Zero Trust Architect

Koniag Government Services•Washington, DC

20h•Onsite

About The Position

Koniag Data Solutions, LLC, a Koniag Government Services company, is seeking an experienced Zero Trust Architect to support the design, development, and implementation of Zero Trust security architecture and initiatives in support of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The ideal candidate is a senior-level cybersecurity and enterprise architecture professional with deep expertise in Zero Trust principles, frameworks, and technologies, and a proven track record of leading Zero Trust transformation efforts within complex federal government environments. This individual will serve as the subject matter expert and technical leader for SBA's Zero Trust journey, driving the strategic planning, architectural design, and implementation of Zero Trust capabilities across SBA's enterprise IT environment in alignment with federal Zero Trust mandates, OMB guidance, and CISA's Zero Trust Maturity Model. The Zero Trust Architect will serve as the senior technical lead and SME for Zero Trust architecture and implementation activities at the SBA, working closely with SBA's IT leadership, security teams, program managers, and external partners to develop and execute a comprehensive Zero Trust strategy that modernizes SBA's security architecture and strengthens its overall cybersecurity posture.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related field from an accredited college or university, OR equivalent combination of education and extensive relevant work experience.
8+ years of progressive experience in cybersecurity and/or enterprise architecture, with significant demonstrated experience in security architecture design, development, and implementation in a federal government or large enterprise environment.
Demonstrated expert-level knowledge and hands-on experience with Zero Trust principles, frameworks, and technologies, including practical experience leading or significantly contributing to Zero Trust architecture design and implementation efforts.
Demonstrated familiarity with federal Zero Trust mandates and guidance including OMB Memorandum M-22-09, CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model, and NIST SP 800-207.
One or more of the following certifications: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), SABSA Chartered Security Architect (SABSA), or equivalent senior-level cybersecurity or enterprise architecture certification.
Expert-level knowledge of Zero Trust principles, architectures, and implementation frameworks including NIST SP 800-207, CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model, and DoD Zero Trust Reference Architecture, with the ability to apply this knowledge to lead and manage a comprehensive federal agency Zero Trust transformation program.
Demonstrated ability to develop comprehensive Zero Trust architecture strategies, roadmaps, and implementation plans aligned with federal mandates and agency-specific mission requirements and constraints.
Deep technical expertise across the key Zero Trust pillars including identity and access management, device security, network segmentation and microsegmentation, application security, and data protection.
Extensive hands-on experience with Zero Trust enabling technologies including IAM platforms, MFA solutions, PAM tools, micro-segmentation technologies, SASE/SSE solutions, EDR platforms, and DLP solutions.
Strong experience with cloud security architecture and the application of Zero Trust principles within cloud environments including AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.
Proven ability to assess complex federal IT environments against Zero Trust principles and requirements, identify gaps and risks, and develop prioritized, actionable improvement plans.
Experience developing comprehensive security architecture documentation including reference architectures, solution designs, transition plans, and architecture decision records.
Strong understanding of federal cybersecurity frameworks, regulations, and requirements including NIST SP 800-53, FISMA, FedRAMP, and relevant OMB and CISA guidance, and their relationship to Zero Trust implementation.
Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English, with the ability to clearly communicate complex Zero Trust concepts, architectural designs, and strategic recommendations to both technical teams and senior non-technical audiences including agency leadership.
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain effective working relationships with senior agency officials, IT leadership, security teams, and external federal partners in support of Zero Trust program objectives.
Strong leadership skills with demonstrated experience providing technical guidance and oversight to cross-functional teams in support of complex security architecture and implementation initiatives.
Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance as required by the SBA.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
Prior experience leading Zero Trust architecture and implementation efforts at a federal civilian agency, preferably the SBA or a similar organization.
Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer, AWS Certified Security – Specialty, or other relevant cloud security certifications.
CISA Zero Trust Architecture certification or equivalent vendor-specific Zero Trust certifications from providers such as Zscaler, Palo Alto Networks, or Microsoft.
Prior experience leading or significantly contributing to Zero Trust architecture and implementation efforts at the SBA or a similar federal civilian agency.
In-depth familiarity with SBA's IT environment, mission areas, and cybersecurity posture, including an understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities associated with implementing Zero Trust within the SBA environment.
Expert knowledge of identity and access management technologies and architectures including Active Directory, Azure AD, LDAP, SAML, OAuth2, and OpenID Connect and their role in Zero Trust implementation.
Experience with network security technologies and architectures including software-defined networking (SDN), software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN), and secure access service edge (SASE) solutions in the context of Zero Trust network design.
Advanced knowledge of data security and data governance concepts including data classification, data loss prevention, and data access controls and their integration into a Zero Trust architecture.
Experience with DevSecOps practices and the integration of Zero Trust security principles into CI/CD pipelines and application development processes.
CISA Zero Trust Architecture certification or relevant vendor-specific Zero Trust certifications from providers such as Zscaler, Palo Alto Networks, Microsoft, or similar.
Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), AWS Certified Security – Specialty, Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate, or other relevant cloud security certifications.
Experience participating in federal interagency Zero Trust working groups, CISA engagements, or OMB oversight activities related to Zero Trust implementation.
Familiarity with supply chain risk management (SCRM) principles and their integration into Zero Trust architecture and implementation planning.
Experience developing and delivering executive-level briefings and presentations on Zero Trust strategy, implementation progress, and risk reduction outcomes for senior federal agency leadership.

Responsibilities

Serve as the senior SME and technical lead for Zero Trust architecture and implementation at the SBA, providing expert guidance, strategic direction, and technical leadership on all aspects of SBA's Zero Trust transformation initiative.
Develop, maintain, and continuously refine SBA's Zero Trust architecture strategy, roadmap, and implementation plan, ensuring alignment with OMB Memorandum M-22-09, CISA's Zero Trust Maturity Model, NIST SP 800-207, and other applicable federal Zero Trust mandates and guidance.
Lead the design and development of Zero Trust architectural solutions across all five pillars of the CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model – Identity, Devices, Networks, Applications and Workloads, and Data – ensuring solutions are practical, achievable, and aligned with SBA's mission requirements and existing IT environment.
Assess SBA's current security architecture, IT infrastructure, and cybersecurity capabilities against Zero Trust principles and federal Zero Trust requirements, identifying gaps, risks, and prioritized opportunities for improvement.
Develop and maintain comprehensive Zero Trust architecture documentation including reference architectures, solution designs, implementation guides, transition plans, and architecture decision records to support SBA's Zero Trust program.
Collaborate with SBA's IT, security, network, application, and data teams to integrate Zero Trust principles and capabilities into existing and planned systems, infrastructure, and processes across the enterprise.
Provide expert technical guidance on the selection, configuration, and integration of Zero Trust enabling technologies including identity and access management (IAM), multi-factor authentication (MFA), privileged access management (PAM), micro-segmentation, software-defined networking (SDN), endpoint detection and response (EDR), and data loss prevention (DLP) solutions.
Lead and support the evaluation and implementation of cloud-based Zero Trust capabilities, ensuring SBA's cloud environments are architected and operated in accordance with Zero Trust principles and federal cloud security requirements.
Coordinate with SBA's enterprise architecture team to ensure Zero Trust principles and requirements are integrated into SBA's broader enterprise architecture framework, technology standards, and IT investment planning processes.
Develop and deliver Zero Trust architecture briefings, progress reports, and strategic recommendations for SBA senior leadership, providing clear and compelling communication of Zero Trust concepts, implementation progress, and associated risk reduction benefits.
Serve as SBA's representative and technical SME in engagements with OMB, CISA, DHS, and other federal partners on Zero Trust-related matters, including participation in interagency Zero Trust working groups and forums.
Support the development of Zero Trust-related policies, standards, and guidelines for SBA, ensuring they reflect current federal requirements and best practices and provide clear direction for SBA personnel and contractors.
Provide technical oversight and guidance for Zero Trust implementation projects, working with project managers and technical teams to ensure solutions are implemented in accordance with architectural designs and SBA security requirements.
Develop and deliver Zero Trust awareness and education sessions for SBA IT and security staff, helping to build organizational understanding and support for Zero Trust principles and implementation efforts.
Stay at the forefront of Zero Trust technology developments, federal policy updates, and industry best practices, applying this knowledge to continuously refine and improve SBA's Zero Trust architecture and implementation approach.