Senior Cybersecurity & Data Protection Lead | Flexible

Jet Propulsion Laboratory; United States; On-site; USD 160,000 - 197,000; Full time

Job summary

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA seeks a senior cybersecurity leader to develop and maintain the cybersecurity requirements framework for missions and operations. You will oversee sensitive data, coordinate with the Privacy Manager and CUI Liaison, and ensure alignment with NIST, GDPR/CCPA, and CMMC.

The role requires leadership across legal, IT, and mission teams, strong risk management, and extensive experience in aerospace or cloud environments. U.S.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, CS, or IT with at least 9 years of cybersecurity experience.
• Master's degree in a related field with at least 7 years of cybersecurity experience.
• PhD in a related discipline with at least 5 years of cybersecurity experience.
• Expertise in two or more areas: NIST RMF, GDPR/CCPA, or SDLC.
• Proficiency with Splunk and DLP tools.
• Significant experience in aerospace, ground data systems, or cloud-based mission environments.
• U.S. Citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain JPL’s cybersecurity requirements framework and policies to support mission-critical functions.
• Provide oversight for sensitive data and guide strategies for Data Loss Prevention (DLP), encryption, and Privacy by Design.
• Conduct comprehensive risk assessments across IT/OT systems, supply chains, acquisitions, and external subcontracts.
• Ensure institutional alignment with standards such as NIST 800-53, GDPR/CCPA, and CMMC; manage data mapping, classification, and ethical data usage.
• Translate complex regulatory requirements into technical architectures by collaborating with legal, IT, and mission leads.
• Lead investigations into data breaches/disclosures and provide SME support for audits.

Skills

NIST RMF

Privacy frameworks

SDLC

Splunk

DLP tools

Nessus

GR&C platforms (RSA Archer)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity/CS/IT

Master's degree in related discipline

PhD in related discipline

Tools

Splunk

DLP tools

Nessus

RSA Archer

Job description

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA seeks a senior cybersecurity leader to develop and maintain the cybersecurity requirements framework for missions and operations. You will oversee sensitive data, coordinate with the Privacy Manager and CUI Liaison, and ensure alignment with NIST, GDPR/CCPA, and CMMC.

The role requires leadership across legal, IT, and mission teams, strong risk management, and extensive experience in aerospace or cloud environments. U.S.