CDES Lead/Cross Domain SME

Peraton • Herndon, VA

2d • $112,000 - $179,000

About The Position

We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative CDES Lead/Cross Domain SME to join our team in the greater DMV area, supporting the Army National Guard.
Key Responsibilities
Lead CDES operations and provide SME guidance for CDS design, integration, configuration, and sustainment.
Direct architecture and security engineering for data transfer mechanisms (one‑way, two‑way, guards, transfer services, automated sanitization, content filtering).
Ensure compliance with Raise‑the‑Bar (RTB), NCDSMO, DoDI 8540.01, NIST SP 800‑53 controls, and enterprise security policies.
Conduct technical risk assessments, validate data flow diagrams, and enforce data labeling/releasability and need‑to‑share policies.
Lead accreditation/ATO activities: produce security authorization packages, validate control implementations, coordinate with Authorizing Officials and Security Control Assessors.
Oversee configuration management, continuous monitoring, incident response coordination, and audit/logging for CDS capabilities.
Evaluate emergent cross‑domain technologies and advise on modernization, interoperability, and performance monitoring.
Mentor engineering teams, standardize engineering processes, and establish governance/lifecycle management for CDS capabilities.
Provide decision‑grade briefings and recommendations to senior leadership on cross‑domain strategy and risk posture.
#ENOCS

Requirements

• Minimum of 8 years with BS/BA; Minimum of 6 years with MS/MA; Minimum of 3 years with PhD
• Clearance: TS/SCI (active)
• Education/Training/Certification: Candidate must meet ONE of the following: Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Information Systems, Information Technology, or Software Engineering; OR Relevant DoD/Military training (e.g., Research & Development Specialist (Advanced) Playlist); OR Relevant certifications (see list below).
• Experience: Demonstrated experience designing, deploying, or operating Cross Domain Solutions, MLS environments, or equivalent high‑security information sharing systems.
• Proven expertise with RTB/NCDSMO standards, DoDI 8540.01 requirements, NIST SP 800‑53 controls, data labeling/releasability policies, and accreditation (ATO) processes.
• Strong skills in security engineering, risk assessment, data flow validation, system integration, continuous monitoring, and incident response coordination.
• Excellent written and oral communication for technical briefings to senior leadership and AO/SSP teams.
• Acceptable Certifications (one or more preferred) SecurityX / CASP+ RCCE Level 1 CEH GCLD Other relevant certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISSP‑ISSEP) desirable

Nice To Haves

• Prior DoD/DoDIN/CDES/CDS program experience and prior ATO lead experience
• Experience with cross‑domain guard products, data sanitization tools, and automated transfer workflows
• Background in enterprise network integration, cloud cross‑domain considerations, and mission systems interoperability
• Prior leadership/mentoring of engineering teams in classified environments

Responsibilities

• Lead CDES operations and provide SME guidance for CDS design, integration, configuration, and sustainment.
• Direct architecture and security engineering for data transfer mechanisms (one‑way, two‑way, guards, transfer services, automated sanitization, content filtering).
• Ensure compliance with Raise‑the‑Bar (RTB), NCDSMO, DoDI 8540.01, NIST SP 800‑53 controls, and enterprise security policies.
• Conduct technical risk assessments, validate data flow diagrams, and enforce data labeling/releasability and need‑to‑share policies.
• Lead accreditation/ATO activities: produce security authorization packages, validate control implementations, coordinate with Authorizing Officials and Security Control Assessors.
• Oversee configuration management, continuous monitoring, incident response coordination, and audit/logging for CDS capabilities.
• Evaluate emergent cross‑domain technologies and advise on modernization, interoperability, and performance monitoring.
• Mentor engineering teams, standardize engineering processes, and establish governance/lifecycle management for CDS capabilities.
• Provide decision‑grade briefings and recommendations to senior leadership on cross‑domain strategy and risk posture.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level