Information Systems Security Engineer (ISSE) Active Clearance Required

Phoenix Operations Group; Columbia (MD); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid time off

Birthday leave

Referral bonuses

Open-source bonuses

Professional development

Job summary

Phoenix Operations Group is seeking an Information Systems Security Engineer (ISSE) to secure complex networks, distributed architectures, and cloud systems supporting big data across enclaves with differing classifications. The role follows a hybrid schedule with 1–2 onsite days weekly and requires an Active Secret clearance and U.S.

citizenship. The ISSE will develop and review authorization documents, perform RMF activities, apply NIST controls, and coordinate remediation across teams.

Qualifications

• Related bachelor’s degree and 9+ years of relevant experience; master’s and 7+ years; or high school diploma/equivalent and 13+ years.
• DoD accreditation experience; RMF preferred.
• Knowledge of TCP/IP, network architectures, control inheritance, and compliance.
• Applicable DoD 8140/IAT Level II certification.
• Experience with eMASS, Xacta, or equivalent authorization systems.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and independent problem-solving skills.
• Flexibility to accommodate hybrid schedule changes.

Responsibilities

• Develop and review authorization documentation supporting federal and DoD requirements.
• Execute Risk Management Framework (RMF) activities, security assessments, and risk mitigation.
• Apply DISA STIGs/SRGs and NIST SP 800-53 controls.
• Evaluate open-source, government, and commercial software risks.
• Analyze vulnerability scans and coordinate remediation.
• Maintain authorization artifacts and Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms).
• Guide engineering teams on secure designs and trusted external connections.

Skills

RMF

DoD accreditation

eMASS/Xacta

TCP/IP

Strong communication

Hybrid work

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

High school diploma

Tools

eMASS

Xacta

Bash

Kubernetes

RHEL

AWS

Visio/draw.io

Job description

Description

Information Systems Security Engineer (ISSE)

Location: Columbia, MD
Schedule: Hybrid; typically 1–2 onsite days weekly
Clearance: Active Secret clearance and U.S. citizenship required

Position Overview

Phoenix Ops Group seeks an ISSE to secure complex networks, distributed architectures, and cloud systems supporting big data applications across enclaves with differing classification requirements.

Responsibilities

• Develop and review authorization documentation supporting federal and DoD requirements.
• Execute Risk Management Framework (RMF) activities, security assessments, and risk mitigation.
• Apply DISA STIGs/SRGs and NIST SP 800-53 controls.
• Evaluate open-source, government, and commercial software risks.
• Analyze vulnerability scans and coordinate remediation.
• Maintain authorization artifacts and Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms).
• Guide engineering teams on secure designs and trusted external connections.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Related bachelor’s degree and 9+ years of relevant experience; master’s and 7+ years; or high school diploma/equivalent and 13+ years.
• DoD accreditation experience; RMF preferred.
• Knowledge of TCP/IP, network architectures, control inheritance, and compliance.
• Applicable DoD 8140/IAT Level II certification.
• Experience with eMASS, Xacta, or equivalent authorization systems.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and independent problem-solving skills.
• Flexibility to accommodate hybrid schedule changes.

Preferred Qualifications

CISSP-ISSEP; experience with Bash, Kubernetes, RHEL, AWS, and Visio or draw.io.

Clearance and Schedule

U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain/maintain government clearance are required. Active clearance is preferred, not required initially. Onsite schedules require flexibility.

Benefits Offered

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance: 100% company-paid premiums.
• Short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance: Fully company paid.
• 401(k): Automatic 10% company contribution; no matching required.
• Paid time off: Four weeks annually.
• Paid holidays: Eleven per year.
• Birthday leave: Your birthday off with pay.
• Referral bonuses: Upfront and annually recurring bonuses.
• Open-source bonuses: Rewards for contributing to our GitHub projects.
• Professional development: Paid training, certifications, and enrichment opportunities.

About Phoenix Operations Group

Phoenix Operations Group delivers advanced engineering services that protect and strengthen our nation’s cyber resources. As a small company, we invest in innovation and employee development to solve challenging customer problems.Our capabilities span batch and streaming Big Data analytics, cloud infrastructure, multi-INT visualization, and enterprise architecture. We support All-Source, Financial, and CND operational missions and serve as Product Owners for our open-source research initiatives. Learn more at www.phoenix-opsgroup.com.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Employment decisions at Phoenix Operations Group are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We provide equal employment opportunities without discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.