Information Systems Security Specialist ATO

American Systems; Fredericksburg, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

AMERICAN SYSTEMS seeks an Information Systems Security Specialist to support the ISSO/Security Architect with RMF, ATO, and continuous monitoring activities in a federal environment. The role emphasizes artifact management, stakeholder coordination, and documentation quality, requiring a TS clearance and strong organizational skills.

Ideal candidates will manage security documentation, coordinate with system owners, and leverage tools like Xacta and eMASS to maintain compliance posture and

Qualifications

• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.
• Extensive experience in IT, cybersecurity, compliance, or program support in federal/DoD settings.
• Strong organizational and communication skills to manage multiple stakeholders and deadlines.
• Experience with security documentation, inventory management, and POA&M status reporting.

Responsibilities

• Support the ISSO/Security Architect as a secondary point of contact with programs, system owners, administrators, and other stakeholders.
• Track correspondence, action items, deliverables, deadlines, and meeting follow-ups through closure.
• Review, track, and maintain security documentation including ISAs, SLAs, MOUs, MOAs, PTAs, and PIAs.
• Enter and update artifacts, control status, inventories, evidence, and POA&M in GRC tools; generate status reports.

Skills

Top Secret clearance

RMF knowledge

GRC tools

Documentation & coordination

Microsoft Excel

Education

HS + 13 years

AS + 10 years

BS + 6 years

MS + 4 years

Tools

Xacta

eMASS

ACAS/Nessus/Tanium

Job description

Overview

AMERICAN SYSTEMS is an employee-owned federal government contractor supporting national priority programs through our strategic solutions in the areas of Information Technology, Engineering & Analysis, Test & Evaluation, and Training. We are seeking an Information Systems Security Specialist ATO to directly support the ISSO/Security Architect by managing the coordination, tracking, documentation, and follow-through required to keep security and ATO-related efforts moving. This role is intended to provide immediate operational assistance to senior technical personnel by owning the program integration, stakeholder coordination, artifact management, and administrative execution associated with cybersecurity compliance activities. The ideal candidate is highly organized, professional, persistent in follow-ups, and comfortable operating independently in a federal or DoW environment.

Responsibilities

• Support the ISSO/Security Architect as a secondary point of contact with programs, system owners, administrators, and other stakeholders.
• Track correspondence, action items, deliverables, deadlines, and meeting follow-ups through closure.
• Schedule meetings, capture notes, distribute action items, and maintain project planning boards and deliverable trackers.
• Review, track, and maintain security and interconnection documentation, including ISAs, SLAs, OLAs, MOUs, MOAs, PTAs, and PIAs, including routing, signatures, expirations, and renewals.
• Draft, format, review, and maintain supporting security documentation, ensuring completeness, consistency, version control, and organized document management.
• Track vulnerability scan results, remediation status, and POA&M items; coordinate scan schedules and follow up on open findings with system administrators.
• Maintain hardware and software inventories and ensure alignment with system documentation and the authorization boundary.
• Enter and update artifacts, control status, inventories, evidence, and POA&Ms in GRC tools such as Xacta; generate status reports for assessments and continuous monitoring.
• Support ongoing RMF, ATO, and continuous monitoring activities, and elevate unresolved issues, documentation gaps, or schedule risks as needed.

Qualifications

• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.
• HS + 13 years, AS + 10 years, BS + 6 years, or MS + 4 years of relevant experience in IT, cybersecurity, compliance, program support, or administrative/project coordination, preferably in a federal or DoD environment.
• Experience supporting cybersecurity compliance, documentation, coordination, or program execution in a federal/DoD setting.
• Strong organizational, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple stakeholders, deadlines, and action items independently.
• Working knowledge of cybersecurity fundamentals, including access control, least privilege, patching, vulnerability management, data handling, and incident reporting.
• Experience with security documentation, agreement tracking, inventory management, artifact management, and POA&M status reporting.
• Familiarity with GRC tools such as Xacta or eMASS.
• Familiarity with vulnerability scanning tools and outputs such as ACAS/Nessus, Tenable, Tanium, or similar.
• Exposure to RMF, NIST SP 800-53, STIGs, ATO processes, and system interconnection agreements such as ISAs and MOUs.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and Microsoft Teams.
• Professional follow-through, sound judgment, and the ability to know when to act independently and when to elevate.

Pay Transparency Statement

AMERICAN SYSTEMS is committed to pay transparency for our applicants and employee-owners. The salary range for this position is USD $130,000.00/Yr. - USD $170,000/Yr. Actual compensation will be determined based on several factors permitted by law. AMERICAN SYSTEMS provides for the welfare of its employees and their dependents through a comprehensive benefits program by offering healthcare benefits, paid leave, retirement plans, insurance programs, and education and training assistance.

EEO Statement

EEO Race/Sex/Disability Status/Veteran Status