Senior Security Engineer

Guidehouse • McLean, VA

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

Guidehouse’s Cybersecurity practice partners with federal and regulated commercial clients to design, engineer, and operate modern security capabilities that enable mission success in an evolving threat landscape. Our teams blend deep technical expertise with consulting leadership to deliver security modernization programs that are resilient, scalable, and aligned to enterprise objectives. As a Senior Security Engineer, you will lead enterprise security modernization initiatives, define Zero Trust–aligned architectures consistent with NIST SP 800‑207, and serve as technical authority for complex security control deployments. This is a hands‑on leadership role for a senior engineer who can translate strategy into executable designs, guide multidisciplinary delivery teams, and ensure security capabilities are implemented correctly and operate effectively across the enterprise. This role positions you as a senior technical leader within Guidehouse’s Cybersecurity practice, accountable for shaping and delivering Zero Trust–aligned security modernization solutions that strengthen enterprise resilience and reduce risk.

Requirements

• Must be able to OBTAIN and MAINTAIN a Federal or DoD "PUBLIC TRUST"; candidates must obtain approved adjudication of their PUBLIC TRUST prior to onboarding with Guidehouse.
• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Systems, Computer Science, or a related field (additional relevant experience may substitute for formal education).
• Minimum of NINE (9) years of progressively responsible experience in security engineering, cybersecurity architecture, or enterprise security modernization.
• CompTIA Security+ (active)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) (active)
• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering Zero Trust–aligned architectures, with working knowledge of NIST SP 800‑207 principles.
• Proven experience acting as a technical lead or authority across multiple security domains (identity, endpoint, network, cloud, and monitoring).
• Strong understanding of security frameworks, governance, and compliance practices within enterprise or federal environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to brief technical and executive stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

• Candidates with an ACTIVE PUBLIC TRUST or SUITABILITY and maintain an active HHS/NIH clearance are preferred.
• Experience implementing Zero Trust capabilities in federal environments aligned to the CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model or agency Zero Trust strategies.
• Experience with leading security platforms across IAM, ZTNA/SSE, EDR/XDR, and SIEM/SOAR ecosystems.
• Familiarity with cloud security architectures and hybrid enterprise environments.
• Additional certifications such as CCSP, CISM, GIAC, or cloud provider security credentials.
• Prior consulting experience with responsibility for delivery leadership and client engagement.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise security engineering and modernization initiatives, from architecture and design through implementation, testing, and operational transition.
• Define and maintain Zero Trust–aligned reference architectures and roadmaps across identity, device, network/environment, application/workload, and data pillars in alignment with NIST SP 800‑207.
• Serve as the technical authority for complex security control deployments, approving implementation patterns, resolving cross‑domain design issues, and ensuring solutions meet enterprise security, scalability, and operational requirements.
• Translate mission and business requirements into secure, implementable technical designs and detailed engineering requirements.
• Engineer and modernize identity and access management (IAM/ICAM) capabilities, including MFA, SSO, identity lifecycle governance, conditional access, and privileged access management.
• Design and implement endpoint and device security controls, integrating telemetry into centralized monitoring and response capabilities.
• Lead design and deployment of Zero Trust network capabilities, including segmentation, secure access/ZTNA, and policy enforcement integrated with identity and device posture.
• Oversee security monitoring and response modernization, including integration with SIEM/SOAR, detection engineering strategies, and automation to improve operational effectiveness.
• Map security controls to architectures and implementations aligned to frameworks such as NIST SP 800‑53; ensure solutions generate defensible evidence for compliance and audit purposes.
• Establish technical governance and engineering standards, including design reviews, guardrails, and architecture decision records.
• Mentor and coach engineers and consultants; conduct peer reviews and reinforce technical quality and delivery excellence.
• Develop and deliver clear technical documentation, including architecture diagrams, implementation plans, and executive‑level briefs.
• Support business development activities through technical solutioning, proposal contributions, and client presentations.

Benefits

• Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays
• Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus
• Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Basic Life & Supplemental Life
• Health Savings Account, Dental/Vision & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Student Loan PayDown
• Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development & Learning Opportunities
• Skills Development & Certifications
• Employee Referral Program
• Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach
• Emergency Back-Up Childcare Program
• Mobility Stipend

What This Job Offers

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