Principal Cybersecurity Engineer

Koniag Government Services; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off

Parental leave

Life and disability insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Commuter benefits

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Koniag Government Services is seeking a Principal Cybersecurity Engineer to provide senior technical leadership in cybersecurity engineering, architecture, and DoD-aligned security for enterprise, data, cloud, and AI modernization initiatives in Washington, DC. The role emphasizes risk-based architecture, secure integration, and DoD RMF compliance.

The candidate will advise executives, work with engineers and cloud teams, and guide DevSecOps practices while solving complex security challenges in

Qualifications

• TS/SCI eligible
• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline
• 10–15+ years in cybersecurity/security engineering or related
• Experience in senior/principal/lead roles
• Designing and securing complex enterprise systems in DoW/IC or similar
• Advanced knowledge of security architecture and engineering
• Strong DoW RMF and NIST standards knowledge
• Expertise with NIST SP 800-53, controls, assessment, and continuous monitoring
• Zero Trust architecture knowledge and implementation
• Experience securing cloud environments (AWS/Azure) and IAM
• Networking security, encryption, logging, SIEM, and security monitoring
• Experience with DevSecOps and secure SDLC integration
• Ability to communicate security risks to engineers and executives
• Leadership of technical initiatives on highly complex cybersecurity challenges

Responsibilities

• Serve as senior cybersecurity authority for DoW systems, data platforms, and AI initiatives
• Develop and evaluate architectures for cloud/hybrid/classified environments
• Integrate security across SDLC and deployment
• Design and implement Zero Trust controls (identity, access, device, network)
• Develop security architectures for data platforms supporting AI/ML and analytics
• Assess architectures to identify vulnerabilities and mission risk
• Support security across AWS, Azure, government cloud, and classified cloud
• Lead IAM, PKI, encryption, key management, secrets, and API security
• Collaborate with data, software, AI/ML, cloud, and gov cybersecurity teams
• Support DevSecOps practices: automated testing, vulnerability mgmt, SBOM, container security
• Evaluate AI/ML and API security implications for security posture
• Advise leadership on risk, architecture tradeoffs, and mitigations
• Support Authority to Operate and cybersecurity authorization aligned with risk reduction
• Review SSPs, strategies, architectures, CONOPs, interfaces, designs
• Participate in evaluations, planning, source selections, and assessments

Skills

Zero Trust

IAM / PKI

Cloud security

NIST RMF

DevSecOps

Security architecture

Risk communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity / CS / ECE / IT

Tools

Kubernetes

Docker

Terraform

GitLab/GitHub

Job description

This position may be filled prior to the posted deadline. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Koniag Professional Services, LLC a Koniag Government Services company, is seeking a Principal Cybersecurity Engineer with a TS/SCI eligible security clearance to support KPS and our government customer in Washington, DC.

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement.

Koniag Professional Services (KPS) is seekinga high-performing SETA exceptional Principal Cybersecurity Engineer / Cybersecurity Architect to provide senior-level cybersecurity engineering, architecture, and technical leadership supporting mission-critical artificial intelligence, data, cloud, and digital modernization initiatives within the Department of War. This position serves as a senior technical authority supporting government executives for designing secure enterprise architectures, integrating cybersecurity into complex systems and data environments, identifying and mitigating technical risk, and enabling rapid delivery of advanced AI and analytics capabilities within DoW security and compliance requirements.

The successful candidate must be capable of operating at both the strategic and deeply technical level, advising senior government leadership on cybersecurity risk and architecture while working directly with engineers, architects, developers, cloud teams, and cybersecurity personnel to design and implement secure operational solutions.

This is not primarily a compliance or documentation position. The position requires an experienced cybersecurity engineer capable of solving complex security architecture, cloud, identity, data protection, DevSecOps, and system integration challenges in highly sensitive DoD environments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as a senior cybersecurity technical authority supporting enterprise-scale DoW systems, data platforms, AI capabilities, and digital modernization initiatives.
• Develop and evaluate cybersecurity architectures for cloud, hybrid-cloud, on-premises, and classified computing environments.
• Integrate security engineering principles throughout the system development lifecycle, from initial requirements and architecture through deployment and operations.
• Design and implement Zero Trust architectures, including identity, credential and access management, network segmentation, device trust, application security, and data-centric security controls.
• Develop security architectures for enterprise data platforms supporting artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced analytics, and mission applications.
• Assess complex system architectures to identify vulnerabilities, attack paths, architectural weaknesses, and mission risks.
• Support cybersecurity architecture and engineering across AWS, Azure, government cloud, and classified cloud environments.
• Provide technical leadership for identity and access management, privileged access, encryption, key management, secrets management, API security, data protection, and secure system integration.
• Partner with data engineers, software engineers, AI/ML engineers, cloud architects, systems engineers, and government cybersecurity organizations.
• Support implementation of DevSecOps practices, including automated security testing, vulnerability management, software composition analysis, container security, infrastructure-as-code security, and CI/CD pipeline protection.
• Evaluate cybersecurity implications associated with artificial intelligence, generative AI, large language models, machine learning pipelines, APIs, vector databases, and emerging technologies.
• Advise program leadership regarding cybersecurity risks, architecture alternatives, technical tradeoffs, and mitigation strategies.
• Support Authority to Operate and cybersecurity authorization activities while ensuring compliance activities remain aligned with actual technical risk reduction.
• Review system security plans, cybersecurity strategies, architectures, CONOPS, interface documentation, and technical designs.
• Participate in technical evaluations, acquisition planning, source selections, engineering reviews, and contractor technical assessments.

Desired Qualifications:

Required:

• TS/SCI eligible
• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Information Technology, or another relevant technical discipline.
• Approximately 10–15+ years of progressively responsible cybersecurity, security engineering, systems engineering, or information assurance experience.
• Significant experience serving in a senior, principal, lead, architect, or technical leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience designing and securing complex enterprise systems within DoW, Intelligence Community, federal government, or similarly regulated environments.
• Advanced knowledge of cybersecurity architecture and security engineering principles.
• Strong understanding of DoW Risk Management Framework (RMF) and NIST cybersecurity standards.
• Expertise with NIST SP 800-53, security controls, security assessment, and continuous monitoring.
• Strong knowledge of Zero Trust architecture and implementation principles.
• Experience securing cloud environments, including AWS, Azure, or comparable hyperscale cloud technologies.
• Experience with identity and access management, PKI, authentication, authorization, privileged access management, and enterprise identity architectures.
• Working knowledge of network security, segmentation, firewalls, proxies, endpoint security, vulnerability management, encryption, logging, SIEM, and security monitoring.
• Strong knowledge of application and API security.
• Experience integrating cybersecurity into modern software development and DevSecOps environments.
• Ability to assess complex technical architectures and communicate security risks and tradeoffs to both engineers and senior executives.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead technical efforts involving highly complex or ambiguous cybersecurity challenges.

Preferred:

• Experience supporting OSD, CDAO, military departments, Combatant Commands, defense agencies, or other DoD enterprise organizations.
• Experience supporting cybersecurity within DoD AI, data, analytics, or digital modernization environments.
• Experience with DoW enterprise platforms such as Advana/War Data Platform or comparable data and analytics ecosystems.
• Experience with generative AI, large language models, retrieval-augmented generation, vector databases, and AI security.
• Experience operating within SIPRNet, JWICS, SAP, or other classified environments.
• Experience with cross-domain solutions and movement of data across security domains.
• Experience implementing DoD Zero Trust strategies and capabilities.
• F0amiliarity with Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, GitLab/GitHub, container security, and infrastructure as code.
• Experience with cloud-native security technologies, CSPM, CNAPP, SIEM/SOAR, and enterprise security monitoring.
• Experience with cybersecurity requirements associated with FedRAMP, DoD Impact Levels, CNSSI, FISMA, and applicable DoD cybersecurity policy.
• Familiarity with data tagging, attribute-based access control, identity-based security, and data-centric security architectures.
• Master’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.

Preferred Certifications:

• One or more advanced professional certifications such as:
• CISSP
• CISSP-ISSAP
• CISSP-ISSEP
• CCSP
• GIAC Security Expert or advanced GIAC certifications
• AWS Certified Security – Specialty
• Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert
• DoD-recognized cybersecurity certifications appropriate to the position

Our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The company is an equal opportunity employer. The company shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity (except where gender is a bona fide occupational qualification), national origin or ancestry, age, disability, citizenship, military/veteran status, marital status, genetic information or any other characteristicprotected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are committed to equal employment opportunity in all decisions related to employment, promotion, wages, benefits, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment.

The company is dedicated to seeking all qualified applicants. If you require an accommodation to navigate or apply for a position on our website, please get in touch with Heaven Wood via e‑mail at [e-mail] or by calling 703-488-9377 to request accommodations.

Koniag Government Services (KGS) is an Alaska Native Owned corporation supporting the values and traditions of our native communities through an agile employee and corporate culture that delivers Enterprise Solutions, Professional Services and Operational Management to Federal Government Agencies. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Koniag, we apply our proven commercial solutions to a deep knowledge of Defense and Civilian missions to provide forward leaning technical, professional, and operational solutions. KGS enables successful mission outcomes for our customers through solution-oriented business partnerships and a commitment to exceptional service delivery. We ensure long‑term success with a continuous improvement approach while balancing the collective interests of our customers, employees, and native communities. For more information, please visit www.koniag-gs.com.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.Shareholder Preference in accordance with Public Law 88-352