Cybersecurity Specialist (ISSO)

ASRC Federal • Washington, DC

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

ASRC Federal Agile Decision Sciences LLC is seeking an Information System Security Officer (ISSO) / Cybersecurity Specialist to support mission-critical federal systems for NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program. The role serves as the dedicated ISSO across a multi-system portfolio, managing continuous monitoring, assessment preparation, and Assessment and Authorization (A&A) lifecycles to achieve and maintain Authorities to Operate (ATO). The position supports systems across hybrid and cloud-hosted environments and is based in a hybrid work arrangement in Washington, DC, or Greenbelt, MD.

The specialist develops and maintains security plans, risk assessments, contingency plans, privacy documents, system diagrams, and authorization artifacts in RISCS; tracks remediation and risk decisions; coordinates vulnerability remediation; and conducts security assessments and contingency testing. The role also supports ATO briefings, change control, system interconnections, and the transition of legacy on-premises controls to AWS cloud environments. The specialist collaborates with Authorizing Officials, System Owners, engineering teams, and program leadership to align cybersecurity compliance with mission needs. Occasional travel may be required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 6 years of direct experience supporting cybersecurity governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) or ISSO duties for federal information systems.
• Strong working knowledge of NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5, NIST RMF (SP 800-37), FISMA, and federal cybersecurity compliance standards.
• Demonstrated experience creating, maintaining, and assessing authorization packages, including SSPs, POA&Ms, RBDs, and SARs, and executing continuous monitoring strategies.
• Experience evaluating vulnerability scan outputs, identifying vulnerabilities, and driving technical remediation across cross-functional teams.
• Familiarity with cloud security concepts, AWS environments, and the shared responsibility model.
• Strong technical writing, analytical, and stakeholder coordination skills, including experience managing multiple competing security packages simultaneously.
• U.S. citizenship required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.
• Occasional travel may be required.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience supporting NASA cybersecurity policies, processes, and tools, including hands-on experience with RISCS.
• Familiarity with NASA SCaN operations, mission communications, or ground infrastructure.
• An active cybersecurity certification, such as CISSP, CISM, CAP/CGRC, Security+, or AWS Certified Security.
• Practical experience establishing and reviewing ISAs and onboarding customer systems.
• Knowledge of Zero Trust Architecture principles, ICAM, network segmentation, and secure interconnectivity.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the dedicated ISSO for a multi-system portfolio and manage continuous monitoring, assessment preparation, and full A&A lifecycles to achieve and maintain ATOs.
• Develop, update, and maintain System Security Plans (SSPs), Risk Assessment Reports (RARs), Contingency Plans, PIA/PTAs, system architecture and network diagrams, and authorization artifacts within RISCS.
• Manage and track Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms) and Risk-Based Decisions (RBDs) through remediation and closure.
• Evaluate vulnerability scan results, identify technical security weaknesses, and coordinate remediation and mitigation with engineering, SOC, and systems administration teams.
• Coordinate and conduct annual security control assessments, self-assessments, gap analyses, and contingency plan testing and training.
• Prepare and support ATO briefings, Change Control Board (CCB) reviews, and security impact analyses for system modifications.
• Draft, review, and maintain system interconnection documentation, including ISAs, MOUs, and MOAs, for external and cross-system onboarding.
• Transition legacy on-premises control implementations to cloud-native AWS environments and validate cloud security tools and shared responsibility models.
• Collaborate with Authorizing Officials, System Owners, engineering teams, and program leadership to align security compliance with operational mission objectives.

What This Job Offers

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