Security Specialist

Cherokee Federal•Washington, DC

17d•$160,000 - $175,000•Onsite

About The Position

As required by our governmental client, this position requires being a U.S. Citizen AND an active TS/SCI clearance. As our Security Specialist, you'll support the security, assessment, and authorization of enterprise cloud environments that power mission-critical operations in a regulated federal environment. You'll perform security control assessments, vulnerability evaluations, and compliance activities that strengthen the organization's cybersecurity posture while supporting Assessment & Authorization (A&A/ATO) efforts. Along the way, you'll partner closely with the Senior Security Architect, engineers, platform administrators, and program stakeholders to deliver secure, compliant cloud solutions that support the customer's mission.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and a minimum of seven (7) years of Information Assurance, cybersecurity, RMF, or Assessment & Authorization (ATO) experience.
Demonstrated experience conducting security assessments utilizing NIST SP 800-53 and NIST SP 800-37.
Experience supporting Assessment & Authorization (A&A/ATO) activities, including development and maintenance of SSPs, POA&Ms, security assessment documentation, and continuous monitoring artifacts.
Experience performing cybersecurity vulnerability assessments and supporting remediation efforts within enterprise cloud environments.
Working knowledge of Risk Management Framework (RMF), federal cybersecurity policies, and cloud security best practices.
Experience supporting cloud platforms such as AWS, AWS GovCloud, Azure Government, or comparable enterprise cloud environments.
Strong documentation, analytical, and communication skills developed in regulated, high-security environments.
Must be a U.S. Citizen and hold an active TS/SCI clearance.
Must pass pre-employment qualifications of Cherokee Federal.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting Salesforce or other SaaS/PaaS platforms, including security controls, access management, and secure platform configuration, is highly desirable.
Security certifications such as Security+, CySA+, CISSP, CCSP, or CISM are preferred.

Responsibilities

Conduct comprehensive assessments of management, operational, and technical security controls in accordance with NIST SP 800-53 and NIST SP 800-37.
Support Assessment & Authorization (A&A/ATO) activities, including System Security Plans (SSPs), Plans of Action & Milestones (POA&Ms), security artifacts, and coordination with government stakeholders.
Perform cybersecurity vulnerability assessments of enterprise cloud applications, infrastructure, and supporting systems.
Analyze security requirements and recommend technical solutions that strengthen the organization's overall cybersecurity posture.
Develop and maintain cybersecurity plans, policies, standards, and procedures supporting federal regulatory compliance.
Collaborate with engineering, infrastructure, and Salesforce platform teams to implement security controls and remediate identified findings.
Support continuous monitoring activities, security assessments, audits, and compliance reporting throughout the system lifecycle.
Evaluate cloud environments using industry-standard security tools and methodologies to identify vulnerabilities and recommend corrective actions.
Assist with RMF implementation activities, including security control validation, documentation updates, and ongoing authorization support.
Review system configurations to ensure compliance with NIST, agency security policies, and federal cybersecurity requirements.
Support identity and access management initiatives, secure configuration management, logging, auditing, and security monitoring.
Document assessment findings, technical recommendations, risk analyses, and remediation activities.
Participate in Agile delivery activities, planning sessions, technical reviews, and documentation efforts.
Collaborate with program leadership and technical teams to continuously improve security processes and operational effectiveness.
Support enterprise cloud environments, including Salesforce and other SaaS/PaaS platforms, ensuring secure implementation and ongoing compliance.