Junior Cyber Operations Planner

Athenix Solutions Group; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Athenix Solutions Group is seeking a Junior Cyber Operations Planner to support USCYBERCOM planning in the Ft. Meade area. The role involves developing Cyberspace Operations plans, coordinating targets, and drafting essential orders for staff and execution teams.

You will engage with JOPG/OPT groups and integrate cyber capabilities into cohesive plans. The candidate should hold an associate degree or higher in a STEM field or related program and possess TS/SCI with polygraph clearance.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI with Polygraph clearance required.
• Associates degree or higher in STEM or related field with capability to complete within one year.
• 5–8 years of CO Planner experience or equivalent in related DHS/JFHQ-C roles.
• Familiarity with JP 5-0 Joint Operational Planning and cyber operations.
• Formal Cyber Operational Planner training within DoD or IC.

Responsibilities

• Engage in approved CO plans development and staffing with collaborative teams.
• Support targeting selection, synchronization, and integration during CO execution.
• Draft and staff OP LANS, OP ORD S, and FRAGOs as required.
• Support JOPG/OPT groups and integrate cyberspace capabilities into plans.
• Develop course of action concepts and document comprehensive plans.
• Provide situational awareness across projects, COPs, and current operations.
• Review and prioritize operational requirements for cyber capabilities.
• Analyze CO capabilities and ensure alignment with objectives.
• Transition planning efforts to current operations and coordinate timelines.
• Navigate DoD/IC structures to align across organizations.

Skills

Cyberspace Operations

Planning & Coordination

Threat Analysis

Collaborative Work

Education

Associates degree or higher in STEM

National Security Studies

Tools

Power BI

Job description

Description

Athenix Solutions Group is looking for a Junior Cyber Operations Planner in the Ft. Meade area. This individual will support Department of Defense Joint Planning processes that underpin United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) operations. Individuals will engage in Cyberspace Operational Planning activities supporting on-site contract support to USCYBERCOM J3 (Operations), Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF), and Joint Task Force-Ares (JTF-ARES).

Job Responsibilities:

• Engage in approved plans development and staffing processes within collaborative environment to enable range of Cyberspace Operations (CO) according to USCYBERCOM planning guidance and applicable Joint publications.
• Support targeting selection, validation, synchronization, and enable integration during the execution of activities within Cyber Warfare domain.
• Draft and staff foundational planning documents such as Operational Plans (OPLANS), Operational Orders (OPORDs), and Fragmentary Orders (FRAGOs).
• Support Joint Operational Planning Groups and Teams (OPG/OPT), and develop and integrate Cyberspace capabilities into plans.
• Develop concepts of support, courses of action, integrate command and external capabilities, coordinate and document comprehensive plans.
• Engage in, and provide situational awareness to, range of projects, Crisis Action Teams, and current operations activities supporting OPTs.
• Develop and review specific CO plans and guidance for integration into broader planning activities and to ensure that execution and resource allocation decisions align with organization objectives.
• Demonstrate knowledge of cyber threats and attack methods and techniques emanating from state and non-state adversaries and tiered vulnerabilities within Blue Space as focus of threats.
• Develop and execute comprehensive programs for assessing CO and validating operational performance characteristics.
• Review, approve, prioritize, and submit operational requirements for research, development, and/or acquisition of cyber capabilities.
• Develop and maintain deliberate and/or CO crisis plans.
• Analyze and assess internal and external partner CO capabilities and tools.
• Transition operational planning efforts to current operations.
• Navigate organizational structure as it pertains to full spectrum CO, including the functions, responsibilities, and interrelationships among distinct internal elements.
• Integrate and synchronize intelligence planning activities with operational planning timelines.
• Conduct long-range, strategic planning efforts with internal and external partners in cyber activities.
• Interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies, and guidance relevant to organization cyber objectives.
• Communicate complex information, concepts, or ideas in a confident and well-organized manner through verbal, written, and/or visual means.

Requirements

• Active TS/SCI with Polygraph clearance required
• Associates degree or higher within STEM field, National Security Studies, or field of study supporting operational art & science, or ability to complete degree within one year of hire
• Five (5) to eight (8) years of recent (since 2014) work experience as CO Planner: can waive two years of experience requirement for every year spent on a Combat Mission Team (CMT) in any work role; can waive two (2) years work experience requirement for every year spent in an Offensive Cyberspace Operations planner role within a Joint Force Headquarters – Cyber (JFHQ-C) command; OR four (4) years of recent (since 2013) work experience in offensive cyberspace capabilities development: can waive two (2) years of experience requirement for every year spent on a CMT in any work role
• Familiarity with military operations including phases of planning, approval, and execution
• Intimate familiarity with applicable Joint Publications such as JP 5-0 Joint Operational Planning
• Formal training as Cyber Operational Planner within Department of Defense or Intelligence Community
• Broad knowledge of Blue-space Cyber capabilities and demonstrate understanding of available Cyber infrastructure or platforms to conduct OCO
• Knowledge of the range of CO and their underlying intelligence support needs, topics, and focus areas
• Knowledge of computer networking fundamentals as well as concepts, terminology, and operations of a wide range of communications media (computer and telephone networks, satellite, fiber, wireless)
• Ability to support timely, accurate, relevant analytical production, to include documents, summaries, issue papers, talking points, and briefings
• Demonstrated proficiency working in a fast-paced collaborative environment, ability to proactively multi-task and meet short deadlines
• Able to work across Department of Defense and Intelligence Community agencies to support organizational goals

Desirables:

• Bachelors degree or higher within STEM field, National Security Studies, or field of study supporting operational art & science
• Intimate familiarity with USCYBERCOM organizational structure and mission
• Prior experience supporting Joint operations across multiple warfighting domains
• Demonstrated experience incorporating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning into operations at any level to increase efficiency and effectiveness of operational outcomes
• Experience with Space-enabled CO
• Joint Professional Military Education, Phase II (JPME II) graduate, or civilian equivalency
• Formal training within field of Cyber Warfare and Joint Operations
• Completion of Service-specific or Joint Cyberspace Operational Planning courses, such as Army Cyberspace Operations Planners Course or Joint Cyberspace Operations Planners Course
• Familiar with art of Data Science and applicability to CO
• Familiar with Microsoft Power BI data visualization software
• Desired Certifications: DoD 8570 IAT Level II (CCNA Security, COMPTIA CySA+, COMPTIA Security + CE, GICSP, GSEC, SSCP)

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.