Information Systems Security Manager

Firefly Aerospace, Inc.; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental and vision

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Mental health services

Unlimited PTO

Sabbatical/educational reimbursement

Parental leave

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. in Austin, TX, seeks an Information Systems Security Manager to own RMF accreditation lifecycle for space systems and enterprise IT. You will translate policy into system requirements, manage SSPs/POA&Ms/SARs, and coordinate with government AOs and engineering teams.

Location is Cedar Park corporate HQ. Responsibilities include CNSSP-12/CNSSI 53 compliance, continuous monitoring per NIST SP 800-137, and coordination of security assessments.

Qualifications

• BS degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related field.
• 4+ years as ISSM or in cybersecurity/compliance roles in aerospace/DoD.
• Experience with RMF processes per NIST SP 800-37 Rev. 2.
• Knowledge of NIST SP 800-53/800-171 and FISMA.
• Hands-on DoD tools: eMASS, ACAS, HBSS; STIGs knowledge.
• Experience developing SSPs/POA&Ms/SARs and RMF packages.
• Excellent written/verbal communication; U.S. citizenship.
• CNSSP-12/CNSSI 53 expertise; active clearance preferred.
• CISSP or equivalent; CMMC 2/3 experience; Jama/DOORS familiarity.
• NIST SP 800-160 knowledge; security engineering lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Lead CNSSP-12 and CNSSI 53 requirements for space systems.
• Coordinate RMF processes to achieve and maintain ATOs.
• Develop and maintain SSPs, POA&Ms, SARs; prepare authorization packages.
• Monitor continuous security controls and conduct risk assessments.
• Interface with system owners, engineering, and government AOs.
• Integrate security requirements early in system engineering and DevOps.
• Report security posture to leadership and external stakeholders.

Skills

RMF & NIST compliance

Security liaison

Technical writing

Briefing to leadership

Education

BS in CS / Cybersecurity

Tools

eMASS

ACAS

HBSS

Jama Connect

IBM DOORS

Job description

At Firefly, we’re focused on making space attainable for everyone – including you! Each team member’s passion, dedication, and innovative ideas have a direct impact on fueling our successful trajectory into space. And there’s no shortage of meaningful projects to work on at Firefly. With launch, lunar, and orbital vehicles, Firefly has a diverse line of business with opportunities to get hands‑on experience launching rockets, operating in space, and landing on the Moon.

This World Space Week, remember to look up and ...

This World Space Week, remember to look up and ...

The engine powering Alpha`s first stage is truly ...

The engine powering Alpha`s first stage is truly ...

More cleanroom space. More spacecraft in ...

More cleanroom space. More spacecraft in ...

Twenty-five years later, we remember the lives ...

Twenty-five years later, we remember the lives ...

In this Manufacturing Minute, our Tooling ...

In this Manufacturing Minute, our Tooling ...

Our Values

Headquartered in the Lone Star State, Firefly’s hardworking team reflects Texas’ GO BIG culture in everything we do. We build big, achieve big, and dream big. We’re building launch vehicles and spacecraft to provide rapid, reliable space access. We’ve achieved some incredible wins, including the first successful commercial Moon landing. And we’re dreaming bigger than this planet with ambitions to Mars, Venus, and beyond. Our core values are what drive us along the way.

Passion

Fireflies believe in perseverance, responsiveness, and mentoring others with a focus on inspiring a better future.

Accountability

Fireflies act with integrity and take ownership of our actions, commitments, decisions, and outcomes.

Fireflies work in alignment across teams and communicate clearly with mutual respect for one another.

Fireflies deliver high-quality work through technical rigor and timely disciplined execution for our customers.

We take care of our Fireflies with some of the best benefits in the industry. Our mission to make space for everyone starts with our employees and allowing them to make space for their family, their career, and their future.

Space for You

• Unlimited PTO for exempt employees
• 3-month sabbatical for every 5 years of service
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• Mental health services
• Paid military leave

Space for Your Family

• 12 weeks paid maternity leave
• 4 weeks paid spouse leave
• $20k towards family planning: fertility, surrogacy, adoption
• Dog friendly workplace

Space for Your Career

• $10k/year towards trade school or college
• Ongoing coaching to advance leadership skills
• Employee-ownership with stock bonuses
• 4% Safe Harbor 401(k) matching
• $10k bonus for home purchase in Cedar Park, Texas

Job Openings

From launch technicians to propulsion engineers, Firefly has open roles across the company. We’re looking for passionate, bright innovators to join our team and help make space an achievable dream for everyone.

Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the first company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

SUMMARY

As the Information Systems Security Manager at Firefly Aerospace, you will serve as the primary authority for ensuring mission-critical space systems and enterprise information systems achieve and maintain authorization to operate in compliance with national security requirements. You will own the Risk Management Framework (RMF) accreditation lifecycle per NIST SP 800-37 Rev. 2, implementing CNSSP-12 and CNSSI 53 requirements across space vehicle platforms, ground systems, and supporting infrastructure. Serving as the primary liaison between system owners, engineering teams, and Government Authorizing Officials (AOs), you will translate security policy into system requirements, manage security authorization packages, and ensure continuous monitoring of security controls. You will report directly to the Director of Cybersecurity and work closely with systems engineering, DevOps, and mission operations teams.

This position will be based out of our corporate headquarters in Cedar Park, TX

RESPONSIBILITIES

National Security Systems Compliance: CNSSP-12 & CNSSI 53

• Serve as subject matter expert for CNSSP-12 and CNSSI 53 requirements, translating policy mandates into specific system security requirements and control baselines for space vehicles, ground stations, and mission support systems
• Lead security categorization activities per CNSSI 53, determining appropriate Impact Levels (IL) and establishing control overlays for all national security systems
• Develop and maintain system security architecture documentation, including data flow diagrams, security boundary definitions, and control inheritance mappings
• Coordinate with system owners and engineering teams to identify security control implementation requirements and validate that technical solutions meet policy mandates
• Conduct security impact assessments, threat modeling, and risk assessments on proposed architectures, system changes, and configuration updates
• Review and approve technical security requirements in system specifications, interface control documents (ICDs), and engineering design documentation
• Manage end-to-end RMF processes per NIST SP 800-37 Rev. 2 for multiple concurrent systems to achieve and maintain Authorities to Operate (ATOs)
• Develop, maintain, and update System Security Plans (SSPs), Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms), and coordinate Security Assessment Reports (SARs)
• Coordinate independent security control assessments with Security Control Assessors (SCAs) or third-party assessment organizations
• Prepare and deliver authorization packages to Authorizing Officials, including executive summaries, risk determinations, and authorization recommendations
• Present compliance briefings to senior management, government customers, and AOs regarding security posture, risk status, and authorization timelines

Continuous Monitoring and Control Validation

• Establish and operate continuous monitoring programs per NIST SP 800-137, defining security metrics, collection mechanisms, and reporting cadences
• Validate system configurations comply with Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs), DISA baselines, and DoD security configuration requirements
• Review vulnerability scan results, penetration test findings, and security assessment outputs to identify control weaknesses and drive remediationMaintain current security control traceability matrices mapping policy requirements to implemented controls and assessment evidence

Corporate and Enterprise Compliance Programs

• Lead corporate information security compliance initiatives ensuring adherence to NIST SP 800-171, NIST SP 800-53, CMMC, and Space Policy Directive 5 (SPD-5)
• Support CMMC Level 2+ compliance activities, including practice implementation validation, artifact development, and assessment preparation
• Develop and maintain security policies, procedures, and standards that implement regulatory requirements
• Support Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) assessments, customer security audits, and government inspections
• Track regulatory changes and assess impacts to existing authorizations and compliance programs

Security Engineering Integration

• Participate in system engineering reviews, design reviews, and change control boards to ensure security requirements are integrated early in development
• Validate security requirements are traceable from policy sources through system specifications to implemented controls and test procedures
• Support incident response activities by providing authorization boundary information, security control details, and impact assessments
• Interface with mission partners and external system interconnections to establish appropriate security agreements and MOUs

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• BS degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Systems, or related technical discipline
• Minimum 4 years of direct experience as an ISSM, Security Control Assessor (SCA), or in cybersecurity compliance roles within aerospace, defense, intelligence, or DoD contracting environments
• Proven track record managing RMF authorization processes per NIST SP 800-37 Rev. 2, achieving ATOs for complex technical systems
• In-depth knowledge of NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-171, and FISMA compliance frameworks
• Hands‑on experience with DoD security tools including eMASS, ACAS, and HBSS
• Strong understanding of DISA STIGs and DoD Security Technical Implementation Guides
• Experience developing System Security Plans (SSPs), POA&Ms, and Security Assessment Reports (SARs)
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with ability to translate complex security requirements for technical and executive audiences
• U.S. Citizenship required (ITAR and security clearance requirements)
• Demonstrated expertise implementing CNSSP-12 and CNSSI 53 requirements for national security space systems or satellite programs
• Active Secret or Top Secret security clearance, or ability to obtain and maintain clearance
• Direct experience serving as ISSM for operational space systems, satellite ground stations, or telemetry, tracking, and commanding (TT&C) systems
• Knowledge of satellite operations security requirements, including command authentication and telemetry encryption
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or similar certification (CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, CAP, or Security+)
• Experience with CMMC Level 2 or Level 3 assessment and implementation
• Familiarity with requirements management tools (Jama Connect, IBM DOORS) used in systems engineering environments
• Knowledge of NIST SP 800-160 (Systems Security Engineering) and secure development lifecycle practices

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and
vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short term
disability, and flexible PTO options.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.