Project Manager - ATO & Certification Process

Two Six Technologies; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life and disability insurance

Retirement benefits

Paid leave

Tuition assistance

Professional development

Job summary

Two Six Technologies is seeking an experienced Project Manager for Product Operations to own the end-to-end ATO and certification process, including NIAP, CSfC, and FIPS 140-3 validation for DoD and IC deployments. You will also support hardware initiatives, BOM management in Arena, and vendor data accuracy in Ariba.

The role is hybrid with Arlington or Herndon, VA offices and requires 10–20% travel to interface with customers and teams on cleared programs. A TS/SCI clearance is preferred.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of project or program management in defense contracting or high-assurance hardware/software environments.
• Experience certifying software and hardware systems on DoD and IC networks.
• Experience with hardware certifications and cybersecurity validation (e.g., FIPS 140-3).
• Active TS/SCI security clearance required or in process.

Responsibilities

• ATO ownership: lead end-to-end certification and continuous authorization for DoD/IC deployments.
• Lead NIAP/Common Criteria, CSfC, and FIPS 140-3 validation efforts.
• Collaborate with tech leads, product managers, and IC/DoD customers to define requirements for ATO and reciprocal approvals.
• Promote DevSecOps and secure SDLC practices across product and engineering teams.
• Support ongoing certification status and scope expansion for hardware and software.
• Develop and document R&D-to-manufacturing processes and stage-gate criteria.
• Manage Bills of Materials in Arena for hardware products and PCB/PCBA.
• Maintain accurate vendor data in Ariba to enable planning and procurement.
• Provide regular status updates on ATO milestones to Product Leadership.
• Ensure audit-ready documentation and maintain compliance artifacts.

Skills

Project management

DoD/IC compliance

Certification management

Risk management

Tools

Arena

Ariba

PLM systems

Job description

At Two Six Technologies, we build, deploy, and implement innovative products that solve the world’s most complex challenges today. Through unrivaled collaboration and unwavering trust, we push the boundaries of what’s possible to empower our team and support our customers in building a safer global future.

Our Product Operations team is looking for a Project Manager to join our team. As the Project Manager for Product Operations you will be primarily responsible for owning the end-to-end Authority to Operate (ATO) and certification process, including NIAP Common Criteria, CSfC, and FIPS 140-3 validation for our product lines. You will ensure these systems are authorized for deployment on DoD and IC networks and remain in continuous compliance. As a secondary responsibility, you will support the Product Operations Lead on initiatives for the hardware team, including R&D-to-Manufacturing process development, BOM maintenance in Arena, and vendor data accuracy in Ariba.

This is a hybrid position and you can work from our Arlington or Herndon, VA office. Some travel (10-20%) will be required to interface with our customers and employees collaborating on cleared programs.

What you will do:

• ATO Ownership (End-to-End): Own the end-to-end process for getting authorized for deployment on DoD and IC systems, then manage continuous and ongoing certification, accreditation, risk assessment, and security requirements.
• NIAP / Common Criteria, CSfC & FIPS 140-3: Serve as the go-to expert on the certification and continuous authorization process across NIAP Common Criteria, CSfC, and FIPS 140-3 validation, ensuring compliance with government requirements and policies.
• Cross-Functional Requirements & Reciprocity: Work with stakeholders inside and outside the company, including tech leads, product managers, and existing IC/DoW customers, to define a clear list of requirements and actions needed to achieve ATO certification and pursue reciprocal ATOs with existing customers.
• DevSecOps & Secure SDLC: Steward a DevSecOps approach with product and engineering teams so security is designed in from the start, and create the artifacts needed to support a secure software development lifecycle.
• Continuous Compliance: Support the ongoing system improvements needed to maintain certification and accreditation status as they evolve, including additional hardware and cybersecurity certification processes (e.g., FIPS 140-3 validation) from a project management perspective.
• Process & Standards Development: Partner with the Product Operations Lead to build R&D-to-manufacturing processes and standards that do not currently exist, including hand-off procedures, work instructions, and stage-gate criteria for transitioning a product from engineering into production.
• BOM Management (Arena): Support accurate Bills of Materials in Arena for TST hardware product lines, mechanical (HLA) and electrical (PCB/PCBA) to help ensure each BOM reflects the current engineering configuration before release to Manufacturing.
• Vendor Data Accuracy (Ariba): Help maintain accurate, up-to-date vendor records in Ariba, including pricing, lead times, part numbers, and sourcing details, so the Manufacturing team has the reliable information it needs to plan and execute efficiently.
• Status Reporting: Provide the Product Operations Lead and Product Leadership team with regular, consolidated status on ATO and certification milestones and, secondarily, on Product Operations initiatives supporting the hardware team.
• Documentation & Audit Readiness: Maintain certification and process documentation so both the compliance and Product Operations functions are repeatable and audit-ready, reducing reliance on institutional knowledge held by any one person.

What you will need:

• 7+ years of project or program management experience within a defense contracting or high-assurance hardware/software environment
• Experience certifying software and hardware systems on both DoW and IC networks
• Experience certifying commercial technologies in addition to government-owned technologies
• Experience with hardware certifications and cybersecurity validation, such as FIPS 140-3, for high-assurance product lines
• Interest in supporting US government national security missions across the intelligence and defense communities

What we would like:

• Familiarity with PLM and vendor/procurement management systems (e.g., Arena, Ariba) or similar tools

Security clearance needed:

• Active TS/SCI

Two Six Technologies is committed to providing competitive and comprehensive compensation packages that reflect the value we place on our employees and their contributions. We believe in rewarding skills, experience, and performance.

Our offerings include but are not limited to,

• medical
• dental
• vision insurance
• life and disability insurance
• retirement benefits
• paid leave
• tuition assistance
• professional development

The projected salary range listed for this position is annualized. This is a general guideline and not a guarantee of salary. Salary is one component of our total compensation package and the specific salary offered is determined by various factors, including, but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills, geographic location, as well as contract specific affordability and organizational requirements.

Two Six Technologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture, hair type and protective hair styles (e.g., braids, twists, locs and twists)), color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions and lactation), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age (40 and over), marital status, disability, genetic information, and protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. For more information review the Two Six TechnologiesEqual Employment Opportunity and Aff Orative Action Policy and theEEO Poster .

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request reasonable workplace accommodation for any part of our employment process, please send an email to [e-mail] . Information provided will be kept confidential and used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.

Additionally, please be advised that this business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices.