Engineering Lead

Nightwing; Sterling (VA); On-site; USD 176,000 - 353,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Vision & Dental

401(k) Plan

PTO & Holidays

Equal Opportunity Employer

Job summary

Nightwing seeks an exceptional Engineering Lead to act as the senior technical authority for system architecture, technical strategy, and engineering standards across programs with 100+ FTEs. You will drive integration, automation, and secure operations in DoD/Intelligence communities.

You will ensure IA compliance, support ATO processes, and lead DevSecOps transformations, shaping mission-critical cyber and data solutions with innovation and discipline.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, IT, or related STEM field.
• 10+ years engineering leadership in large-scale programs (100+ FTEs) or equivalent.
• Experience with IA/DoD environments and ATO processes.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior technical authority for engineering activities across the program portfolio.
• Define and maintain system architecture and technical strategy for cybersecurity operations and automation.
• Establish engineering standards, best practices, and design patterns across development and integration efforts.
• Provide technical direction to engineering teams and mentor 50+ engineers.

Skills

Technical Leadership

System Architecture

Mentorship

Strategic Planning

Communication

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS, Cybersecurity, Engineering, IT

Tools

Splunk

Elastic

Microsoft Sentinel

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS/Azure/GCP

Job description

Nightwing provides technically advanced full-spectrum cyber, data operations, systems integration and intelligence mission support services to meet our customers’ most demanding challenges. Our capabilities include cyber space operations, cyber defense and resiliency, vulnerability research, ubiquitous technical surveillance, data intelligence, lifecycle mission enablement, and software modernization. Nightwing brings disruptive technologies, agility, and competitive offerings to customers in the intelligence community, defense, civil, and commercial markets.

Nightwing is seeking an exceptional Engineering Lead to serve as the senior technical authority responsible for overall system architecture, technical strategy, engineering standards, and integration across all engineering efforts. This role requires a proven senior-level technical leader who ensures engineering rigor and maintains technical integrity throughout the system lifecycle while managing complex, large-scale operations supporting critical national security missions.

Nightwing delivers end-to-end secure IT services leveraging deep experience in Offensive Cyber Operations (OCO), Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO), Cyber Vulnerability Assessments (CVAs), and systems integration. As Engineering Lead, you will translate this operational expertise into robust technical architectures, drive engineering excellence across detection and automation platforms, and ensure our solutions remain operationally relevant in dynamic threat environments.

You will be responsible for maintaining the technical integrity of systems operating within accredited environments, ensuring compliance with DoD Information Assurance (IA) requirements, and supporting Authority to Operate (ATO) processes for mission-critical systems. This includes architecting solutions that meet NIST SP 800-171 standards, implementing security-by-design principles, and maintaining system accreditation postures throughout the lifecycle.

This is a high-visibility, technically demanding leadership position requiring an individual who can lead engineering teams supporting programs with 100+ FTEs, navigate complex technical environments in mission settings, and drive organizational success through architectural excellence, technical innovation, and engineering discipline. You will be accountable for the technical health and performance of systems supporting critical Intelligence Community operations.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Architecture

• Serve as the senior technical authority for all engineering activities across the program portfolio
• Define and maintain system architecture and technical strategy for cybersecurity operations, detection engineering, and automation platforms
• Establish and enforce engineering standards, best practices, and design patterns across all development and integration efforts
• Ensure technical integrity across all system development, integration, and operational activities
• Provide technical direction and mentorship to engineering teams of 50+ engineers across multiple disciplines
• Drive architectural decisions that balance mission requirements, technical feasibility, cost, and schedule

Information Assurance & System Accreditation

• Maintain technical authority over systems requiring Authority to Operate (ATO) within DoD and Intelligence Community environments
• Ensure all engineering activities comply with customer Information Assurance requirements and Standards
• Support system accreditation processes including documentation, testing, and continuous monitoring requirements
• Coordinate with IA/IT personnel to ensure engineering teams maintain required certifications
• Support development of system security documentation for ATO packages

Systems Integration & Development

• Oversee integration of cybersecurity tools, SIEM platforms, detection frameworks, and automation capabilities
• Guide software and hardware development efforts supporting SOC operations, threat detection, and incident response
• Ensure interoperability across complex technical environments including on-premise, cloud, and hybrid architectures
• Support prototype validation, operational testing, and system acceptance activities
• Lead DevSecOps transformation and CI/CD pipeline development for security operations
• Oversee development and deployment of custom detection content, automation playbooks, and orchestration workflows

Technical Program Support & Stakeholder Engagement

• Translate operational requirements from Intelligence Community customers into technical solutions and architectures
• Provide technical expertise to program management, customers, and senior leadership
• Interface directly with Customer, mission partners, and other Intelligence Community stakeholders on technical matters
• Support technical risk assessment and mitigation strategies across the program
• Review and approve technical deliverables, design documents, and system documentation
• Present technical strategies, architectures, and solutions to C-suite and senior government leadership

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Drive adoption of emerging technologies including AI/ML for threat detection, cloud-native security, and automation
• Support continuous improvement of technical processes, development methodologies, and engineering practices
• Evaluate and recommend new tools, techniques, platforms, and approaches
• Lead technical assessments of vendor solutions and COTS/GOTS products
• Champion security-by-design principles across all engineering activities
• Foster culture of technical excellence, innovation, and knowledge sharing

Engineering Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop cross-functional engineering teams including software engineers, detection engineers, security engineers, and automation specialists
• Ensure team maintains readiness to support dynamic mission environments and rapid capability development
• Conduct technical performance management, career development planning, and succession planning
• Drive technical hiring to build organizational capability and address skill gaps
• Foster collaborative, mission-focused engineering culture emphasizing quality, innovation, and accountability

Technical Risk Management & Quality Assurance

• Identify, assess, and aggressively mitigate technical risks in mission environments
• Develop and implement technical contingency plans to ensure system availability and mission continuity
• Ensure quality assurance through code reviews, testing strategies, and validation processes
• Navigate technical, schedule, and resource constraints while maintaining mission focus
• Support crisis management during system outages, security incidents, or performance degradation
• Balance technical debt management with feature delivery and mission urgency

Required Qualifications

Education & Certification

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, IT, or related STEM field
• At least one: CISSP, CISM, CCISO, GCDA, Security+ CE, CySA+, or equivalent certification

Experience

Engineering Leadership (One of the following)

• 10+ years engineering experience with demonstrated technical leadership of large-scale engineering teams
• 8+ years leading engineering efforts for programs of similar size and scope (100+ FTEs, $50M+ budgets)
• 10+ years architecting and engineering complex systems supporting national security missions

Domain Experience (One Of The Following)

• 5-8 years cybersecurity, SOC, or cyber incident response experience with engineering focus
• 5-8 years detection engineering and automation experience
• 5-8 years IT services engineering with Intelligence Community customers

Technical Knowledge

• Deep understanding of system architecture and engineering principles for enterprise-scale systems
• Demonstrated experience with programs of similar size and scope supporting Intelligence Community missions
• Extensive knowledge of cybersecurity operations, defensive cyber capabilities, and threat detection methodologies
• Working knowledge of software development lifecycle (SDLC) and DevSecOps practices
• Experience with cloud architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and infrastructure-as-code
• Strong understanding of SIEM platforms (Splunk, Elastic, Sentinel), detection frameworks (Sigma, YARA), and SOAR platforms
• Knowledge of programming/scripting languages (Python, PowerShell, Bash) and automation frameworks
• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and modern engineering practices

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Exceptional communication skills with proven ability to translate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
• Demonstrated success in mission environments requiring rapid technical decision-making
• Track record of technical innovation driving mission impact and customer satisfaction
• Strong technical presence with ability to brief senior military and civilian leadership
• Experience managing in matrixed organizations with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities
• Proven ability to influence without authority and build technical consensus across organizational boundaries

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within Intelligence Community (NRO, NSA, CIA, DIA, NGA) and Military mission partner environments
• Advanced degrees (MS, PhD) in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical fields
• Advanced degrees and certifications in IT process improvement and/or capability frameworks (e.g., ITIL, COBIT, ISO 27001, CISSP, Agile/SAFe)
• Multiple advanced certifications: CISSP, CISM, GIAC certifications (GCIA, GCIH, GREM, GCFA)
• Experience leading security operations centers (SOCs) or threat detection programs
• Background in threat intelligence, malware analysis, or offensive security
• Experience with AI/ML for security, anomaly detection, and advanced analytics
• Prior military or intelligence community technical leadership experience
• Experience supporting classified programs at TS/SCI level with special access programs (SAP)

Success Metrics

• Technical systems delivered on schedule, within budget, and meeting performance requirements
• System availability and reliability meeting or exceeding SLAs (99.9999%+ uptime for critical systems)
• Customer satisfaction with technical solutions, architecture decisions, and engineering support
• Engineering team performance including velocity, quality metrics, and technical debt management
• Technical risk mitigation effectiveness with proactive identification and resolution before mission impact
• Innovation adoption with measurable improvement in capabilities through new technologies
• Technical debt reduction while maintaining feature delivery velocity
• Security posture improvement through architectural enhancements and engineering practices

Why Nightwing

• Lead mission‑critical engineering efforts directly supporting Intelligence Community operations and national security objectives
• Exercise full technical authority with meaningful impact on system architecture, capabilities, and mission effectiveness
• Build and lead high‑performing engineering teams of talented professionals in cutting‑edge cyber and intelligence domains
• Partner directly with senior government customers in the Intelligence Community on programs of strategic importance
• Operate in environments where your technical leadership, decisions, and innovations truly matter to mission success
• Competitive compensation with performance‑based incentives tied to technical delivery and innovation

Salary & Benefits

The salary associated with this position ($176,000-$353,000) is commensurate with the selected candidate’s qualifications, years of relevant experience, and demonstrated level of expertise. Compensation will be determined based on these factors to ensure alignment with skills, responsibilities, and market standards.

Nightwing offers medical, vision and dental insurance coverage in addition to a 401k plan, PTO, Holidays, and additional insurances.

Nightwing is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. 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, age or any other federally protected class.