Senior Cyber Systems Engineer

Modern Technology Solutions Inc•Huntsville, AL

About The Position

MTSI is seeking a Senior Cyber Systems Engineer specializing in Application Security and DevSecOps to support the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Program Office. The role applies engineering rigor to cybersecurity across the software development lifecycle for critical Mission Software. The engineer works with minimal guidance as an individual contributor and in collaborative teams, supporting Government leadership, Industry Partner development teams, and Cybersecurity Authorizing Officials. The position supports Software Assurance assessments, evaluates SAST and DAST scan data, integrates security automation into CI/CD pipelines, and assesses risks associated with third-party open-source, commercial off-the-shelf, and government off-the-shelf software under the DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF).

Requirements

Active DoD Secret clearance or higher.
Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline, such as Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
7+ years of progressive engineering experience supporting missile defense-related programs or large, complex defense programs/projects.
Ability to work with minimal guidance, contribute collaboratively, lead technical tasks, and apply engineering rigor to complex technical challenges.
Working knowledge of secure coding frameworks such as OWASP Top 10 and NIST SP 800-218 SSDF, and experience with automated SAST, DAST, or SCA tooling.
Experience supporting automated workflows and security test suites within CI/CD pipelines.
Experience with DoD RMF processes, security control selection, and POA&M tracking.
Experience evaluating technical documentation and scan artifacts to support authorization determinations.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including delivering briefings, authoring technical documentation, and collaborating across multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Nice To Haves

Direct prior experience supporting MDA GMD or related missile defense elements.
Active DoD 8570 / 8140 certification at IAM/IAT Level II or higher, such as Security+ CE, CySA+, CISSP, CSSLP, or CCSP.
Hands-on familiarity with software assurance platforms, container technologies, and CI/CD tools such as SonarQube, Fortify, Checkmarx, Anchore, GitLab CI, and Jenkins.
Familiarity with the GM SWAP Portal or equivalent DoD software repository clearinghouses.

Responsibilities

Support workflow automation and security integration within CI/CD pipelines, and help maintain and deploy shared security solutions such as standard security libraries, automation scripts, and baseline testing templates.
Monitor and analyze SAST and DAST scans, triage CWEs and CVEs, and provide technical risk determinations.
Support the automated scan exception process, track remediation milestones, and document false-positive adjudications.
Oversee GM SWAP Portal assessments to evaluate software risk posture across development tiers.
Apply guidance and support assessment processes for OSS, COTS, and GOTS software.
Perform supply-chain risk assessments on third-party dependencies and OSS packages; prepare risk assessment recommendations for submission to the ISSM, SCA, AO, or AODR.
Assist the ISSM and ISSO during operational cyber activities and RMF processes, including POA&M development and Risk Acceptance Memorandums.
Collaborate with software development teams to categorize applications, identify applicable security overlays, tailor NIST SP 800-53 controls, and validate control implementation evidence.
Monitor development, test, and production environments during operations to verify continuous compliance with cybersecurity policies.
Review Industry Partner CDRLs, security assessment reports, and engineering documents for Mission Software adherence to system specifications and cybersecurity requirements.
Communicate Government cybersecurity requirements for application development to Program Offices, Industry Partners, and developers.
Conduct periodic application security review sampling and audits, and educate developer teams on secure coding principles and recognizing security-relevant architectural changes.