Physical Security Lead

Sheladia Associates, Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Paid holidays

Paid time off

HSA

Job summary

Sheladia Associates, Inc. is seeking a Physical Security Lead to direct security assessments, planning, design coordination, and the implementation of protective measures for diplomatic facilities worldwide, integrating security with architecture and operations.

The role requires leading security programs, developing integrated solutions for perimeter protection, access control, standoff, blast mitigation, and secure-facility planning, coordinating with design teams and government stakeholders;

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a security-related field is required.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive physical-security experience.
• Professional credentials such as PSP, CPP, PE, or RA preferred.
• Experience with security assessments, protective design, and security-upgrade programs.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance when required.

Responsibilities

• Lead physical-security assessments, planning, and design coordination.
• Develop integrated security solutions for perimeter protection and access control.
• Coordinate security requirements with architecture, site, and construction disciplines.
• Translate government security requirements into practical design recommendations.
• Prepare security narratives, scopes of work, schedules, and phased implementation plans.
• Mentor security staff and support client presentations and proposals.

Skills

Physical security

Protective design

Security engineering

Program leadership

Stakeholder coordination

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in security management, architecture, engineering, criminal justice, or related field

Job description

SHELADIA Associates is a multi-disciplinary international professional consulting firm with demonstrated experience in the successful management and implementation of development projects worldwide. SHELADIA believes practicality and sustainability in development projects require flexible resource management, active participation of all stakeholders, and a shared goal of strengthening institutions and operational systems to optimize available resources.

Equal Opportunity and Affiantive Action Employer.

Job Description

This position is contingent upon contract award and subsequent task-order requirements. It is intended to support SHELADIA's pursuit of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), 2026 Worldwide A/E Support Services IDIQ. Employment, assignments, travel, and project responsibilities will be based on awarded task orders.

The program may support planning, design, construction, facility rehabilitation, system replacement, security upgrades, communications facilities, and building maintenance at Foreign Service posts worldwide and OBO offices in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Services may include professional support services, constructability reviews, critical-path schedule and risk analyses, and project-budget analyses.

The Physical Security Lead will direct physical-security assessments, planning, design coordination, and implementation of protective measures for diplomatic facilities worldwide, integrating security with architecture, engineering, site planning, operations, constructability, and mission continuity.

• Lead the physical-security program, including security assessments, vulnerability analyses, protective-design criteria, feasibility studies, and security-upgrade programs.
• Develop and oversee integrated security solutions for perimeter protection, controlled access, standoff, forced-entry and ballistic resistance, blast mitigation, and secure-facility planning.
• Serve as the security lead within multidisciplinary project teams, coordinating security requirements with architecture, site/civil, landscape, structural, electrical, technical-security, cost, scheduling, and construction disciplines.
• Translate U.S. Government security requirements into practical, technically sound, constructible, and cost-effective design recommendations and implementation strategies.
• Evaluate existing facilities and develop prioritized security improvements, including phased upgrades for active and occupied facilities while maintaining life safety, mission continuity, and Government operations.
• Coordinate directly with authorized U.S. Government security stakeholders, facility managers, design teams, contractors, consultants, authorities having jurisdiction, and approved host-country partners.
• Prepare security narratives, technical criteria, scopes of work, reports, risk and cost inputs, schedules, review comments, and phased implementation plans.
• Lead or participate in facility assessments, multidisciplinary design reviews, constructability reviews, value engineering, and construction-phase security coordination.
• Ensure classified, controlled, procurement-sensitive, and other sensitive Government information is properly handled, protected, and distributed through authorized processes.
• Provide security quality-control reviews, mentor security staff, and support Government client presentations, proposals, and interviews as permitted.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in security management, architecture, engineering, criminal justice, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in physical security, protective design, security engineering, or related services.
• Professional credential appropriate to the discipline, such as PSP, CPP, PE, or RA.
• Demonstrated experience with physical-security assessments, protective design, and security-upgrade programs.
• Knowledge of perimeter security, access control, standoff, forced-entry/ballistic resistance, blast mitigation, and secure-facility planning.
• Ability to properly handle classified, controlled, procurement-sensitive, and releasable information.
• Strong leadership, communication, technical writing, and professional judgment skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government personnel security clearance when required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in security, architecture, engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with diplomatic, federal, defense, intelligence, mission-critical, or high-security facilities.
• International experience supporting security upgrades in occupied and operational facilities.
• Current or previously held U.S. Government personnel security clearance, where legally permissible to consider.
• Experience coordinating U.S. Government standards with host-country laws, codes, authorities, and construction practices.

Additional Information

International and domestic travel is expected and may include short-notice trips to overseas diplomatic facilities and other project locations. Travel requirements may vary based on assigned projects, task orders, and client requirements.

Salary: $125,000-$190,000 per year, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Sheladia Associates, Inc. has made the best effort to accurately represent the pay range for this position, however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, and any applicable cost of living data relevant to the position/candidate.

Other compensation

Opportunities for annual increase and bonus, and other types of bonuses

Sheladia provides employees with the opportunity to work in a diverse, multi-cultural environment with exposure to and collaboration with multiple disciplines on a variety of projects. You will work in a hands-on, collaborative team environment.

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health Savings Account (HSA; with eligible medical plan enrollment)
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability
• Medical insurance
• Paid holidays
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Sheladia Associates, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to age, color, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, disability status or any other protected characteristics.

Does not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters/recruitment agencies or utilize any such agency or firm for our recruitment/talent acquisition needs. Please do not solicit candidates or services to any Sheladia employees.