Technical Project Leader

At MITRE, your passion fuels work that impacts our nation and improves lives. This is where your skills strengthen national security, cybersecurity, health, transportation, and citizen services. We’re a nonprofit engineering, applied research, and advanced technology organization working in the public interest. With objectivity and integrity at our core, we lead federally funded research and development centers for U.S. government agencies - collaborating with industry and academia to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions that advance our nation’s health, security, and prosperity. Our people tackle the toughest technical challenges, supported by competitive benefits, meaningful career development, and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. Choose MITRE for a career with purpose - and help shape the future.

Department Summary:

MITRE is seeking a Technical Project Leader for the National Cybersecurity Federally Funded Research and Development Center (NCF) with expertise in Cybersecurity task oversight and management and NIST (and other Sponsor) priorities. This individual will drive execution and management for a diverse collection of ongoing Cybersecurity related projects and facilitate the development of new Cybersecurity related projects within the NCF to develop and deliver meaningful R&D solutions to real world problems. This is a growth position, requiring a highly motivated and self-starting individual who can manage the constant challenges of an expanding Cybersecurity related work program supporting NIST’s mission.

The candidate should be comfortable building trusted relationships with government sponsors and industry partners at all levels while leading a diverse team of technical and operational experts to deliver results against the division and sponsor objectives. MITRE’s sponsors depend upon us to deliver on their missions, and the successful candidate will be at the forefront of that charge.

This position requires technical program level understanding of the Cybersecurity technologies while also demonstrating sufficient business and financial acumen to successfully deliver innovations that bring value to the Nation.

The NCF, sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is focused on the development and implementation of best practices and technological advancements for critical and emerging technology areas. The Technical Project Leader is expected to work across MITRE to shape and deliver high impact, quality outcomes, to staff projects with best available talent, and initiate activities that result in execution excellence and the creation of new opportunities for our sponsors to leverage MITRE’s capabilities.

All Project Leader positions at MITRE require strong technical leadership with excellent project management and interpersonal skills to deliver sponsor mission outcomes that exceed sponsor expectations, on time and within budget. Operating across a matrix organization, the successful candidate will work closely with the NCF Department Managers and MITRE Labs to identify and select task leads and technical team members and ensure delivery of high-quality technical products. This is a complex and rewarding technical work program with high visibility across MITRE and our sponsors.

Roles & Responsibilities:

The successful candidate is expected to:

• Serve as the division’s primary leader for assigned Cybersecurity-related sponsor engagement and work program development/execution.
• Be responsible for identifying opportunities to help the sponsors with difficult problems, shape new tasks within the project, and expand the project to incorporate the breadth of MITRE capabilities to the benefit of the mission.

• Assess technical risks and opportunities that inform the sponsors’ program strategies and investment decisions.
• Own the areas of strategic planning, quality assurance of deliverables, contract administration, financial planning and budgeting, and project execution and documentation.
• Provide strong Cybersecurity thought leadership and technical acumen to actively contribute to and manage technical work program.
• Collaborate with the Department Managers, Chief Engineers, and other MITRE resources to help build and maintain the work program while developing technically proficient staff within the department and division.
• Work with NCF leadership functions (contracts, finance, operations) to track and ensure execution of the projects that meet and exceed sponsor objectives.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with industry and academia as required by the projects being led.

Basic Qualifications:

• Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 8 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 5 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Demonstrated technical breadth in Cybersecurity technologies. This is not an architect or developer role. However, a Cybersecurity technologist with experience running projects or programs with accountability for delivery and budget are encouraged to apply.
• Demonstrated record of strong project/program management and leadership skills.
• Track record of innovative thinking.
• Strong interpersonal skills as well as effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Motivation to expand knowledge/skills and assume responsibility.
• Depth of knowledge in sponsor mission area.
• Strong strategic thinking skills.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI U.S Government issued Security Clearance. Per the U.S. Government’s eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
• This position requires a minimum of 3 days a week on-site.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Current experience delivering projects and programs that employ SI technology to real solve world problems in an accelerated way, including with a solid understanding of where the technology is going and where there will likely be gaps in industry development.
• MS or PhD in Cybersecurity, computer science, engineering.
• Strong relationships or connections with SI industry leaders and forward leaning organizations adopting SI technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to work with sponsors at a senior level to identify key technical problems and opportunities to accelerate the adoption of Cybersecurity solutions that provide value to Sponsors and Industry.

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):

None

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):

Top Secret/SCI

Salary compensation range and midpoint:

$172,800 - $216,000 - $259,200 Annual

Work Location Type:

Onsite

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.

MITRE intends to maintain a website that is fully accessible to all individuals. If you are unable to search or apply for jobs and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of MITRE’s employment process, please email [email protected] for general support and [email protected] for intern positions. This service is for individuals requiring reasonable accommodation requests. Please note that vendor solicitations will not receive a reply.

Benefits information may be found here.

Copyright © 1997-2026, The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved. MITRE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. Material on this site may be copied and distributed with permission only.