Security Engineer

Skyward IT Solutions, LLC•Rockville, MD

1d•$120,000 - $160,000•Remote

About The Position

We are Skyward, a people-centered business focused on human advancement through information technology. We are seeking a Security Engineer who is passionate about identifying vulnerabilities and protecting systems. This role involves hands-on work with security tools, automating scans, hardening pipelines, and prioritizing security findings. You will join a team supporting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in modernizing their enterprise knowledge and data systems into a single, AI-driven platform. This is an opportunity to contribute to exciting government work with cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, cybersecurity, or a related field.
3–5 years of experience in security engineering, cybersecurity, or a related role.
Hands-on experience with vulnerability scanning and management tools (e.g., Tenable, AWS Inspector, Snyk, Trufflehog, or GitLeaks).
Working knowledge of AWS security and compliance services (Security Hub, Config, Audit Manager) or comparable cloud-native tooling.
Familiarity with security compliance and the Authority to Operate (ATO) process, including POA&Ms and continuous monitoring.
Understanding of federal security frameworks such as NIST RMF, ARS, or IS2P2 (or a strong willingness to learn them quickly).
Comfort scripting and automating in Python or Bash and integrating tooling into CI/CD pipelines.
Solid problem-solving skills and the ability to collaborate across multiple stakeholders.
Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience supporting CMS.
Experience securing AI, NLP, or LLM-driven systems and the data behind them.

Responsibilities

Find and prioritize vulnerabilities by running vulnerability and security scans, and building a clear, prioritized list of weaknesses based on severity, known exploitation, and exploitation probability using intelligence sources like the CISA KEV catalog and EPSS.
Automate security into the pipeline by embedding security tooling such as Snyk, Trufflehog/GitLeaks, Tenable, and AWS Inspector into CI/CD so vulnerabilities are caught and reported before they ship.
Modernize compliance by driving the move toward Continuous ATO (cATO) and near-real-time compliance monitoring using AWS Security Hub, Config, and Audit Manager, plus the CMS GRC system of record (CFACTS).
Build and feed continuous monitoring by implementing monitoring of production runtime environments for vulnerabilities and compliance drift, and making security and compliance reporting available on demand.
Track and close gaps by documenting vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and compliance deviations, and supporting POA&M creation and remediation tracking to keep system ATOs healthy.
Keep systems aligned to standards by supporting compliance with CMS and federal requirements such as NIST RMF, ARS, and IS2P2 within a FISMA Moderate boundary.
Harden access by helping implement least-privilege, role-based access controls aligned to Zero Trust objectives and supporting regular access reviews and audits.
Raise the flag early by identifying, documenting, and communicating security risks tied to modernization efforts so they get to the right stakeholders before they become problems.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision insurance (fully paid for employees)
15 days of paid leave
7 days of sick leave
2 days bereavement leave
11 paid Federal holidays
Up to 40 hours for jury duty
401K with 4% employer contribution (and no vesting period)
Up to 4 weeks of paid paternity and maternity leave
Company provided laptop
$5,000 per year for professional development
$600 per year for technical supplies and equipment
$2,000 referral bonus
Life and disability insurance
HSA and FSA
Legal Shield and ID Shield Voluntary Benefits
Opportunity to work in a collaborative, motivated team focused on modernizing government services with cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions.