Training and Exercise Specialist

General Dynamics Information Technology•Washington, DC

4d•$114,750 - $155,250•Onsite

About The Position

The Training and Exercise Specialist develops and delivers training and exercises to ensure a DHS national cyber operations center workforce remains qualified and mission-ready for 24/7 operations, surge support, and crisis response. The role manages training programs, provides hands-on instruction and exercises, tracks qualifications and certifications, and supports readiness, modernization, and operational effectiveness. The specialist assesses training needs; creates qualification standards, curricula, training materials, job aids, and onboarding programs; and delivers instructor-led, hands-on, virtual, and on-the-job instruction. The role coordinates training schedules for geographically distributed teams and 24/7 operations, evaluates learner proficiency and training effectiveness, and maintains training and certification records. The position designs, conducts, and evaluates tabletop and functional exercises using HSEEP methodology, develops cyber and critical-infrastructure scenarios with public- and private-sector partners, and produces after-action reports and improvement plans. It also supports readiness and certification management, procedure and knowledge management, quality and accessibility compliance, surge training, continuity operations, documentation, and knowledge transfer to government personnel. The role is onsite at DHS Headquarters and other National Capital Region locations, with 40 scheduled weekly hours and 10–25% travel required.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Education, Instructional Design, Emergency Management, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
8+ years of experience developing and delivering training programs.
3+ years of experience designing or conducting exercises.
Experience with instructional design methodologies such as ADDIE.
Experience designing and conducting HSEEP-based exercises.
Experience training technical or operational audiences.
Experience with learning management systems and training record management.
Active Top Secret (TS) clearance and eligibility for TS/SCI access.
Ability to work onsite at DHS Headquarters and other National Capital Region locations.
U.S. citizenship required.

Nice To Haves

FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner (MEPP) certification or HSEEP training.
Experience supporting a security operations center, watch floor, or emergency operations center.
Experience conducting cyber exercises involving critical infrastructure partners.
CPTD, CTT+, or similar training certifications.
Experience developing Section 508-compliant training materials.
Experience supporting DHS, CISA, FEMA, or DoD programs.
Experience evaluating training effectiveness using the Kirkpatrick model.
Familiarity with CISA cybersecurity training resources and current HSEEP doctrine.
Ability to support after-hours, weekend, holiday, on-call, and continuity operations.
Current DHS Entry on Duty (EOD) suitability determination.
Experience handling Traffic Light Protocol (TLP) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

Responsibilities

Conduct training needs assessments for operations center roles and assess operations, systems, workflows, readiness gaps, and dependencies to identify training needs.
Develop qualification standards, curricula, training materials, job aids, and onboarding programs, and ensure training products comply with Section 508 accessibility requirements.
Translate approved operational concepts, governance structures, reporting processes, escalation procedures, and mission requirements into measurable learning objectives and qualification criteria.
Deliver instructor-led, hands-on, virtual, and on-the-job training on procedures, playbooks, cybersecurity tools, analytics platforms, and AI-assisted workflows.
Conduct train-the-trainer sessions and train personnel on information validation, escalation procedures, data integrity practices, and new capabilities.
Coordinate training schedules for geographically distributed teams and 24/7 operations; track corrective actions, validate completion, and incorporate lessons learned into training materials.
Design, conduct, and evaluate tabletop and functional exercises using HSEEP methodology, including realistic cyber and critical-infrastructure scenarios involving government and private-sector partners.
Produce after-action reports and improvement plans, track corrective actions to closure, and exercise continuity operations, surge response, governance changes, and incident-response processes.
Integrate threat, vulnerability, dependency, and consequence assessment methodologies into exercises and evaluation criteria.
Maintain training, qualification, and certification records; provide readiness data; identify qualification gaps and certification expirations; and assess learner proficiency against established standards.
Collect feedback and evaluate training effectiveness with performance analysts; support readiness reporting with validated training and exercise metrics.
Refine procedures, playbooks, and escalation processes through training and exercises, and maintain repositories for training and exercise materials and records.
Ensure training content aligns with approved procedures, system changes, and operational requirements; apply quality-control standards and verify technical accuracy, accessibility, reviews, and approvals.
Ensure compliance with agency security, governance, and information-handling requirements.
Deliver just-in-time training and updated job aids during incidents, emergencies, or major operational changes; prepare surge and continuity personnel through cross-training, drills, and readiness assessments.
Support activation and recovery activities under continuity and staffing plans.
Develop final training and exercise deliverables, including curricula, user guides, job aids, exercise packages, after-action reports, and effectiveness assessments.
Provide knowledge transfer and maintenance guidance to government personnel; support development of training demonstrations, videos, and communication materials for large-scale initiatives.