Lead Cyber Security Engineer

Mitre Corporation; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 159,000 - 238,000; Full time

Job summary

MITRE Corporation in Maryland seeks a Lead Cybersecurity Engineer to direct cyber operations initiatives and mission engineering efforts. You will produce technical work products, develop innovative TTPs, and collaborate with government sponsors to enhance operational effectiveness.

The role requires 8+ years of related experience with advanced degrees, TS/SCI clearance with polygraph, and a strong ability to communicate complex concepts to non-technical audiences.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 3 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with relevant experience who can immediately contribute at this job step; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Degree in computer science, computer engineering, cybersecurity, systems engineering, intelligence or related field preferred
• Knowledge of systems engineering, mission engineering, cyber operations, intelligence support to cyber operations, or capability development
• Hybrid onsite Fort Meade presence required with the ability to work on site in a SCIF at MITRE’s Fort Meade site and to attend regular engagements at the sponsor’s site
• Active TS/SCI clearance with CI polygraph required
• U.S. Citizenship required
• This position requires a minimum of 3 days a week on-site.

Responsibilities

• Produce technical work products to include written reports, models, and system diagrams
• Develop and/or Engineer innovative cyber operations strategies, prototypes, tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs)
• Work closely with MITRE leadership and government representatives to communicate vision and strategy to improve cyber operations
• Work with a team of MITRE personnel to implement strategy, TTPs, and/or transition prototypes
• Research and remain cognizant of technology innovation within your area of expertise and Identify ways to leverage technology to improve operational outcomes

Skills

Leadership

Cyber operations

Mission engineering

Problem solving

Communication

Team mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Job description

At MITRE, your passion fuels work that impacts our nation and improves lives. This is where your skills strengthen national security, cybersecurity, health, transportation, and citizen services. We’re a nonprofit engineering, applied research, and advanced technology organization working in the public interest. With objectivity and integrity at our core, we lead federally funded research and development centers for U.S. government agencies – collaborating with industry and academia to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions that advance our nation’s health, security, and prosperity. Our people tackle the toughest technical challenges, supported by competitive benefits, meaningful career development, and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. Choose MITRE for a career with purpose — and help shape the future.

The MITRE Ft. Meade/Annapolis Junction joint cyber operations work program is dedicated to developing innovative solutions for our sponsors to defend the nation and project power in and through the cyber domain. Applicants need to understand military cyber operations, have a vision for how to revolutionize those missions, have the passion to tackle hard problems, are adept collaborators, and have a desire to elevate MITRE’s reputation for technical quality and innovation.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Lead Cybersecurity Engineers in our work program focus on direct work that enables sponsor decision-making, situational awareness, operational concepts, and mission engineering. The staff member understands company capabilities, processes, and customers related to the cyber operations mission areas as well as the understanding of how to combine these to enable mission outcomes. The staff member should be able to work independently, with guidance in only the most complex situations to understand and decompose sponsor problems, leverage their technical expertise, and translate that into actions on deliverables that they are supporting as an individual or as a part of a team. Lead Cybersecurity Engineers may be expected to lead functional teams or complex projects; planning and guiding the work of others. MITRE expertise advances sponsor operational effectiveness and development of new capabilities and integration of technology innovations. The Lead Cybersecurity Engineer produces technical work products that guide sponsor creation and establishment of new concepts, capabilities, and policies.

Lead Cybersecurity Engineers work as a member or leader of a team of experts who work closely with operational forces to understand their mission and identify ways to leverage technology and non-material solutions to optimize mission outcomes. Additionally, you will collaborate with peers and your Task/Project Leads to identify opportunities to expand the cyber operations workspace and to leverage other work within and outside the portfolio that may have impact on government mission space.

This work is primarily in the Annapolis Junction and Fort Meade, MD area. You will meet regularly with sponsors in their workspace.

Job Responsibilities:

• Produce technical work products to include written reports, models, and system diagrams

• Develop and/or Engineer innovative cyber operations strategies, prototypes, tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs)

• Work closely with MITRE leadership and government representatives to communicate vision and strategy to improve cyber operations

• Work with a team of MITRE personnel to implement strategy, TTPs, and/or transition prototypes

• Research and remain cognizant of technology innovation within your area of expertise and Identify ways to leverage technology to improve operational outcomes

Basic Qualifications:

• Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 3 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with relevant experience who can immediately contribute at this job step; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.

• Degree in computer science, computer engineering, cybersecurity, systems engineering, intelligence or related field preferred

• Knowledge of systems engineering, mission engineering, cyber operations, intelligence support to cyber operations, or capability development

• Track record of innovative thinking and problem-solving with a bias toward action in the cyber operations domain

• Demonstrated ability to leverage technology to enable mission or supporting business operations

• Demonstrated ability to explain complex technical concepts to a non-technical audience

• Hybrid onsite Fort Meade presence required with the ability to work on site in a Secure Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) at MITRE’s Fort Meade site and to attend regular engagements at the sponsor’s site, located on Fort Meade

• Active TS/SCI clearance with CI polygraph required

• U.S. Citizenship required

• This position requires a minimum of 3 days a week on-site.

Preferred Qualifications:

Technology Application to Mission

• Ability to identify opportunities to leverage Artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, Continuous Integration/Continuous Development (CI/CD) pipelines, Platform Engineering to enable workflows and improve operations

• Knowledge of modernized testing procedures and their integration with CI/CD pipelines

• Analyze user behavior and workflows to identify and solve material and non-material operations needs

• Knowledge of Agile acquisition and the DEVSECOPS process for capability development

Operations

• Understanding of intelligence processes, collection, and targeting and how they enable mission

• Knowledge of Offensive Cyber Operations (OCO) to include exploitation, effects operations, and mission enabling activities

• Knowledge of Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO) to include cyber threat hunting, cybersecurity, or defense of critical infrastructure

• Experience working with military or other government cyber operations or commercial red/blue teams

• Active TS/SCI with full-scope polygraph is highly desired

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):

Top Secret/SCI/Polygraph

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):

Top Secret/SCI/Polygraph

Salary compensation range and midpoint:

$158,800 - $198,500 - $238,200 Annual

Work Location Type:

Onsite

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.

MITRE intends to maintain a website that is fully accessible to all individuals. If you are unable to search or apply for jobs and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of MITRE’s employment process, please email [e-mail] for general support and [e-mail] for intern positions. This service is for individuals requiring reasonable accommodation requests. Please note that vendor solicitations will not receive a reply.

Benefits information may be found here (https://careers.mitre.org/us/en/benefits) .

Copyright © 1997-2026, The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved. MITRE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. Material on this site may be copied and distributed with permission only.