Information System Security Officer, Senior

Applied Information Sciences; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 181,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Information Sciences seeks a Senior Information System Security Officer (ISSO) to lead security controls, RMF/ NIST 800-53 compliance, and ATO activities for federal programs in the Washington, DC area.

The role requires a Top Secret clearance, DoD 8140 certification, and cloud security credentials. You will mentor staff and coordinate with ISSMs and auditors on security posture and risk remediation.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8+ years of ISSO/ISSO engineering in a cleared environment.
• DoD 8140 certification or equivalent (CISSP, GISP, CASP).
• Cloud security certification from AWS, ISC2, Microsoft or Google.
• Deep RMF and NIST 800-53 expertise; system authorization processes.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and stakeholder communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead documentation, testing, and review of system security controls.
• Oversee inventory of technologies and boundary definition.
• Drive ATO efforts and continuous monitoring processes.
• Advise on cybersecurity risks and remediation strategies.
• Mentor junior and mid-level ISSOs; interface with auditors.

Skills

Strategic security planning

Cryptography

Security program management

Cloud security architecture

Risk management

RMF/NIST 800-53

Leadership & mentoring

Stakeholder communication

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor's or higher in Cybersecurity/ CS/ IT

Tools

Tenable Nessus

Splunk

IBM Guardium

HP WebInspect

NMAP

Job description

Why AIS?When you join AIS, you’re joining a mission-driven team that’s passionate about making a difference. You’ll work on projects that matter, alongside industry-leading experts, in an environment that fosters innovation, driving client success, and empowering our team to make a lasting impact. As an employee-owned company, we value collaboration, inclusivity, continuous growth, and shared success.Employee Ownership : Your contributions directly impact the company’s success, and you share in its achievements.Continuous Learning : Access to resources, training, and mentorship to support your professional growth.Inclusive Culture : A workplace where diversity is celebrated, and everyone’s voice is valued.Mission-Driven Work : Engage in projects that make a meaningful difference for our clients and communities.What are we looking for?At AIS, we're looking for more than just skills - we're looking for driven individuals who are passionate about making a difference, eager to grow, and aligned with our core principles.What you will be doing?This position is contingent upon contract award. We are currently pursuing a proposal and are seeking qualified candidates to include in our submission and identify candidates for future hiring needs on the program once awarded.At AIS, we are dedicated to providing our employees with diverse opportunities to grow their careers while supporting a variety of impactful projects. For this position, we are seeking a talented individual to join AIS as a Lead Security Engineer.Core Knowledge & Skills: Develops strategic security plans, applies advanced cryptography, manages security programs, and designs secure cloud architectures.Work & Complexity: Leads strategic projects, integrates security into business processes, develops risk management strategies, and ensures compliance.Quality & Independence: Delivers strategic projects, develops innovative solutions, maintains high standards, and ensures stakeholder satisfaction.Teamwork & Communication: Leads and mentors teams, aligns efforts with organizational goals, manages performance, and develops training programs.Consulting & Engagement: Provides high-level consulting, leads innovation initiatives, develops technology roadmaps, and manages vendor contracts.As your initial project assignment, you will support the unique needs of our client as a Information System Security Officer, Senior.Position SummaryThe Senior ISSO provides leadership and oversight for system security compliance, authorization, and continuous monitoring activities. This role ensures that systems meet all federal cybersecurity requirements and drives timely authorization outcomes while mentoring junior staff and coordinating across technical and program teams.This is a proposal-based position; employment is contingent upon contract award and funding availability.Key ResponsibilitiesLead documentation, testing, and comprehensive review of system security controlsEnsure full system boundary definition and accurate inventory of all technologiesOversee and validate implementation of all assigned NIST 800-53 controlsDrive and manage system authorization (ATO) efforts to completionEnsure proper system lifecycle management, including decommissioning strategiesEstablish and enforce consistent continuous monitoring processesAdvise stakeholders on cybersecurity risks, compliance posture, and remediation strategiesMentor Junior and Mid-level ISSOsInterface with ISSMs, AO representatives, and auditorsRequired QualificationsMinimum 8+ years of ISSO or ISS Engineer experience in a cleared environmentMinimum 8+ years of cybersecurity or related technical experienceBachelor’s or advanced degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, IT, or related discipline. An additional 4 years’ of experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.DoD 8140 certification or equivalent (CISSP, GISP, or CASP)At lease one cloud security certification from AWS Certified Security Specialty, ISC2 Certified Cloud Security Professional, AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate, Microsoft AZ-500 Azure Security Engineer Associate, or Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer.Advanced experience with security tools such as:Tenable Nessus / Security CenterSplunkIBM GuardiumHP WebInspectNMAP or similar toolsDeep expertise in:RMF and NIST 800-53System authorization processes (ATO, IATT, ATO renewals)Continuous monitoring best practicesActive Top Secret clearancePreferred QualificationsExperience supporting high-visibility federal or DoD programsPrior experience mentoring or leading security teamsAt AIS, we are committed to offering competitive and fair compensation that reflects the skills, experience, and contributions of each team member.The targeted base salary range for this role is $120,000-$181,000 per year. Please note that this range is provided as a guideline and the final offer will be based on several factors, including but not limited to, skillset and competencies, level of experience, education, certifications, and location.We value transparency in our hiring process and are happy to discuss how your unique qualifications align with our compensation structure during the interview process.Applied Information Sciences does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis. Employment decisions are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs.