Sr Cyber Security Engineer

Scires; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Scires in Huntsville, AL is seeking an Associate Cybersecurity Architect to partner with the Senior Cybersecurity Architect and drive the architecture strategy across mission-critical systems.

You will lead security architecture across network, IAM, data protection, and cloud security, mentor engineers, and coordinate with vendors to maintain a secure, compliant posture. This role requires US citizenship and the ability to obtain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in cybersecurity architecture, security engineering, or enterprise IT security in large government/defense programs.
• Bachelor's degree in CS/Cybersecurity/IS or 4 additional years of relevant experience in lieu of degree.
• Certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, CISM, ISSAP, or GICSP.
• Experience in systems integrator environments securing multi-vendor, multi-technology solutions.
• Deep expertise in Zero Trust Architecture, network security design, IAM, and data protection at scale.
• Mastery of FedRAMP, RMF, NIST 800-53, FISMA, and related governance frameworks.
• Proven leadership as second-in-command and cross-functional alignment across teams

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the cybersecurity architecture vision across networks, apps, data, IAM, and endpoints.
• Governing reference architectures, standards, and patterns for a consistent security posture with internal teams and vendors.
• Support adoption of Zero Trust Architecture and segmentation, identity verification, and least-privilege controls.
• Assist in roadmap development, identify gaps, and prioritize modernization efforts.
• Lead security reviews and coordinate with engineering, operations, and leadership to ensure secure designs

Skills

Zero Trust Architecture

Security architecture

Leadership

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Cybersecurity/IS or equivalent

Tools

MBSE

Job description

Description

SRC is seeking an Associate Cybersecurity Architect to partner with and report directly to the Senior Cybersecurity Architect - Cyber Team Lead. Together, you will define, execute, and scale the cybersecurity architecture strategy across integrated systems. As the second-in-command for cybersecurity, you will support the Cyber Team Lead in securing the full spectrum of integrated systems—encompassing custom-developed, COTS, GOTS, and third-party vendor components. You will serve as a key technical authority and authorized delegate for the Senior Architect, guiding multi-disciplinary engineering teams, subcontractors, and program leadership through the unique challenge of building and protecting critical systems and facilities in an evolving threat landscape.

Responsibilities

• Security Architecture & Strategy
  • Partnering with the senior cybersecurity architect to define and maintain the cybersecurity architecture vision, encompassing network security, application security, data protection, identity and access management (IAM), and endpoint security
  • Co-developing and governing cybersecurity reference architectures, standards, and design patterns that ensure a consistent security posture across internal engineering teams and vendor-delivered components
  • Supporting the enterprise-wide adoption of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), helping to define segmentation strategies, identity verification models, and least-privilege access controls
  • Assisting in cybersecurity technology roadmap development, identifying strategic investments, capability gaps, and modernization priorities
  • Collaborating to architect cybersecurity controls that account for mission-essential and national security operational implications—ensuring mechanisms do not introduce latency or single points of failure
• Integration Security & Governance
  • Conducting security architecture assessments across the USSPACECOM system portfolio, identifying vulnerabilities and trust boundary gaps
  • Co-managing security interface requirements and security-relevant Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for system-to-system data exchanges
  • Conducting technical security reviews of vendor and subcontractor deliverables to ensure alignment with enterprise cybersecurity standards
  • Acting as the alternate chair or co-chair for security architecture review boards on behalf of the Senior Architect to adjudicate security trade-offs and enforce architectural standards
• Compliance & Risk
  • Working with leadership to ensure enterprise-wide compliance with FedRAMP, RMF, NIST 800-53, FISMA, DoD/FAA cybersecurity directives, and agency policies
  • Supporting threat modeling, risk assessments, and attack surface analyses across the integrated enterprise
  • Collaborating with cybersecurity operations, incident response, and security monitoring teams to ensure architectural designs support effective detection and recovery
  • Assisting in architecting security solutions for hybrid and multi-cloud environments (AWS GovCloud, Azure Government) to meet federal compliance
• Leadership & Communication
  • Serving as a trusted advisor, sounding board, and operational deputy to the cyber team lead
  • Acting as the primary delegate for the senior architect in executive briefings, customer meetings, and cross-functional planning sessions when required
  • Mentoring and guiding security engineers, solution architects, and development teams to ensure cybersecurity is preserved
  • Driving cross-functional alignment across software engineering, data architecture, infrastructure, and operations teams to execute the Lead Architect’s strategic vision

Requirements

• 10‑15+ years of experience in cybersecurity architecture, security engineering, or enterprise IT security within large-scale government or defense programs
• Bachelor's degree in computer science, cybersecurity, information systems, computer engineering, or a related field (or 4 additional years of relevant experience in lieu of degree)
• Relevant industry certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, CISM, ISSAP, or GICSP
• Demonstrated experience within a systems integrator environment, securing multi‑vendor, multi‑technology solutions across complex trust boundaries
• Deep expertise in Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), network security design, IAM, and data protection strategies at enterprise scale
• Mastery of FedRAMP, RMF, NIST 800-53, FISMA, and federal cybersecurity governance frameworks
• Proven ability to step into a leadership role, act decisively as a second-in-command, and drive security alignment across engineering and operations teams

Desired Skills

• Experience securing FAA, aviation, national airspace systems, or defense Command and Control (C4I) systems
• Background in securing real‑time systems, low‑latency architectures, and edge computing environments
• Experience with network security architecture (SD‑WAN, micro‑segmentation) within large-scale environments
• Familiarity with DevSecOps pipeline security, automated threat detection, and container security
• Hands‑on experience with Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) or architecture modeling tools
• Knowledge of Executive Order (EO) 14028, OMB M‑22‑09 Zero Trust implementation, and HSPD‑12 identity management

Clearance Information

SRC IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE U.S. CITIZENSHIP AS WELL AS A U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITY CLEARANCE AT THE TOP SECRET / SCI LEVEL

Travel Requirements

• Travel in and around local COS or Huntsville AOR in Support of US Space Command operations.
• Travel up to 2 weeks per month in COS, Huntsville, Charleston, Atlanta

EEO

Scientific Research Corporation is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in employment.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state or local law.

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