Zero Trust Architecture Specialist

Cornerstone Defense LLC; Bethesda (MD); On-site; USD 190,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornerstone Defense LLC in Bethesda, MD, seeks a highly experienced Zero Trust Architecture Specialist to design, coordinate, and implement zero trust across mission-critical IC/DoD environments. The role requires deep architectural expertise, secure cloud integration, and leadership in a sensitive, classified setting.

Ideal candidates bring 15+ years of systems engineering/architecture experience, strong knowledge of IC directives and NIST/DoD standards, and the ability to brief senior IC and

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI with Poly is REQUIRED.
• 15+ years of experience in systems engineering and architecture, especially IC/DoD environments.
• Extensive knowledge of zero trust architecture, NSS, and DoD reference architectures.
• Familiarity with IC directives, policies, and standards (EO 14028, NSM-8, ICD 503, NIST 800-53, CNSSI 1253).
• Proven ability to integrate IT stack technologies across global enterprise cyber systems.

Responsibilities

• Architectural Design and Strategy: Document rules and criteria for zero trust compliance; diagram interim and future state architectures.
• Design Patterns and Standards Development: Create patterns to guide enterprise and non-enterprise systems for zero trust compliance; align with IC directives.
• IT Roadmap and Implementation Planning: Develop roadmaps for zero trust across global enterprises, including multi-cloud environments.
• Zero Trust Expertise and Governance: Apply expertise in identity, authentication, and authorization to advance zero trust.
• Stakeholder Communication and Leadership: Brief senior IC/DoD forums on architectural decisions, risks, and strategic guidance.

Skills

Zero Trust

Systems engineering

Architecture

IC/DoD environments

Stakeholder communication

Cloud architectures

Identity management

Tools

NIST 800-53

CNSSI 1253

IC directives

Job description

Position - Zero Trust Architecture Specialist

Work Location - Bethesda, MD

Security Clearance - TS/SCI with CI Polygraph

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.

Zero Trust Architecture Specialist

Seeking a highly experienced Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) Specialist to support a mission-critical customer in the Intelligence Community (IC). This position requires at least 15 years of relevant experience in systems engineering and architecture or related IT fields, with demonstrated expertise in Zero Trust principles and implementation. This position will play a pivotal role in defining, designing, and coordinating the transition of current architectures into zero trust-enabled environments across the enterprise and non-enterprise services/systems. The role requires an expert-level understanding of secure systems architecture, IC directives, and modern IT security paradigms.

While the ideal candidate is a generalist with broad expertise across ZTA principles and IC-related IT ecosystems, the customer is also open to specialists with deep knowledge in one or more relevant areas.

Primary Responsibilities:

Architectural Design and Strategy:

• Document architectural rules and develop clear criteria for system and service compliance with zero trust principles.
• Diagram interim and future state architectures, capturing transition paths from current architectures to zero trust-enabled environments.
• Define and effectively communicate integration expectations for all IT services across evolving architectures.

Design Patterns and Standards Development:

• Create and maintain design patterns to guide enterprise and non-enterprise systems in achieving compliance with zero trust specifications.
• Align all work with IC protocols, directives, and initiatives, ensuring consistency with broader government mandates.

IT Roadmap and Implementation Planning:

• Develop and refine roadmaps for IT implementation of zero trust across global enterprises, including classified and unclassified multi-cloud/multi-fabric landscapes.
• Integrate IT stack technologies, ensuring secure, scalable, and effective functionality within a global operational environment.

Zero Trust Expertise and Governance:

• Apply expert knowledge in identity, authentication, and authorization technologies to advance zero trust principles.
• Work with secure cloud architectures across multiple vendors and cloud fabrics, ensuring environments meet compliance and operational requirements.

Stakeholder Communication and Leadership:

• Engage with senior stakeholders across the IC and DoD to communicate architectural decisions, integration plans, and compliance mandates.
• Brief senior forums and provide subject matter expertise on EO 14028, NSM-8, NIST standards (e.g., 800-53, CNSSI 1253, ICD 503), and other related directives.
• Build trust and foster collaboration across IC partners and technical teams to align zero trust implementations with mission objectives.

Generalist vs. Specialist Considerations:

The customer prefers a generalist with broad expertise across ZTA and related areas but is willing to recruit a specialist who can bring significant depth in one or more core areas, such as identity management, secure cloud architecture, or IT stack integration.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI with Poly is REQUIRED.
• 15+ years of experience in systems engineering and architecture, particularly in IC and DoD-related environments.
• Extensive knowledge of zero trust architecture, including National Security System (NSS) and DoD reference architectures.
• Familiarity with IC directives, policies, and standards, such as EO 14028, NSM-8, ICD 503, NIST 800-53, CNSSI 1253, and related frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate IT stack technologies across global enterprise cyber systems with an emphasis on secure implementations.
• Deep expertise in secure cloud architecture and multi-cloud/multi-fabric landscapes (classified/unclassified environments).
• Strong knowledge of identity, authentication, and authorization technologies and frameworks central to zero trust principles.
• Proficiency in developing IT roadmaps and implementation plans for mission-critical systems.
• Demonstrated ability to work across IT domains, bringing together architecture, security, and technical integration.
• Proven ability to brief senior IC and DoD forums, providing clear and concise updates, risk assessments, and strategic guidance.
• Experience partnering across IC stakeholders, fostering collaboration and alignment of technical and operational initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications:

While not mandatory, expertise in any of the following areas is highly desirable:

• Proven experience working in classified environments and bridging the gap between enterprise and mission-specific IT landscapes.
• Certifications in systems architecture and security, such as CISSP, CCSP, or AWS Certified Solutions Architect.
• Knowledge of emerging trends and tools in zero trust architecture and secure systems development.