Information Security Systems Officer (ISSO) - Senior Consultant

Guidehouse; Springfield (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Student Loan PayDown

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Guidehouse seeks an experienced Information Security Systems Officer (ISSO) to lead RMF/ATO activities for a major federal program. You will guide system owners, engineers, and security teams through cloud security architecture across AWS, Azure and hybrid environments.

The role requires a Top Secret/SCI poly, strong knowledge of NIST RMF, and hands-on experience with SIEM, vulnerability scanners, and endpoint protection. Expect collaboration with DevSecOps and cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
• Minimum of five (5) years of work experience in cybersecurity or secure systems engineering with cloud architecture.
• Active and maintained TS/SCI Poly Federal or DoD security clearance with CI polygraph or FS/FSP.
• US Citizenship is required.
• Strong understanding of security frameworks and compliance standards (NIST RMF SP 800-53 Rev 5, DoD 8570).
• Experience designing and implementing enterprise security tools (SIEM, vulnerability scanners, endpoint protection).
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex projects.
• Excellent communication skills to convey technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and engineering of secure cloud architectures across AWS, Azure, and hybrid environments.
• Implement and validate NIST 800-53 controls and cloud-native security services (IAM, encryption, logging).
• Conduct cloud threat modeling, risk assessments, and architecture reviews.
• Oversee cloud baselines using STIGs, CIS Benchmarks, and SCAP.
• Drive cloud vulnerability and compliance efforts with ACAS/Nessus and cloud posture tools.
• Support RMF engineering activities including boundary definitions and authorization packages.
• Integrate cloud-security capabilities like Sentinel, Splunk, and SIEM pipelines.
• Guide DevSecOps teams on secure CI/CD, container security, and IaC validation.
• Produce cloud diagrams, design docs, and engineering artifacts.
• Mentor ISSEs and serve as escalation point for cloud engineering issues.

Skills

Cloud security

RMF/ATO guidance

NIST 800-53

Active TS/SCI Poly

Cloud architecture

SIEM (Splunk)

Vulnerability management (Nessus)

CrowdStrike

Leadership

Communication

US Citizenship

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

Splunk

Nessus

CrowdStrike

Job description

Job Family

Cyber Consulting

Travel Required

Up to 10%

Clearance Required

Active Top Secret SCI with Polygraph

What You Will Do

Our Cybersecurity Consultants are a team of business integrators with extensive consulting and industry experience who help our clients solve their complex business issues from strategy through execution. A career in an integrated team of developers and consultants provides the opportunity to grow and contribute to our clients' business issues every day, applying a collection of security spectrum capabilities, including security strategy and governance, IT risk, security technologies, and cybercrime and breach response.

We are seeking a highly experienced Information Security Systems Officer (ISSO)- to support a major federal initiative. The ISSO serves as a technical and compliance lead, guiding system owners, engineers, and security teams through RMF, ATO, and continuous monitoring activities. This role is responsible for interpreting policy, providing authoritative security guidance, leading audits, and evaluating complex systems across hybrid cloud and onpremises environments. The ISSO will mentor junior staff and ensure that systems maintain full compliance with federal requirements, NIST security controls, and agency-specific governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and engineering of secure cloud architectures across AWS, Azure, and hybrid environments.
• Implement and validate NIST 800-53 security controls and cloud-native security services (IAM, encryption, segmentation, logging).
• Conduct cloud threat modeling, risk assessments, and architecture reviews.
• Oversee cloud configuration baselines using STIGs, CIS Benchmarks, and SCAP.
• Drive cloud vulnerability and compliance efforts using ACAS/Nessus and cloud-security posture tools.
• Support RMF engineering activities including boundary definition, inheritance documentation, and authorization packages.
• Integrate cloud-security capabilities such as Sentinel, Splunk, and SIEM logging pipelines.
• Guide DevSecOps teams on secure CI/CD, container security, and infrastructure-as-code validation.
• Produce cloud architecture diagrams, design documentation, and engineering artifacts.
• Mentor junior and mid-level ISSEs and act as a technical escalation point for cloud engineering issues.

What You Will Need

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
• Minimum of FIVE (5) years of work experience in cybersecurity or secure systems engineering experience, including cloud architecture.
• An ACTIVE and MAINTAINED TS/SCI Poly Federal or DoD security clearance with a (COUNTERINTELLIGENCE (CI) polygraph - OR - FULL SCOPE (FS/FSP) polygraph).
• US Citizenship is contractually required.
• Strong understanding of security frameworks and compliance standards (e.g., NIST, RMF SP 800-53 Rev 5, DoD 8570).
• Proven experience in designing and implementing enterprise security tools such as SIEM (e.g., Splunk), vulnerability scanners (e.g., Nessus), and endpoint protection platforms (e.g., Crowdstrike).
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and complex technical projects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to convey technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

What Would Be Nice To Have

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in Cybersecurity, Information Systems, Computer Engineering, or related technical field.
• Master’s Degree in relevant cybersecurity or IT field.
• One or more of the following certifications:
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Certified in Risk and Information Systems Controls (CRISC)
• Certified Authorization Professional (CAP) / Certified in Governance, Risk and Compliance (CGRC)
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
• Familiarity with scripting or automation (PowerShell, Python, Bash) is a plus
• Hands-on experience with network security, cryptography, and/or identity management.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) certification for managing cybersecurity projects in Agile environments.

What We Offer

Guidehouse offers a comprehensive, total rewards package that includes competitive compensation and a flexible benefits package that reflects our commitment to creating a diverse and supportive workplace.

Benefits include:

• Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays
• Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus
• Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Basic Life & Supplemental Life
• Health Savings Account, Dental/Vision & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Student Loan PayDown
• Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development & Learning Opportunities
• Skills Development & Certifications
• Employee Referral Program
• Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach
• Emergency Back-Up Childcare Program
• Mobility Stipend

About Guidehouse

Guidehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer-Protected Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.

Guidehouse will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law or ordinance including the Fair Chance Ordinance of Los Angeles and San Francisco.