Sr. Cybersecurity Analyst with Security Clearance

Cornerstone Defense LLC; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornerstone Defense is seeking a Sr. Cybersecurity Analyst in Reston, VA to guide government clients through the ATO process and maintain certifications for their information systems.

Responsibilities include monitoring security incidents, analyzing threats, and implementing government-aligned controls, with a focus on NIST RMF, FISMA, and FedRAMP requirements. Requires TS/SCI with CI poly and CISSP or equivalent.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience as a cybersecurity analyst with a focus on Government System ATO support.
• Strong experience with government regulatory frameworks, compliance requirements, and security standards for ATO (NIST SP 800-53, RMF, ICD 503, FISMA, FedRAMP).
• Experience achieving/maintaining ATO for IL5 to IL6+ on NIPR, SIPR, JWICS.
• Expertise with government ATO assessment tools, vulnerability scanning, and IDS/IPS.

Responsibilities

• Guide government clients through the ATO process to obtain and maintain certifications for information systems.
• Monitor, analyze, and respond to security incidents and threats in government environments.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement and maintain government-aligned security controls (firewalls, encryption, access controls).
• Investigate incidents to determine cause and impact and develop containment and recovery strategies.

Skills

ATO compliance

Incident response

Forensic analysis

CISSP

TS/SCI clearance

NIST RMF

FISMA

FedRAMP

Intrusion detection

Vulnerability tools

Job description

Sr. Cybersecurity Analyst Reston, VA Active TS/SCI with poly As a Sr. Cybersecurity Analyst, your focus will be on Government System Authority to Operate (ATO) support. You will be responsible for guiding government clients through the intricate process of obtaining and maintaining ATO certifications for their information systems. You will leverage your expertise in government cybersecurity standards and regulations to monitor, analyze, and respond to potential security incidents and threats. Your role will ensure that our government clients systems meet the stringent security requirements necessary for ATO compliance while aligning with government-specific cybersecurity guidelines.

Company Overview:

Cornerstone Defense is the Employer of Choice within the Intelligence, Defense, and Space communities of the U.S. Government. Realizing early on that our most prized assets are our employees, we continually focus our attention on improving the overall work/life experience they have supporting the mission. Our Team is pushed every day to use their industry leading knowledge to provide end-to-end solutions to combat our nation's toughest and most secure problems. If you are looking for a place to not only be professionally challenged, but encouraged and supported by a company that cares, don't look any further than Cornerstone Defense.

Job Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with government clients to thoroughly understand their system architectures, security requirements, and objectives for achieving and maintaining ATO status within the context of government regulations.
• Conduct exhaustive security assessments and risk analyses that cater to government system compliance, identifying vulnerabilities and potential threats specific to government systems.
• Monitor security systems, logs, and network traffic with a keen focus on government cybersecurity guidelines, identifying any suspicious activity, intrusions, or unauthorized access attempts.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to establish and maintain government-aligned security measures, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, data encryption, and access controls.
• Investigate and analyze security incidents to determine their cause, impact, and appropriate response.
• Develop and implement incident response plans, including containment, eradication, and recovery strategies. Required Skills:
• 10+ years of experience as a cybersecurity analyst with a specialization in Government System ATO support, demonstrating deep knowledge of government ATO principles, methodologies, and tools.
• Strong experience in government regulatory frameworks, compliance requirements, and security standards specific to ATO (e.g., NIST SP 800-53, RMF, ICD 503, FISMA, FedRAMP)
• Demonstrated and repeat experience achieving and maintaining ATO for cloud services and solutions from IL5 to IL6+ on NIPR, SIPR, and JWICS.
• Understanding of network protocols, operating systems, and infrastructure components.
• Strong proficiency in incident response, security incident handling, and forensic analysis techniques.
• Expertise with government specific ATO assessment tools, vulnerability scanning tools, and intrusion detection/prevention systems.
• Effective communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• CISSP or equivalent certification to support DoD 8140 requirements
• Active TS//SCI clearance with CI poly