Cyber Security Systems Engineer

The Pennsylvania State University • University Park, FL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are searching for a self-motivated Cyber Security Systems Engineer to join our Research Office Information Technology Division at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State University. The Research Office Information Technology Division provides systems design, administration, and support services for the enablement of key research functions. This is a research support position where building sustained awareness of research activities, documenting emerging needs, and advocating effectively to ensure that critical dependencies are resourced and addressed is paramount. Ideal candidates will possess a broad scope of information technology (IT) skills, the ability to establish and grow partnerships, and adapt quickly to emerging and complex needs. ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply. You will: Lead ITS’s engagement with the Research Office to: Bridge communication between researchers and ITS; translating complex research requirements into actionable, prioritized IT strategies Surface IT needs proactively and co-create solutions Develop a robust understanding of sponsor and research objectives to anticipate IT dependencies and construct/align technical solutions with sponsor goals Demonstrate understanding of research needs and priorities by acting as a partner in problem solving to identify solutions Develop and maintain documentation of current and emerging IT needs and priorities Advocate for research needs within ITS while providing information to support prioritization at the Lab leadership level Provide a broad scope of technical support for research related operations Ensure IT hardware and software follow proper system design, operations, configurations, and maintenance Generate and maintain system and process documentation Provide general consultative services to researchers on a broad scope of technology Provide field testing support at off-site locations

Requirements

• Advanced Linux administration and support
• Broad scope of IT hardware (server, workstation, networking, peripherals, etc.)
• General scripting languages (Bash, PowerShell, Python, etc.)
• Containerization technologies (Docker, Podman, Kubernetes, Rancher, etc.)
• Ability to communicate clearly with technical and non-technical audiences in written and verbal form
• Exceptional ability to translate complex research objectives and technical requirements to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to leverage them to resolve technical and procedural issues
• Networking concepts and technologies
• Demonstrated ability to problem solve collaboratively, build relationships, and foster cohesion
• Current eligibility for access to classified information at the TS/SCI level or higher and may be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility, if required

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with DCSA, DoD, and/or IC Authorization to operate processes, procedures and framework
• Support of CI/CD pipelines (Bamboo, Jenkins, GitLab, etc.)
• Automation and management of Linux and Windows system configurations with scripting, policy, and management tools (shell scripting, Satellite, Puppet, Ansible, MCM, system and group policy, etc.)
• Vulnerability and security scanning tools (ACAS, Nessus, SCC, Trivy, Grype, SCAP, OpenSCAP, Evaluate STIG, etc.)
• Commercial, government, and DoD cloud computing environments
• Support of research computing environments and projects

Responsibilities

• Lead ITS’s engagement with the Research Office to: Bridge communication between researchers and ITS; translating complex research requirements into actionable, prioritized IT strategies
• Surface IT needs proactively and co-create solutions
• Develop a robust understanding of sponsor and research objectives to anticipate IT dependencies and construct/align technical solutions with sponsor goals
• Demonstrate understanding of research needs and priorities by acting as a partner in problem solving to identify solutions
• Develop and maintain documentation of current and emerging IT needs and priorities
• Advocate for research needs within ITS while providing information to support prioritization at the Lab leadership level
• Provide a broad scope of technical support for research related operations
• Ensure IT hardware and software follow proper system design, operations, configurations, and maintenance
• Generate and maintain system and process documentation
• Provide general consultative services to researchers on a broad scope of technology
• Provide field testing support at off-site locations

Benefits

• Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.
• In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time.
• One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees