Cyber Security Engineer

Position Title: Senior Cyber Range Engineer

Location: Annapolis Junction, MD (100% onsite)

Type of Contract: Full-time (FTE)

Number of Openings: 1

Start Date: Immediate (Position requires an active Top Secret clearance)

Security Clearance Required: Active Top Secret (No sponsorship available)

Salary Range: $140K – $200K (Based on experience and qualifications)

Job Summary

The Senior Cyber Range Engineer will serve as a technical leader in cyber range operations, supporting large-scale cyber exercises and multi-domain cyber operations. This role involves designing, managing, and executing cyber training events that align with Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO) and Offensive Cyber Operations (OCO). The candidate will work closely with cyber mission teams to develop immersive training environments that replicate real-world cyber threats and vulnerabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Cyber Range Operations: Provide expertise in cyber range setup, configuration, and execution to support DCO/OCO activities for U.S. Cyber Command (USCC).
• Event Planning & Execution: Define objectives, develop realistic mission scenarios, and execute cyber training exercises.
• System & Network Administration: Manage virtual environments, cybersecurity tools, and account access for cyber training events.
• Team Leadership: Lead a team of cyber engineers, ensuring seamless operations across multiple programs within the JCTE.
• Risk Mitigation & Security Compliance: Identify and mitigate cyber threats while ensuring compliance with DoD cybersecurity policies.
• Continuous Improvement: Develop best practices for cyber event planning, execution, and performance evaluation.

Required Skills & Experience

• Cybersecurity & Network Expertise:
• Strong knowledge of Joint Events Life Cycle (JELC).
• Intermediate knowledge of offensive & defensive cyber tools.
• Expertise in networking protocols (DNS, TCP/IP, routing, troubleshooting).
• Experience with Microsoft Active Directory (AD), Security Onion, and VMWare.
• Understanding of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Identity Management (IdM) and Single Sign-On (SSO) using LDAP.
• Ability to translate cyber mission objectives into actionable training events.
• Cyber Range Development & Execution:
• Experience designing and managing cyber range training environments.
• Strong background in enterprise IT, virtualization, and network architecture.
• Hands-on experience supporting mission rehearsal and training exercises.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex virtual networks and IT infrastructures.
• Collaboration & Leadership:
• Experience leading teams in fast-paced, mission-critical environments.
• Strong ability to prioritize multiple tasks and projects.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to interact with vendors, users, and senior leadership.
• Adaptability to customer requirements and operational changes.

Desired Skills (Preferred but Not Required)

• Advanced knowledge of DNS (Authoritative vs. Recursive servers, SOA, NS, MX, A, CNAME records).
• Advanced routing experience (OSPF, BGP, route maps, access lists, prefix lists).
• Experience with Security Onion or SPLUNK (sensor configurations, enterprise-scale deployments).
• Familiarity with VMWare port properties, exchange servers, and network troubleshooting.
• Strong analytical skills for solving complex software and hardware integration issues.

Education & Certification Requirements

• Minimum of 8 years of experience with CNO (Computer Network Operations), CNE (Computer Network Exploitation), and CND (Computer Network Defense) platforms.
• 5 years of experience in cyber training, validation exercises, and cyber protection team (CPT) operations.
• DoD 8570 IAT Level II or higher certification required, such as:
• Security
• CCNA
• CISSP
• Or other equivalent cybersecurity certifications.
• Associate’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical field from an accredited institution.

Employment Requirements

• Must successfully pass a background investigation and drug urinalysis before employment.
• Active Top Secret clearance is mandatory—this position does not provide clearance sponsorship.