Offensive/Defensive Cybersecurity Expert

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

Information Systems and Cyber Division (ISCD) staff couple the latest in information system technologies, such as elastic compute clouds, containerization, microservices, real-time operating systems, and visualization frameworks, with expertise in cyber security, software architecture, software engineering, data science, Artificial Intelligence, process improvement, and software development to deliver responsive, resilient, high-performance software intensive systems to our Intelligence Community, DoD, and civilian customers.

The Cyber Operations & Resiliency Department (CORD) focusses on providing various forms of cyber engineering support to a variety of US National Security Systems (NSS) within the US space enterprise and as part of United States Space Force (USSF) and United States Air Force (USAF) weapon systems.  We are looking for a expert in the fields of cybersecurity offensive & defensive techniques, cyber threat hunting, penetration techniques, as well as knowing the on-system and off-system cyber defensive measures necessary to mitigate various attack techniques (Senior Engineering Specialist - Cybersecurity Architecture and Information Systems Security).  We are looking for someone who has an extensive knowledge of cyber adversary attack techniques and who can use that knowledge to identify the biggest shortcomings of a given system’s cybersecurity architecture as well as identify and/or help develop defensive cybersecurity capabilities that will provide the most cyber risk reduction. 

Work Model

• This is a full-time position based in Colorado Springs, offering a hybrid work model that combines 3 regular onsite workdays and remote flexibility as the business needs allow. 

What You’ll Be Doing

• You’ll be assessing the cybersecurity architecture of various existing/fielded systems or designing cybersecurity architectures for “in development systems” in order to identify the most profound cyber gaps/shortcomings, identifying the highest return (in terms of cyber risk reduction) investments in cyber tools/procedures, and in some cases, providing hands-on/direct cyber engineering support to Space and NSS programs and operators
• You’ll be working with other departments in Aerospace corp, with system/organization contractors, with other Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC), and with military and Federal employees to facilitate cybersecurity improvements among a variety of critical Space and NSSs
• The applicant will need to Operate Strategically, Engage with Impact, Foster Innovation, and Deliver Results in environments that often entail both technical and political challenges

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM or related technical area.
• 10 years’ of experience in cybersecurity field while serving in at least one of the following types of cyber organizations:
  • A military cyber/communications unit
  • An intelligence community cyber unit
  • As part of an NSS’s program office (e.g., space system program office, weapon system program office) as part of the cybersecurity team (e.g., Information System Security Manager (ISSM), Information System Security Officer (ISSO), Information System Security Engineer (ISSE), etc.)
• Hands on/documented experience in activities such as: cyber threat hunting, or cyber incident response, or cyber penetration testing, or analyzing cyber intelligence,
• Experience or working knowledge in configuring/installing/maintaining defensive cybersecurity capabilities (e.g., intrusion detection systems (IDS)
• Proven ability in security information event management (SIEM) solutions, endpoint detection and response (EDR), etc.))
• Willingness to travel occasionally to work location or customer site/domestically/internationally at a rate of up to 2 times a month as needed.
• This position requires an active top secret clearance a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or