Lead Cybersecurity Engineer (TS/SCI)

Praescient Analytics; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Very competitive salary

Company-paid healthcare

401(k) with company match

Travel & performance incentives

3 weeks paid time off

$5K annual training allowance

Job summary

Praescient Analytics is hiring a Lead Cybersecurity Engineer in Washington, DC. This role supports the Defense Intelligence Agency by driving cybersecurity initiatives and ensuring security in next-generation analytic applications.

The position requires a minimum of eight years of experience in application security and cybersecurity engineering, alongside an active TS/SCI clearance. The company offers competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Minimum of eight years of senior-level experience in application security and cybersecurity engineering within DoD/IC environments.
• Active DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level III certification required.
• Active TS/SCI clearance (with ability to pass/maintain a CI Polygraph).
• U.S. Citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive cybersecurity strategies and policies in alignment with NIST SP 800-53.
• Engage with the DIA CIO to ensure compliance with security mandates.
• Enforce secure software development lifecycles and coding standards.
• Oversee integration of security in CI/CD pipelines.
• Manage incident response protocols and cybersecurity operations.
• Prepare compliance artifacts for ATO submissions.
• Mentor junior cybersecurity staff on security frameworks.

Skills

Application Security

Secure Software Development

Cybersecurity Engineering

Team Mentorship

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Cybersecurity or Computer Science

Tools

SonarQube

Fortify

AWS

Azure

Kubernetes

OpenShift

Job description

Location: Washington, DC (On-site)

Job Type: Full-Time

Clearance Requirement: Active TS/SCI

US Citizenship Required

Program Overview

Praescient Analytics is seeking a highly qualified Lead Cybersecurity Engineer to support the Defense Intelligence Agency's Analytic Innovation Office (DIA/AIO). This critical initiative focuses on driving innovation through scalable AI/ML solutions, modernizing legacy applications into cloud-based Platform as a Service (PaaS) environments, and embedding robust DevSecOps practices across the Defense Intelligence All-Source Analytic Enterprise (DIAAE).

Job Description

As the Lead Cybersecurity Engineer, you will provide cybersecurity leadership, architecture design, and technical oversight for application development and systems engineering activities. You will be responsible for defining the technical security posture of all next‑generation analytic applications, ensuring secure coding practices, and driving continuous monitoring and risk assessment frameworks across multiple classification domains.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Security Oversight: Develop and implement comprehensive cybersecurity strategies, technical policies, and procedures in strict alignment with NIST SP 800-53, DoD RMF, ICD 503, and Zero Trust architecture principles.
• Collaboration & Governance: Proactively engage with the DIA CIO to ensure information technology security, architecture, and compliance mandates are effectively implemented. Collaborate on formal accreditation efforts to ensure all advanced systems achieve Authority to Operate (ATO) eligibility.
• Secure Coding Enforcements: Enforce secure software development lifecycles (SDLC) and secure coding standards aligned with OWASP guidelines.
• Automated Security Pipelines: Oversee the integration of security mechanisms into a fully automated Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline.
• Vulnerability Management: Coordinate and review comprehensive security testing results, including static code analysis (e.g., SonarQube, Fortify), dynamic application security testing (DAST), container security scanning, and third‑party dependency analysis.
• Incident Response: Manage incident response protocols, conduct defensive cybersecurity operations, track vulnerability remediations, and lead root‑cause analysis for critical security incidents.
• RMF Package Preparation: Oversee the creation and maintenance of crucial compliance artifacts, including Security Control Implementation Plans, Continuous Monitoring Strategies, Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) tracking, and complete ATO packages.
• Team Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and train junior cybersecurity staff and developers on emerging threats, application security, and cloud security frameworks.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience: Minimum of eight (8) years of senior‑level experience in application security, secure software development, and cybersecurity engineering within DoD/IC environments.
• Certification: Active DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level III certification (e.g., CASP+, CCNP Security, or equivalent).
• Clearance: Active TS/SCI clearance (with ability to pass/maintain a CI Polygraph).
• Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship is strictly required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• Advanced Certifications: Expert-level certifications such as CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, CISM, or Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH).
• Cloud & DevSecOps Expertise: Proven track record of securing cloud‑native solutions (AWS, Azure PaaS environments) and integrating automated security gates into Kubernetes or OpenShift container pipelines.
• AI/ML Security: Knowledge of securing AI/ML models against adversarial attacks, data poisoning, and model extraction vectors.
• ATO Track Record: Demonstrated history of successful ATO submissions and navigating systemic risk management processes for complex federal IT enterprises.

Benefits

• Very competitive salary based on qualifications and experience
• Comprehensive, company‑paid healthcare for you (we pay your premiums and deductibles)
• 401(k) with company match
• Travel & performance incentives
• 3 weeks paid time off (plus Federal Holidays)
• $5K annual training allowance

How to Apply

Applicants selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. US Citizenship Required. Interested candidates: Please forward your resume to [e-mail] and please visit our website to apply online at www.praescientanalytics.applicantstack.com/x/openings.