Chief Engineer

Booz Allen Hamilton • Reston, VA

9d • $142,900 - $266,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Booz Allen is seeking a Chief Engineer to serve as the senior technical authority and platform modernization lead for a large-scale, mission-critical defensive security engineering program. The role owns the end-to-end technical vision, enforces architectural discipline across integrated security platforms, and drives measurable improvements in zero trust posture, operational resilience, and compliance.

The Chief Engineer oversees more than 20 projects designing, procuring, testing, implementing, deploying, and sustaining cyber tools across complex network fabrics with varying security classifications. The role manages cross-functional engineering teams organized around DoW-approved Zero Trust capabilities, including Identity, Device, Network/Environment, Application/Workload, and Data. It connects cybersecurity architecture with Agile IT Service Management to integrate and sustain new capabilities with high availability and operational efficiency.

The position also aligns technical scope with contract structures and customer requirements, supports technical baseline reviews and architecture working groups, and ensures solutions meet ATO requirements from design through delivery. The Chief Engineer leads and mentors senior engineers and architects and represents the program in executive briefings and customer engagements. The role is onsite in Reston, Virginia, with an additional location in McLean, Virginia. An active TS/SCI clearance is required, and applicants must be willing to take a polygraph exam.

Requirements

• 10 or more years of experience in cybersecurity engineering or architecture.
• 5 or more years serving as a Chief Engineer, Principal Architect, or senior technical leader on a large-scale enterprise program.
• Experience delivering enterprise security solutions in highly regulated federal environments, including DoW, IC, or civilian agencies.
• Experience delivering in at least three of these domains: network security architecture, SIEM/SOAR, EDR/XDR, cloud security such as AWS or Azure GovCloud, virtualization security such as VMware, or ZTNA.
• Knowledge of federal contract structures such as T&M, FFP, or CPFF and their technical implications for scope, risk, and architectural decisions.
• Active TS/SCI clearance and willingness to take a polygraph exam.
• One of the following education and experience combinations supporting IT projects and activities: associate degree and 10 or more years; bachelor's degree and 8 or more years; or master's degree and 6 or more years.
• Ability to obtain a DoD 8570 CSSP-IS certification, such as CEH, CySA+, GICSP, SSCP, CHFI, CFR, Cloud+, or CND, within 30 days of the start date.
• Ability to obtain a DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level III certification, such as SecX, CCNP, CISA, CISSP, GCED, GCIH, or CCSP, within 45 days of the start date.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with enterprise SOC architecture, SIEM content engineering, and detection engineering programs.
• Experience supporting program capture, contributing to technical volumes, preparing for orals, or developing architecture demos for competitive pursuits.
• Experience with security architecture frameworks such as SABSA or TOGAF and applying them to defense or IC programs.
• Knowledge of network security design, including segmentation, NAC, secure DNS, and perimeter-to-interior trust model evolution.
• Knowledge of CMMC, ICD 503, STIGs, and applicable IA policy frameworks.
• Knowledge of AI/ML applications in cyber operations and implications for platform architecture and data pipeline design.
• Cloud security certifications such as AWS Security Specialty or Azure Security Engineer.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical authority for more than 20 interconnected cyber engineering projects.
• Define the technical roadmap, engineering standards, and system architecture across isolated and interconnected network fabrics.
• Lead the design, procurement, testing, implementation, deployment, and sustainment of next-generation cyber tools.
• Manage engineering teams organized around Zero Trust pillars to deliver a unified security posture.
• Oversee operationalization of cyber tools using Agile ITSM frameworks, including continuous service improvement and incident, change, and release management.
• Partner with acquisition teams to evaluate, select, and procure hardware and software, ensuring security and interoperability compliance.
• Lead large-scale staging, testing, and validation, including vulnerability assessments and interoperability testing, before production deployment.
• Establish practices for ongoing maintenance, patching, upgrading, and optimization of deployed cyber tools.
• Partner with the Program Manager and delivery leads to align technical scope with contract structure, including T&M level-of-effort implications, FFP deliverable risks, and scope change documentation.
• Ensure technical work products meet quality standards and are traceable to customer requirements, contract deliverables, and applicable control frameworks.
• Lead or contribute to technical baseline reviews, CDRLs, and architecture working groups with government and stakeholders.
• Ensure technical solutions meet ATO requirements throughout design and delivery.
• Champion engineering rigor, documentation discipline, and continuous improvement across the program.
• Lead, mentor, and develop senior engineers and architects; translate complex technical challenges into clear direction and resolve ambiguity that slows execution.
• Represent the program's technical capability in executive briefings, customer engagements, and competitive positioning activities.

Benefits

• Health, life, disability, financial, and retirement benefits.
• Paid leave.
• Professional development.
• Tuition assistance.
• Work-life programs.
• Dependent care.
• Recognition awards for exceptional performance and demonstration of company values.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree