Cyber security subject matter expert

Looking for an opportunity to make an impact? Join the Leidos Digital Modernization (DigiMod) team in accelerating information technology in a changing world where we make a difference by modernizing critical networks for our government and commercial customers.

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We are seeking a highly organized, detail‑oriented Cyber Security Subject Matter Expert to join the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) Program Management Office (PMO) Team. This role provides senior-level cybersecurity architecture and technical expertise to support the design, security, and ongoing operation of complex hybrid cloud and enterprise infrastructure environments. The ideal candidate brings extensive experience in cybersecurity, systems architecture, cloud technologies, enterprise networking, and infrastructure operations, with the ability to assess technical requirements, identify security risks, and develop practical recommendations that support mission and enterprise objectives.

The successful candidate will work closely with senior technical leaders, government stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to evaluate current and future technology needs, strengthen cybersecurity posture, and advance secure, resilient, and scalable solutions across the environment. Strong communication, technical problem-solving, and independent decision-making skills are essential, as is the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear recommendations, documentation, and actionable solutions.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Review and evaluate system design documents, engineering configurations, and solution architectures developed by CDM integrators; provide technical analysis and recommendations based on cybersecurity requirements, emerging technologies, future needs, and industry trends.
• Review and provide input to system requirements based on cybersecurity posture.
• Compile industry best practices and lessons learned into future iterations and new designs.
• Provide broad-based experience in IT Service Management and apply the experience to specific cyber security initiatives relating to system design, development, and operations and maintenance.
• Work with the Senior Security Architect to ensure current and planned systems support the overall enterprise architecture strategy and technical reference model.
• Evaluate deployed infrastructure for security, availability, reliability, and performance and recommend improvements.
• Provide technical analysis and engineering support for the deployment, configuration, and integration of cybersecurity data collection services and tools.
• Evaluate O&M activities and system performance and provide recommendations to improve security, reliability, and operations.
• Collaborate, Coordinate, and build relationships with customer representatives and external stakeholders.
• Manage multiple assignments, changing priorities, and work independently with little oversight.
• Support processes to evaluate and improve all operating systems, hardware support, software, firmware solutions and provide advisement concerning future purchase of the same.
• Work with relevant stakeholders to analyze technical issues at the network, system, and application levels and recommend solutions.
• Review and evaluate cybersecurity data flows, interfaces, data models, integration approaches, data quality, and normalization across CDM tools and enterprise data platforms; identify gaps and provide technical recommendations.
• Draft technical documentation, reports, and presentations as needed for customer or internal use.
• Perform analysis of security posture by reviewing vulnerability and compliance scans and making recommendations for remediations.
• Support operations across multiple geographic locations.
• Support mentoring and cross-team knowledge sharing.
• Reviews documentation and diagrams created by team members (e.g., system specifications).
• Writes documentation, including technical standards and processes.

Basic Qualifications:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must have a Secret Clearance.
• Master’s degree with 15+ years of relevant professional experience; OR a PhD degree with 13+ years of relevant experience.
• 5+ years of experience directly supporting and interfacing with government customers.
• Experience with Azure and AWS services and components to build, manage, and maintain cloud environments.
• Cloud skills – Understanding of cloud terminology, architecture, and tools to include installing, provisioning, and monitoring.
• Experience installing, configuring, securing, and troubleshooting Linux Operating Systems.
• Experience deploying, configuring, and drawing security insights from tools such as Qualys, Wraithwatch, and Databricks in a hybrid cloud/on-prem environment.
• Utilize Databricks Delta Lake pipelines (Bronze, Silver, Gold tables) to clean, structure CDM data for precise mission reporting.
• Understand AI/ML models in Databricks to identify security gaps, automating threat detection across DHS networks.
• Analyze Qualys data fields, metadata, scan values to map security telemetry accurately into CDM data models.
• Identify gaps in Qualys data outputs to help team members understand asset details, improving overall reporting.
• Experience managing enterprise networks.
• Candidate must, at a minimum, possess a current DoD 8570/8140-recognized certification applicable to the position's assigned DCWF work role and proficiency level. Examples include CCNP Enterprise, CISM, CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, GCIA, GDSA, GICSP, CCSP, CSSLP, GCSA, GSEC, SecurityX (formerly CASP+), or other applicable DoD 8140-approved certifications.
• Personnel supporting the Department of Homeland Security are required to obtain an Entry on Duty (EOD) clearance to support this program.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with cybersecurity programs or federal IT environments.
• Experience with tools such as Tenable, Regscale, Tines, and Axonius.
• Experience with scripting and automation using languages such as Python and PowerShell.
• Experience creating reports and dashboards with data visualization tools such as PowerBI.
• Experience working with SIEM tools such as Splunk to ingest, normalize, store, and maintain data from endpoint, network, and application source types.
• Proficiency with SQL and experience querying cybersecurity data from various database platforms (e.g., SIEM, data lakes, relational databases).
• Experience with data modeling and mapping system data flows for the purpose of cybersecurity analysis.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.