Cybersecurity Engineer I

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) is building a state-of-the-art cybersecurity program to better protect the critical transit infrastructure supporting our nation¿s capital. The Cybersecurity Engineering I role reports to the Manager, Cybersecurity Technology Unit (CTU).

The Cybersecurity Engineer I serves as the key personnel to support perimeter, network, and application security. Candidates for this role will be highly skilled and knowledgeable in the areas of cybersecurity architecture, monitoring, analyzing, and strengthening security controls to protect enterprise systems and data, threat management, log management, cloud architecture, and basic cybersecurity principles. The incumbent will also support the overall vision and mission of The Office of Cybersecurity by implementing security best practices and collaborating with cross-functional teams to identify and mitigate risks.

In addition, this role requires applying cybersecurity privacy, compliance, and standard principles to achieve success. Successful candidates will understand how to deploy and maintain Metro¿s cybersecurity tool stack in alignment with The Office of Cybersecurity¿s strategy., The Cybersecurity Engineer I is responsible for determining system security requirements. The engineer also designs the security layout or architecture of a system or network and determines required security tools and existing tool functionality. The employee implements system security by ensuring that the entire system works as planned. This includes testing and documenting the entire system. Through penetration testing, or ethical hacking, the engineer is required to conduct formal tests on web-based applications, networks, and other types of computer systems on a regular basis and is expected to conduct regular security audits from both a logical or theoretical standpoint and a technical, hands-on standpoint, resulting on written reports and action plans., * Performs systems security engineering activities in accordance with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-16. Serves as a liaison between the security architect and authorizing official and coordinates with system owners, common control providers, and system security officers on the design and allocation of security controls as system-specific, hybrid, or common controls. Ensures that systems and networks are developed and deployed securely, leveraging best industry standards and a thorough understanding of both security and enterprise architecture.

• Employs best practices when implementing security controls within a system including software engineering methodologies; system and security engineering principles; secure design, secure architecture, and secure coding techniques. Manages the determination of the protection needs (i.e., security controls) for the information system(s) and network(s) and document appropriately.
• Conducts software and systems engineering and software systems research to develop new capabilities, ensuring cybersecurity is fully integrated. Also, coordinates comprehensive technology research to evaluate potential vulnerabilities in cyberspace systems.
• Provides support for processes which ensure that the stakeholder security requirements necessary to protect the organization¿s mission and business processes are adequately addressed in all aspects of enterprise architecture including reference models, segment and solution architectures, and the resulting systems supporting those missions and business processes.
• Provides support for the documentation process and addresses WMATA's information security, cybersecurity architecture, and systems security engineering requirements throughout the acquisition life cycle. Collaborates with development organizations to create and deploy the tools needed to achieve objectives.
• Analyzes internal operational architecture, tools, and procedures for ways to improve performance. Ensures that the Authority has the most effective suite of tools and procedures to drive organizational success.
• Identifies and/or develops reverse engineering tools to enhance capabilities and detect vulnerabilities. Ensures that vulnerabilities are identified as early as possible and mitigated.
• Performs authorized penetration testing on enterprise network assets. Performs penetration testing as required for new or updated applications. Exploits network devices, security devices, and/or terminals or environments using various methods or tools.
• Performs defensive and simulated offensive measures, techniques and collects information from a variety of sources to identify, analyze, and report events that occur or might occur within the network to protect information, information systems, and networks from threats.
• Provides incident response support functions through technical activities that gather evidence on criminal or foreign intelligence entities to mitigate possible or real-time threats, protect against insider threats, foreign sabotage, international terrorist activities, or to support other intelligence activities. Ensures that the organization can respond to attacks quickly and eliminate threats.
• Provides support for research, deployment, configuration and maintenance processes for the network monitoring, defensive and administrative cybersecurity tools. Develop content for cyber defense tools. Identifies potential conflicts with implementation of any cyber defense tools (e.g., tool and signature testing and optimization). Ensures that the Authority has the most effective suite of tools and procedures to drive organizational success.
• Provides program support involved in the construction of signatures which can be implemented on cyber defense network tools in response to new or observed threats within the network environment or enclave.
• Identifies and develops reverse engineering tools to enhance capabilities and detect vulnerabilities.

The essential duties listed are not intended to limit specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Nor is it intended to limit in any way the right of managers and supervisors to assign, direct and control the work of employees under their supervision.

• A Bachelor¿s degree in Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Management or a similar technical computer or cybersecurity engineering degree.
• In lieu of a Bachelor¿s degree, a High School Diploma or GED and four (4) years of experience as a cybersecurity engineer or Information System Security Engineer/Officer (ISSO/ISSE), having supported cybersecurity engineering and/or penetration testing.

Experience

• No prior experience as a cybersecurity engineer\analyst or Information System Security Engineer/Officer (ISSO/ISSE) is required, * Skills and/or behavioral assessment
• Personal interview
• Verification of education and experience (including certifications and licenses)
• Criminal Background Check (a criminal conviction is not an automatic bar to employment)
• Medical examination including a drug and alcohol screening (for safety sensitive positions)
• Review of a current motor vehicle report

• Note : Progression is not automatic nor guaranteed and is dependent on successfully completing the specified workload requirements.
• Candidates for promotion meet the minimum qualifications and work experience of the next career ladder series job before consideration for advancement
• Candidates must remain within the career ladder job for at least six months before consideration for advancement to the next career ladder job''

***** The 180-calendar day new hire probationary period must be met according to WMATA policy