Northrop Grumman is seeking a Sr. Principal Cyber Systems Engineer to support the C2BMC Missile Defense Integration program at Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This on-site role focuses on installing, administering, and assessing cybersecurity capabilities that strengthen security operations and support ISSO control validation.
You will work across endpoint protection and monitoring, vulnerability and compliance scanning, and SIEM-based monitoring and reporting. The position also includes contributing to Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) assessments and supporting control validation activities alongside Information System Security Officers (ISSOs).
Key Responsibilities
- Install, configure, and administer cybersecurity software specializing in endpoint protection (e.g., antivirus, HIPS, DLP) and endpoint monitoring (e.g., security log and auditing event collection).
- Perform vulnerability and compliance scanning.
- Write and maintain scripts and/or playbooks to automate deployment of cybersecurity agent software to endpoints across a large, virtualized environment.
- Analyze endpoint protection events to identify and filter false positives and non–security-relevant data to improve information system auditing and reduce alert fatigue.
- Use cybersecurity tools to conduct STIG assessments for Windows and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) operating systems, virtualization platforms, and endpoint applications (e.g., browsers, word processors).
- Write SIEM queries and build dashboards to visualize security-relevant information for information system monitoring and analysis.
- Create and manage data pipelines that transform and/or parse data ingested into SIEM solutions, including:
- Adding security-relevant metadata
- Extracting useful fields for analysis and reporting
- Implementing government requirements (e.g., NISPOM, NIST, DoD, ICD)
- Validating established cybersecurity control effectiveness
- Providing recommendations based on subject matter expertise
- Support ISSOs with Control Validation Test (CVT) preparation, including remediating open findings and noncompliant controls, addressing Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms), and responding to Cyber Tasking Orders (CTOs).
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or a related field from an accredited university, plus 8 years of experience. A Master’s degree in a related field with 6 years of relevant work experience may be considered, or 12 years of relevant work experience may be considered as an alternative to a degree.
- Must have a current, active Government-Issued 8140 certification at IAT Level II / IAM Level I or higher at the time of application (examples include Security+ CE, CCNA-Security, CySA+, CND).
- Responsible for maintaining 8140 certifications throughout the entire contract period.
- Must have a current, active in-scope Government-issued Top Secret clearance at the time of application (required to start).
- Willingness to travel 10% of the time for business needs.
- Security engineering skills with working knowledge of cybersecurity technology and DoD/Federal cybersecurity guidance (e.g., DoDI 8500.01, NIST SP 800 53).
- Experience installing, configuring, or administering a SIEM solution.
- Experience installing, configuring, or administering endpoint protection software.
- Experience installing, configuring, or administering vulnerability and compliance scanning software.
- Windows and Linux system administration skills.
Technology and Tools
- Endpoint protection (e.g., antivirus, HIPS, DLP)
- Endpoint monitoring (e.g., security log and auditing event collection)
- SIEM solutions and related query languages (e.g., Elastic, Splunk, SPL, EQL, KQL, ES/QL)
- Elastic Defend
- ACAS (e.g., Tenable Security Center and Nessus)
- SCAP Compliance Checker (SCC)
- Kubernetes and containers
- STIG
- Windows and RHEL
- Automation: PowerShell, Bash, Ansible
- Government and cybersecurity guidance and standards: NISPOM, NIST, DoD, ICD, DoDI 8500.01, NIST SP 800 53
- 8140 certification (IAT Level II / IAM Level I)
Benefits
- Health Plan
- Savings Plan
- Paid Time Off
- Education Assistance
- Training and Development
- Flexible Work Arrangements
Location: Colorado Springs, CO (onsite)
Salary: USD 142,200 - 213,200 per year
Travel: Yes, 10% of the time
Relocation assistance: No relocation assistance available
Work model: On-site with no remote options
Clearance required for start: Yes (Top Secret)
What Northrop Grumman offers: A comprehensive benefits package and a supportive work environment that encourages growth, with flexible and customizable benefits options.
