Technical Lead / Chief Security Architect

Caladwich Consulting, LLC; Washington, Northern (District of Columbia, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Caladwich Consulting, LLC seeks a Technical Lead / Chief Security Architect to provide enterprise security leadership for VA COSE. You will set architectural direction across cloud, legacy, mobile and data architectures, aligning with NIST, FISMA, FedRAMP and HIPAA requirements.

The role requires deep expertise in security engineering, architecture reviews, and risk-informed decision-making, with remote work from a contractor facility and occasional VA Central Office visits in Washington, DC.

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years in Enterprise Security Architecture or equivalent.
• Experience with security frameworks and Federal policies (NIST, FISMA, FedRAMP, HIPAA).
• Master's degree or higher in a related field; applicable IT certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise security architecture and engineering across systems, cloud, networks, data and identity.
• Develop reference architectures, roadmaps, and security patterns for VA COSE program.
• Review designs and coordinate with program leaders on risk, cost, and mission outcomes.
• Provide technical oversight and mentorship to architects and engineers.

Skills

Enterprise Security Architecture

Security Engineering

Risk Management

Federal policy compliance

NIST/FISMA/CIS Controls

Project management

Leadership

Education

Master's degree in Cybersecurity or related field

Tools

EA tools (TOGAF, SABSA)

Job description

Title

Technical Lead / Chief Security Architect / Engineer

Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Information Security COSE Support

Position: Full-Time / Remote from Contractor Facility
Primary Work Location: Contractor facility within the United States; occasional coordinated support at VA Central Office, 811 Vermont Street NW, Washington, D.C.

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Caladwich is seeking a highly motivated, detail-oriented Technical Lead / Chief Security Architect / Engineer to support the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Information Security Cybersecurity Operations and Security Engineering (COSE) program. The selected professional will provide enterprise-level technical leadership for VA cybersecurity architecture and engineering. This role establishes architectural direction, guides complex design decisions, and integrates security across legacy, cloud, mobile, data, network, and emerging-technology environments.

This position offers the opportunity to contribute directly to the modernization and protection of VA's enterprise technology ecosystem through defensible, risk-informed security architecture. The Technical Lead converts mission and security requirements into reference architectures, patterns, roadmaps, and implementation guidance.

WHO WE ARE:

Caladwich is a U.S.-based Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and SBA 8(a) certified company providing professional services and mission support solutions to federal agencies worldwide. Our capabilities include Acquisition Support, Program Management, Logistics Support Services, Process Improvement, Asset Management, and Operational Support Services for DoD, DHS, VA, and GSA customers.

As a Veteran-owned company, our mission remains steadfast: Integrity. Solutions. Results.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise security architecture and engineering activities across systems, applications, cloud, networks, data, identity, platforms, and emerging technologies.
• Advance legacy and new health IT digital architectures involving cloud, mobile, IoT, APIs, VR/XR, 5G, PQC, DLP, cryptography, quantum computing, and AI.
• Develop and govern enterprise security principles, reference architectures, solution architectures, security patterns, standards, and technical roadmaps.
• Guide architecture processes and products using Enterprise Architecture tools and recognized methods such as SABSA.
• Analyze complex technical problems, system designs, dependencies, threats, control gaps, and modernization options.
• Lead architecture design reviews throughout the conceptual and implementation lifecycle and coordinate decisions with program and project leaders.
• Conduct trade-off analyses that balance requirements, risk, cost, schedule, performance, and mission outcomes.
• Create and review system diagrams, data flows, trust boundaries, network topologies, and architecture documentation suitable for technical and executive audiences.
• Ensure architecture and engineering outputs align with NIST, FISMA, FedRAMP, CIS Controls, HIPAA, VA policy, and other applicable Federal requirements.

Operational Support

• Coordinate with VA stakeholders, technical teams, system owners, and other contractors to resolve issues and keep work aligned with VA priorities.
• Develop, maintain, and submit accurate technical documentation, status information, and contract deliverables within required timeframes.
• Apply VA security, privacy, accessibility, records-management, and configuration-management requirements to all work products.
• Support risk, issue, dependency, schedule, and quality management activities, including corrective actions and continuous improvement.
• Protect VA information and systems, use approved collaboration and remote-access methods, and promptly report security or privacy concerns.
• Participate in meetings, reviews, briefings, and occasional travel as directed and approved under the task order.
• Provide technical oversight, mentoring, peer review, and escalation support to architects and engineers across the program.
• Present architecture recommendations, risk decisions, and modernization options to VA governance bodies and senior stakeholders.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of Enterprise Security Architecture and Information Security experience at a large company or Government agency similar in size and scope to GSA, IRS, DoD, or VA.
• Expertise in project management, security architecture, security engineering, enterprise risk management, EA tools, architecture methods, complex analysis, design reviews, trade-off analysis, and system/network documentation.
• Demonstrated expertise with security frameworks and Federal policies, processes, and standards, including NIST, FISMA, FedRAMP, CIS Controls, and HIPAA.
• Master's degree in Cybersecurity, Mathematics, Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems Architecture, Telecommunications Systems Design, Architecture Implementation, Information Systems Integration, Software Development Methodologies, Security Engineering, Network Systems Communications Management, or a related field.
• Certification in one or more of the following: PMP, IAT III, IAM III, or IASAE III.
• PWS substitution: an additional advanced IT-related degree may substitute for up to five years of required experience. IAT III, IAM III, or IASAE III certification may substitute for a relevant Bachelor's degree or four years of relevant experience.

Other Requirements

• Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.
• Must successfully complete and maintain the VA personnel vetting and background investigation requirements applicable to assigned work; PWS Tasks 5.1 through 5.9 are designated Tier 4 / High Risk.
• Must complete required fingerprinting, personnel security forms, security and privacy training, and Rules of Behavior acknowledgements within Government-established timelines.
• Must qualify for and properly safeguard any required VA Personal Identity Verification (PIV) credential and Government-furnished equipment.
• Must be available and responsive during core hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on normal Federal Government workdays.
• Must be able to work from a Contractor-provided facility and travel occasionally to VA Central Office in Washington, D.C., or other approved locations when coordinated in advance.
• Remote access to VA systems must occur only through VA-approved methods and from locations permitted by VA policy.