Principal Safeguards & Security Specialist - Technical Security Analyst

Mission Support & Test Services, LLC (MSTS)•North Las Vegas, NV

12d•$101,982 - $155,522•Onsite

About The Position

Mission Support & Test Services, LLC (MSTS), which manages and operates the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS), is seeking a Principal Safeguards & Security Specialist to serve as a high-level technical authority for complex security risk, blast, and vulnerability analyses. Reporting directly to the Technical Analysis Section Supervisor, the role provides technical and quantitative analytical support to the Nevada Field Office and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The incumbent uses computational modeling, physics-based blast simulations, and probabilistic risk assessment to evaluate, design, and validate physical protection systems for nuclear, high-hazard, and critical infrastructure assets. The primary work location is the Losee Road facility in North Las Vegas, Nevada. The schedule is four 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday, subject to change. A pre-placement physical examination including drug screening is required, and MSTS conducts random drug testing. A valid driver’s license is required. The position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship and at least 18 years of age. The selected applicant will undergo federal background investigation and reinvestigations and may be required to complete a counterintelligence evaluation, potentially including a polygraph examination. MSTS manages the NNSS for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration, a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. The NNSS is a multi-mission, high-hazard enterprise that delivers technical and service solutions in partnership with National Laboratories. MSTS has more than 3,000 professional, craft, and support employees. The annual salary range is $101,982.40–$155,521.60; starting salary depends on position market value, candidate education and experience, and internal equity.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a field related to the position, or equivalent training and experience, plus 8 years of progressive related experience.
Expert knowledge of advanced principles, concepts, and theory related to the position, with the ability to address issues and resolve the most difficult and challenging problems.
Ability to work independently on safeguards and security program objectives and strategies and formulate strategies to improve operations and processes.
Ability to develop and maintain relationships with employees at all levels, customers, outside agencies, DOE/HQ, DOE/NNSA, and other contractors, while screening and maintaining confidentiality.
Ability to prioritize and schedule multiple activities efficiently and meet deadlines.
Ability to use software applications needed for the position, including accounting, analytical, financial analysis, word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and database software.
Attention to detail and accuracy in ensuring policy decisions, procedures, and operations comply with MSTS and DOE regulations, procedures, and federal and state laws.
Planning and organizing skills, initiative, independent judgment, and ability to apply knowledge and experience to complete requirements efficiently and on time.
Interpersonal communication skills suited to influencing and motivating people and interfacing effectively with management, DOE security personnel, and outside agencies.
Ability to understand complex data, terminology, procedures, laws, and regulations.
Ability to use independent judgment, creativity, and initiative to evaluate alternative problem-solving methods and resolve problems.
Valid driver’s license.
Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance; U.S. citizenship and age 18 or older are required for the clearance.
Successful completion of required pre-employment drug testing and background reviews, including a federal background investigation; subsequent reinvestigations are required, and a counterintelligence evaluation, which may include a polygraph examination, may also be required.
Successful completion of a pre-placement physical examination, including a drug screen; subject to random drug testing.

Responsibilities

Use established modeling tools and technical methods to evaluate blast dynamics, structural response, and explosive threats—including VBIEDs, dynamic breaching charges, and man-portable devices—to assess asset vulnerability and define protective hardening requirements.
Conduct target identification and adversary characterization in compliance with DOE Order 470.3C (Design Basis Threat), assigning Protection Levels PL 1 through PL 8 across Special Nuclear Material, classified assets, chemical and radiological hazards, personnel, and vital support infrastructure.
Characterize PL 1–4 storage and processing facilities; formulate Figures of Merit for physical protection systems; model multi-layered delay-barrier timelines; and classify physical security system Key Performance Indicators.
Develop Design Basis Threat graduated threat-axis scenarios and run neutralization and pathway timeline simulations to calculate System Effectiveness, Probability of Detection, Probability of Interruption, and Probability of Neutralization for high-consequence national security assets.
Lead the development, integration, and operational execution of Risk-Based Security Operations frameworks using probabilistic risk assessment, threat-informed decision analytics, and performance-based validation to optimize protective-force deployment, operational posture, and resource allocation.
Design and implement quantitative insider-threat mitigation frameworks, vulnerability assessments, and multi-vector threat scenario evaluations across physical, operational, and cyber-physical interfaces.
Advise project teams and engineering staff on safeguards and security standards, regulatory requirements, and integration of risk-based security measures into facility and operational designs.
Write technical assessment reports, empirical risk acceptances, and briefing materials for DOE/HQ, DOE/NNSA, NNSA/NFO, and executive stakeholders on emerging threat vectors, anomalous system performance, and technical variances.
Represent MSTS as a technical liaison in inter-site working groups and collaborate with National Laboratories, including LANL, LLNL, and Sandia, and federal partners to align safeguards and security analytical methodologies and assessment toolsets.