ISSO IT Systems Engineer

The Josef Group; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Josef Group in Arlington, VA seeks an ISSO IT Systems Engineer to lead security for classified information at Secret/Top Secret levels, coordinating with sponsors and campus leadership.

You will implement IT strategy roadmaps, maintain security documentation, and ensure compliance with CMMC, NIST 800-171/53, and DFARS.

The role covers unclassified DoD accounts, classified systems, and day-to-day CIS Operations Team duties, with onsite requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent experience.
• ISSO experience in classified environments; familiarity with personnel and facilities security.
• CISSP or equivalent security certification required.
• Experience in higher education or research environments preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication; on-call after-hours availability.

Responsibilities

• Lead security governance to align IT with research goals and classified processing.
• Develop and maintain security policies, roadmaps, and compliance with mandates.
• Manage unclassified DoD accounts and DoD-level network security.
• Install, operate, maintain classified IT systems and networks.
• Support Arlington campus infrastructure as part of the CIS Operations Team.

Skills

ISSO experience in classified

CMMC knowledge

NIST SP 800-171/800-53

Strong written and verbal comms

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Information Science/Computer Science

CISSP or equivalent certification

Job description

ISSO IT Systems Engineer

Top Secret or TS/SCI
Arlington, VA (Fully onsite)

We are seeking a seasoned security professional to serve as the Classified Information Security Lead at our Arlington campus. This role is responsible for managing and safeguarding classified information at the Secret and Top Secret levels, ensuring institutional and contractual compliance across a broad range of government-sponsored research programs — including environments with non-standard computing requirements.

Security Leadership & Governance

The selected candidate will partner with senior leadership to align technology, cybersecurity, and operations with research goals and classified processing requirements. Responsibilities include implementing and maintaining IT strategy roadmaps in accordance with institutional, contractual, and sponsor requirements, as well as maintaining security documentation and ensuring compliance with all applicable mandates.

Cybersecurity & Compliance

This role requires expert-level knowledge of national security frameworks including CMMC, NIST SP 800-171, NIST SP 800-53, and DFARS 252.204-7012. The engineer will establish and maintain organizational security policies and procedures, ensure compliance across both classified systems and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) environments, and collaborate on the design and implementation of cybersecurity measures protecting digital assets and research data.

Unclassified Systems (NIPR)

The position involves coordinating with sponsors to create and manage unclassified DoD enterprise accounts (e.g., A365) and enforcing DoD-level security protocols across applied, transitioned, and classified research activities.

Classified Systems

Responsibilities include installing, operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting classified IT systems and infrastructure; installing and maintaining classified network connections in approved facilities; and coordinating with sponsors to establish and maintain classified user accounts.

Infrastructure Management

As a member of the CIS Operations Team, the engineer will support day-to-day management of Arlington campus infrastructure, including servers, networks, email, and data centers.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in Information Science, Computer Science, or a related field is preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Candidates must have demonstrated ISSO experience in classified environments, familiarity with personnel and facilities security, and hands-on experience with CMMC, NIST 800-171, and/or NIST 800-53.
• A CISSP or equivalent security certification is required.
• Experience supporting higher education or research-focused environments is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential, and the role requires availability for on-call and after-hours emergency support.