

Skills

Top Secret clearance

SCI eligibility

Polygraph

Operational planning

Cyber operations

JP 5-0 knowledge

Power BI

Coordinating joint efforts

Education

Associates degree in STEM or NS studies

Bachelors degree or higher in STEM or National Security Studies

Tools

Power BI

Job description

Description

Looking for an opportunity to make an impact?

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community.

If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, keep reading!

The Leidos Intelligence Sector combines technology-enabled services and mission software capabilities in the areas of cyber, logistics, security operations, and decision analytics to support our defense and intel customers’ mission to defend against evolving threats around the world.

Your greatest work is ahead!

The Intelligence Sector seeks highly qualified and trained Cyberspace Operational Planners to support Department of Defense Joint Planning processes that underpin United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) operations. Individuals will engage in Cyberspace Operational Planning activities supporting Leidos on-site contract support to USCYBERCOM J3 (Operations), Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF), and Joint Task Force-Ares (JTF-ARES).

This opportunity is in anticipation of a potential future contract award.

What you’ll be doing:

• Engage in approved plans development and staffing processes within collaborative environment to enable range of Cyberspace Operations (CO) according to USCYBERCOM planning guidance and applicable Joint publications.

• Support targeting selection, validation, synchronization, and enable integration during the execution of activities within Cyber Warfare domain.

• Draft and staff foundational planning documents such as Operational Plans (OPLANS), Operational Orders (OPORDs), and Fragmentary Orders (FRAGOs).

• Support Joint Operational Planning Groups and Teams (OPG/OPT), and develop and integrate Cyberspace capabilities into plans.

• Develop concepts of support, courses of action, integrate command and external capabilities, coordinate and document comprehensive plans.

• Engage in, and provide situational awareness to, range of projects, Crisis Action Teams, and current operations activities supporting OPTs.

• Develop and review specific CO plans and guidance for integration into broader planning activities and to ensure that execution and resource allocation decisions align with organization objectives.

• Demonstrate knowledge of cyber threats and attack methods and techniques emanating from state and non-state adversaries and tiered vulnerabilities within Blue Space as focus of threats.

• Develop and execute comprehensive programs for assessing CO and validating operational performance characteristics.

• Review, approve, prioritize, and submit operational requirements for research, development, and/or acquisition of cyber capabilities.

• Develop and maintain deliberate and/or CO crisis plans.

• Analyze and assess internal and external partner CO capabilities and tools.

• Transition operational planning efforts to current operations.

• Navigate organizational structure as it pertains to full spectrum CO, including the functions, responsibilities, and interrelationships among distinct internal elements.

• Integrate and synchronize intelligence planning activities with operational planning timelines.

• Conduct long-range, strategic planning efforts with internal and external partners in cyber activities.

• Interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies, and guidance relevant to organization cyber objectives.

• Communicate complex information, concepts, or ideas in a confident and well-organized manner through verbal, written, and/or visual means.

What does Leidos need from me?

• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility and Polygraph required.

• Associates degree or higher within STEM field, National Security Studies, or field of study supporting operational art & science, or ability to complete degree within one year of hire.

• Less than 2 years recent (since 2014) work experience as CO Planner: can waive two years of experience requirement for every year spent on a Combat Mission Team (CMT) in any work role; can waive two years work experience requirement for every year spent in an Offensive Cyberspace Operations planner role within a Joint Force Headquarters – Cyber (JFHQ-C) command; OR four years recent (since 2013) work experience in offensive cyberspace capabilities development: can waive two years of experience requirement for every year spent on a CMT in any work role.

• Familiarity with military operations including phases of planning, approval, and execution.

• Intimate familiarity with applicable Joint Publications such as JP 5-0 Joint Operational Planning.

• Formal training as Cyber Operational Planner within Department of Defense or Intelligence Community.

• Broad knowledge of Blue-space Cyber capabilities and demonstrate understanding of available Cyber infrastructure or platforms to conduct OCO.

• Knowledge of the range of CO and their underlying intelligence support needs, topics, and focus areas.

• Knowledge of computer networking fundamentals as well as concepts, terminology, and operations of a wide range of communications media (computer and telephone networks, satellite, fiber, wireless).

• Ability to support timely, accurate, relevant analytical production, to include documents, summaries, issue papers, talking points, and briefings.

• Demonstrated proficiency working in a fast-paced collaborative environment, ability to proactively multi-task and meet short deadlines.

• Able to work across Department of Defense and Intelligence Community agencies to support organizational goals.

Favorable if you have:

• Bachelors degree or higher within STEM field, National Security Studies, or field of study supporting operational art & science.

• Intimate familiarity with USCYBERCOM organizational structure and mission.

• Prior experience supporting Joint operations across multiple warfighting domains.

• Demonstrated experience incorporating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning into operations at any level to increase efficiency and effectiveness of operational outcomes.

• Experience with Space-enabled CO.

• Joint Professional Military Education, Phase II (JPME II) graduate, or civilian equivalency.

• Formal training within field of Cyber Warfare and Joint Operations.

• Completion of Service-specific or Joint Cyberspace Operational Planning courses, such as Army Cyberspace Operations Planners Course or Joint Cyberspace Operations Planners Course.

• Familiar with art of Data Science and applicability to CO.

• Familiar with Microsoft Power BI data visualization software.

• Desired Certifications: DoD 8570 IAT Level II (CCNA Security, COMPTIA CySA+, COMPTIA Security + CE, GICSP, GSEC, SSCP).

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com .

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 .

Pay Range $50,700.00 - $91,650.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

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.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. Leidos will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment in accordance with relevant Laws. Leidos is an equal opportunity employer/disability/vet.