Senior Cybersecurity Engineer / Security Architect (MLS & High-Assurance Systems) Location: Hanover, MD (on-site) Type: Full-time Clearance Required: No clearance required, must be clearable The Senior Cybersecurity Engineer / Security Architect is responsible for defining, implementing, and evaluating advanced cybersecurity solutions for high-assurance environments supporting sensitive and classified information. This role requires deep expertise in multilevel security (MLS), security architecture, and risk management, with a strong foundation in NIST and CMMI-aligned cybersecurity programs. The individual will operate independently or as part of a multidisciplinary team, providing technical leadership, mentoring junior staff, and delivering defensible security solutions for complex systems. Responsibilities - Define and document security requirements for high-assurance systems and applications.
- Evaluate security technologies and products to ensure suitability for classified or sensitive environments
- Design and implement MLS-compliant security solutions addressing complex data separation and access control challenges.
- Conduct and support cybersecurity risk assessments aligned to NIST CSF and CMMI maturity models.
- Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and subject-matter expertise to junior engineers and analysts.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure security solutions align with mission, compliance, and operational needs.
Required Qualifications Core Cyber Security & Information Protection Experience - Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in information protection, including the design, implementation, and governance of security programs or processes for the protection of sensitive or classified information.
- Demonstrated experience performing IT risk assessments, threat analysis, and security control evaluations in complex enterprise or government environments.
- Proven ability to work independently or under general supervision, contributing as a senior technical resource on cybersecurity initiatives.
- Experience coaching and mentoring junior technical staff, providing guidance in highly specialized security disciplines.
Security Architecture & Requirements Definition - At least eight (8) years of specialized experience in:
- Defining computer security requirements for high-level or mission-critical applications.
- Evaluating and validating approved security product capabilities.
- Designing and implementing solutions to Multilevel Security (MLS) problems.
- Hands-on experience translating mission, system, and regulatory requirements into enforceable security architectures and technical controls.
Frameworks, Standards, and Maturity Models - Demonstrated experience supporting or delivering cybersecurity projects aligned to:
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF)
- Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)
- Hands-on experience translating mission, system, and regulatory requirements into enforceable security architectures and technical controls.
Specialized Technical Disciplines - Penetration testing and adversarial security assessments.
- Intrusion detection, security monitoring, and audit log analysis.
- Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and certificate-based trust models.
- Cryptography and cryptographic key management.
- Strong authentication mechanisms and identity assurance.
- Multilevel Security (MLS) architectures and trusted systems design.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Business, or a closely related discipline. Preferred Qualifications - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills in complex, high-risk environments.
- Ability to communicate technical security concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Experience operating in regulated, government, or defense-related environments.
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