New
Posted: April 17, 2026

I. Position Description

Purpose

The Air Force ISR Digital Infrastructure Transformation enables intelligence analysts to securely leverage modern technologies to deliver intelligence at the speed of relevance. This transformation spans Data and Analytics, Sensemaking and Automation, Augmentation and AI, Networks, Hybrid and Multi-Cloud, Enterprise Services, and Cybersecurity, enabling integration and synchronization across the Intelligence Community, the Department of Defense, and commercial partners.

The success of this transformation depends on aligning people, processes, and technology to strengthen warfighting capabilities across all domains. Foundational technology modernization, paired with a disciplined implementation framework, enables analysts to outpace adversaries and sustain decision advantage. This role directly supports the foundational cybersecurity layer of the ISR Digital Infrastructure Transformation and feeds the broader ISR Digital Transformation Strategy across the enterprise.

Scope

The Senior Cybersecurity & Zero Trust SME serves as a senior technical authority and strategic advisor responsible for designing, integrating, and advancing Zero Trust cybersecurity across the enterprise. The role provides expert guidance to senior leaders on cybersecurity architecture, policy implementation, risk-informed decision-making, and investment considerations to ensure resilient, mission-ready operations in contested and highly dynamic threat environments.

The position also serves as an enterprise advisor for identity, authorization, and data-access architecture, ensuring authentication, authorization, and entitlement mechanisms operate cohesively across distributed environments, classification domains, and mission systems.

Work Environment

Work Location: National Capital Region (3–4 days per week on-site)
Security Clearance: TS/SCI clearance required
Travel Requirements: TDY as required by the Government

II. Key Responsibilities

Strategic Advisory & Architecture Leadership

Serve as a senior advisor to leadership on Zero Trust strategy, cybersecurity risk, and enterprise protection priorities.
Shape and evolve enterprise cybersecurity architectures aligned to national defense objectives, operational mission requirements, and modernization goals.
Advise on architectural trade-offs affecting mission execution, readiness, and resilience.
Provide technical leadership during proof-of-concept initiatives, pilot implementations, and capability demonstrations to validate architectural feasibility and mission effectiveness.

Zero Trust Architecture & Integration

Design and guide the evolution of enterprise Zero Trust architectures spanning identity, device, network, application, data, and workload security.
Ensure Zero Trust principles are consistently embedded across cloud, hybrid, edge, and legacy environments.
Integrate cybersecurity as an operational enabler rather than a compliance-only function.
Architect authentication frameworks including single sign-on, identity federation, credential validation, and audit logging mechanisms supporting traceability, compliance verification, and security monitoring.
Design secure architectures capable of operating under disconnected, degraded, intermittent, or limited-bandwidth conditions while maintaining authentication and authorization integrity.

Policy, Governance & Standards Alignment

Translate federal cybersecurity policy and Zero Trust guidance into practical architectural patterns and implementation models.
Align enterprise cybersecurity architecture with applicable national frameworks and standards.
Support governance processes that enable timely, risk-informed architectural decisions.
Develop and refine authorization policies, approval workflows, audit chains, and lifecycle processes governing user access, privilege escalation, temporary access, suspension, and revocation.

Identity, Authorization & Data Access Engineering

Design and evaluate authentication and authorization models supporting automated and manual approval workflows across enterprise systems and applications.
Assess identity data sources and authorization repositories to ensure accuracy, traceability, and compliance.
Develop architectures that map user authorizations to data outputs, classification markings, dissemination controls, and expiration conditions.
Design systems capable of regenerating authorized data outputs upon request while preserving access control enforcement, classification integrity, and auditability.
Develop authorization frameworks that support combined data requests from multiple sources with differing caveats or access restrictions.
Ensure secure continuity of authorization and access functions during network outages or degraded operating environments.
Design dashboards and monitoring mechanisms to track authorization activity, access history, privilege changes, and anomalous access conditions.
Coordinate with mission partners, research organizations, and external stakeholders to validate technical feasibility, access requirements, and architecture alignment with operational needs.

Investment & Program Support

Provide architectural input to cybersecurity investment prioritization across FYDP and multi-year planning horizons.
Evaluate programs, platforms, and vendor solutions for architectural fit, risk reduction, and mission impact.
Support acquisition, PPBE, and portfolio review forums with senior-level technical judgment.

Threat Awareness & Adaptation

Maintain awareness of advanced cyber threats, adversary tactics, and emerging attack vectors.
Assess second- and third-order impacts of cyber conflict on enterprise operations and mission assurance.
Recommend architectural adaptations to maintain resilience under degraded or contested conditions.

Enterprise Collaboration & Communication

Partner with mission owners, IT leaders, data and AI stakeholders, operational commanders, and interagency mission partners to integrate cybersecurity into mission design and execution.
Establish and maintain effective relationships across federal organizations and mission components to ensure alignment of cybersecurity architectures with enterprise objectives.
Communicate complex cybersecurity architecture and risk concepts clearly to executive, operational, and non-technical audiences.
Mentor technical teams and leaders on Zero Trust principles, architectural thinking, and execution.
Gather operational feedback from users and stakeholders and translate findings into architecture, system, or policy improvements.

III. Minimum Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a STEM-related field
Master’s degree in a related field (preferred, not required)

Experience Level

15+ years of progressively responsible experience in cybersecurity, information assurance, or cyber operations

IV. Core Professional Qualifications

Expertise

Expert-level knowledge of Zero Trust cybersecurity architecture and enterprise implementation
Demonstrated expertise in cybersecurity strategy, architecture, and enterprise risk management
Proven experience securing large-scale, distributed, mission-critical systems
Expertise designing enterprise authentication, authorization, and identity lifecycle architectures

Experience

Senior-level experience advising executives or senior leaders on cybersecurity architecture and risk
Experience leading or advising enterprise-scale Zero Trust or cybersecurity transformation efforts
Experience aligning cybersecurity architecture to mission execution or warfighting frameworks
Experience designing authorization models, access workflows, approval chains, and entitlement governance processes

Technical Breadth

Cloud and hybrid security architectures
Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM)
Enterprise authentication and federation architectures
Authorization workflow automation and lifecycle management
Network segmentation and software-defined security
Data protection, encryption, and cross-domain considerations
Attribute-based access control and data entitlement architecture
Cyber resilience, incident response, and recovery planning
Development and application of cybersecurity MOEs/MOPs tied to mission outcomes
Security analytics dashboards and access telemetry visualization
Capturing, analyzing, and presenting cybersecurity performance data for executive decision-making

Leadership & Communication

Ability to influence architectural outcomes without direct authority
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to translate technical risk into operational and strategic implications
Experience briefing cybersecurity posture and risk using executive-level products

Soft Skills

Executive-level speaking and presentation
Strategic planning and program coordination
Analytical problem-solving
Collaboration and unity of purpose
Adaptability and continuous learning
Risk assessment and management

Senior Cybersecurity & Zero Trust SME