Cybersecurity Engineer
GDIT· enterprise· Defense IT· Sep 16, 2026 · 1mo ago
Herndon, VA
Hybrid
Full-time
Mid
$170K–$230K
10+ years exp
Job description
Type of Requisition:
Regular
Clearance Level Must Currently Possess:
Top Secret/SCI
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:
Top Secret SCI + Polygraph
Public Trust/Other Required:
None
Job Family:
Cyber and IT Risk Management
Job Qualifications:
Skills:
Cyber Security Architecture, Security Architecture Design, Technical Research Certifications:
None Experience:
10 + years of related experience US Citizenship Required:
Yes
Job Description:
CYBERSECURITY ENGINEER SR PRINCIPAL
Transform technology into opportunity as a Cybersecurity Engineer Senior Principal with GDIT. A career in enterprise IT means connecting and enhancing the systems that matter most.
The Intel and Homeland Security (IHS) Chief Technology Office (CTO) is responsible for technical solutioning with excellence within the division. The Cybersecurity Engineer Senior Principal role provides deep, hands-on cyber engineering expertise and advanced development skills to address our customers’ most complex challenges. The role focuses on building, prototyping, and delivering cutting-edge cyber capabilities and providing thought leadership that strengthens our mission outcomes.
This role reports directly to the CTO Leadership and serves as a primary technical driver within high-impact cyber initiatives.
How a Cybersecurity Engineer Senior Principal will make an impact:
Cyber and Technical:
Designs, develops, and evaluates complex cyber systems and capabilities, with emphasis on mission-driver cyber effects and risk-informed engineering
Conducts hands-on software development and systems engineering, including prototyping and research, to develop new or enhanced cyber capabilities
Performs in-depth technical research to identify vulnerabilities, characterize system behaviors, and inform offensive and defensive mission approaches
Apply deep expertise in full spectrum cyber functional areas (OCO, DCO) to shame mission execution, capability development, and proposal solutions.
Lead and contribute to the testing, validation, deployment, and sustainment of cyber tools, infrastructure, and mission systems.
Develop and assess cyber‑related engineering artifacts—including system designs, dataflows, and software components—to anticipate and address operational cyber considerations.
Develop automations, tooling, and software capabilities that support offensive or defensive missions across diverse environments and enterprises.
Innovation and Technical Leadership:
Serve as a senior technical authority in shaping concepts, prototypes, and engineering approaches for mission‑aligned cyber capabilities.
Identify and develop innovative technical solutions that meet emerging customer needs, leveraging deep cyber tradecraft and modern engineering practices.
Conduct trade studies, analyze alternatives, and recommend technical paths that balance mission impact, feasibility, and resources.
Collaborate with program teams to improve cybersecurity operations, advance capability deployment, and mentor engineers in advanced cyber techniques.
Reviewing and providing constructive feedback on proposal and technical artifacts (designs, prototypes, research outputs, etc), ensuring alignment with mission and organizational goals.
Contribute to Internal Research and Development (IRAD) efforts through hands-on architecture, design, prototyping and delivery.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO SUCCEED:
The candidate must possess the following skills:
Significant hands-on experience (minimum 3 years each) in at least three of the following criteria: Vulnerability analysis, security automation, or cyber-enabled data workflows (OCO)
Threat analysis, incident response, and cyber mission planning (DCO)
Operational support to Full Spectrum Cyber or joint cyber operations
Enterprise or cloud security engineering
Experience leading or contributing to R&D activities
Experience across the full systems engineering lifecycle including trade studies, analysis of alternatives, prototype development, and operational pilots
Proven ability to lead development of technical artifacts and engineering documentation such as security architecture diagrams, CONOPS, OV-1s, APIs and system descriptions
Excellent verbal and written communication (including executive level interface), work autonomously and in groups, highly organized, deadline-oriented, continuous-improvement mindset.
Functional understanding of U.S. Government cyber authorities, operational frameworks, and how cyber, intelligence, and mission planning integrate to achieve outcomes
Education: Bachelor of Science or advanced degree in a relevant technical field or equivalent work experience.
Required Experience: 10 years of related cyber, systems engineering, or mission-focused technical leadership experience, including at least 5 years leading technical aspects of cyber, cloud, or integrated mission systems.
U.S. Citizenship is required.
Requires a TS/SCI with the ability to achieve TS/SCI with polygraph
The likely salary range for this position is $170,000 - $230,000. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.
Scheduled Weekly Hours:
40
Travel Required:
10-25%
T elecommuting Options:
Hybrid
Work Location:
USA VA Herndon
Additional Work Locations:
USA MD Annapolis Junction
Total Rewards at GDIT:
Our benefits package for all US-based employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, dental plan options, a vision plan, and a 401(k) plan offering the ability to contribute both pre and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match. To encourage work/life balance, GDIT offers employees full flex work weeks where possible and a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long-term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance are provided or available. We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.
Our Identity Verification Process:
As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete an identity verification process that leverages advanced biometrics and artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during virtual interviews. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud. By proceeding, you authorize the collection, processing, and use of your biometric data for identity verification and security purposes.
About Our Work:
We are GDIT. A global technology and professional services company that delivers technology solutions and mission services to every major agency across the U.S. government, defense and intelligence community. Our 26,000 experts extract the power of technology to create immediate value and deliver solutions at the edge of innovation. We operate across 50+ countries worldwide, offering leading mission-ready capabilities in AI, cloud, cyber and software development.
Join our Talent Community to stay up to date on our career opportunities and events at gdit.com/tc .
Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans
Application prep
Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.
Keywords to mirror
ai
- Platform
- workday
- Effort
- long
Benefits
Benefits detected in the listing.
Dental
Vision
401(K)
Paid Time Off