Information System Security Engineer (ISSE) Senior - Top Secret Clearance Required
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 21, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 6, 2026. Agile Defense scores B on the Alion truth index.
Requisition #: 1924
Job Title: Information System Security Engineer (ISSE) Senior
Location: Washington, DC
Clearance Level: Top Secret Clearance Required
Required Certification(s): One of the following: CCISO, CISA, CISM, CISSO, CISSP, CISSP-ISSEP, CPTE, CySA+, FITSP-A, GCSA, GSLC, or GSNA
Job Description
- Support design and maintenance of a methodology to categorize FBI IT systems based on:
Architecture and technology stack
Security classification level
FIPS-199 impact level
National Security System designation
Hosting environment (on-premises, Azure, AWS)
CNSS 1253 overlays
Data sensitivity and data types
Mission/business function
System complexity and integration dependencies
- Assess system architecture, interfaces, hosting models, and security control implications to help determine appropriate ISSO/ISSE support levels.
- Analyze traditional, hybrid, and cloud-based systems to distinguish technical support requirements.
- Support accurate grouping of systems based on risk, operational impact, engineering effort, and compliance obligations.
- Translate technical system attributes into labor mapping recommendations aligned to ITSSS labor categories and seniority levels.
- Partner with ISSOs and program leadership to ensure categorization decisions are technically sound, repeatable, and well documented.
- Contribute to documentation supporting system assignments, engineering rationale, and support models.
- Support chargeback and cost recovery efforts by aligning technical support effort with system and division-level reporting.
- Assist with automated or semi-automated workflows used for categorization, reporting, and cost assignment.
- Support updates to reporting tools and technical logic when policy, technology, or organizational changes occur.
- Contribute to RMF and system security engineering activities, including:
Security architecture reviews
Control implementation analysis
Inheritance considerations
Boundary analysis
System interconnection analysis
Technical documentation support
- Review and apply NIST, CNSS, and FBI guidance to ensure methodology remains compliant and current.
Support continuous improvement of the categorization framework as new technologies and requirements emerge.
Agile Defense is seeking a skilled Information System Security Engineer (ISSE) to support the FBI under Objective 2: ISSO/ISSE Program Management. The ISSE will provide technical security engineering expertise to help develop, implement, and sustain a methodology for categorizing FBI IT systems based on architecture, complexity, hosting environment, security posture, and mission requirements.
This role supports the technical analysis needed to differentiate systems by risk, technology stack, overlays, and operational dependencies, and to ensure those categorizations effectively inform labor allocation, reporting, and cost recovery. The ISSE will work closely with ISSOs, system owners, architects, and program leadership to maintain a scalable and compliant categorization framework aligned with FBI and federal standards.
Key Responsibilities:
Education and Background
- Bachelor's degree in Information Security, Engineering, or related field.
- 8+ years of experience, or equivalent relevant work experience; e.g., each year of work experience may be substituted for each year of education required.
- One of the following: CCISO, CISA, CISM, CISSO, CISSP, CISSP-ISSEP, CPTE, CySA+, FITSP-A, GCSA, GSLC, or GSNA
Required Skills
- Active Top Secret clearance required.
- Experience assessing complex systems for security architecture, control implementation, and risk categorization.
- Strong knowledge of:
- FIPS-199
- NIST SP 800-37
- NIST SP 800-53
- CNSS 1253
- RMF
- System security engineering principles
- Experience with on-premises and cloud environments, including Azure, AWS, or hybrid enterprise systems.
- Experience supporting technical security documentation and system authorization packages.
- Ability to analyze diverse technical architectures and map findings to staffing, security, and compliance requirements.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to explain technical issues to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Preferred Skills
- Experience supporting FBI, DOJ, DoD, IC, or other federal national security customers.
- Experience with classified systems, cross-domain solutions, or National Security Systems.
- Experience using GRC platforms or structured repositories for system and security data.
- Familiarity with automation, workflow orchestration, or reporting tools supporting cybersecurity operations.