Senior Cybersecurity Engineer – Defense Aircraft & RMF

Shield; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield in Arlington, VA seeks a Senior Cybersecurity Engineer to lead cybersecurity for an airborne aerospace and defense platform. You will integrate cybersecurity across avionics, mission systems, aircraft networks, communications, embedded software, and ground-support systems.

You will define protections, conduct threat modeling and risk assessments, and lead RMF activities while coordinating with engineering teams, suppliers, customers, and program leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, computer engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering, systems engineering, or related field.
• Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience with aircraft, aerospace, defense, or other mission-critical embedded systems.
• Knowledge of avionics, mission systems, platform networks, communications, or data links.
• Experience with threat modeling, secure system architecture, vulnerability analysis, and security testing.
• Familiarity with DoD RMF, NIST security guidance, cryptography, and key management.
• Strong technical leadership, writing, and customer communication skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain the required security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop the platform's cybersecurity architecture, requirements, and protection strategy.
• Perform threat modeling, vulnerability assessments, attack-surface analysis, and cyber risk assessments.
• Define protections for secure boot, authentication, access control, encryption, key management, software updates, and data communications.
• Apply defense-in-depth across aircraft systems, networks, radios, data links, and external interfaces.
• Lead DoD RMF activities and develop required authorization evidence.
• Evaluate hardware, software, firmware, and supplier designs for cybersecurity risks.
• Develop cybersecurity verification plans and support vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and cyber-resiliency testing.
• Coordinate risk mitigation and corrective actions with engineering teams, suppliers, customers, and program leadership.
• Ensure cybersecurity solutions support aircraft safety, availability, and mission effectiveness.

Skills

Threat modeling

Secure system architecture

Vulnerability analysis

Security testing

Technical leadership

Customer communication

Security clearance eligibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in cybersecurity or related field

Active U.S. security clearance

Tools

DoD RMF

NIST 800-53/800-160

Cryptography & key management

Anti-tamper & supply-chain risk

Cross-domain solutions

Job description

Shield in Arlington, VA seeks a Senior Cybersecurity Engineer to lead cybersecurity for an airborne aerospace and defense platform. You will integrate cybersecurity across avionics, mission systems, aircraft networks, communications, embedded software, and ground-support systems.

You will define protections, conduct threat modeling and risk assessments, and lead RMF activities while coordinating with engineering teams, suppliers, customers, and program leadership.