Job Description
Department Marketing Statement
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 Engineer III (CE III) role reports to the Manager, Cybersecurity Technology Unit (CTU). The CE III will execute tasks and handle enterprise-wide initiatives in connection with perimeter security management and application security engineering - to include setting up, configuring, and maintaining appliances (firewalls, load balancers, VPN) and security applications (e.g. Splunk, Varonis, CrowdStrike, Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux); updating hardware and software; establishing and managing user accounts; overseeing or conducting backup and recovery tasks; implementing operational and technical security controls; Troubleshooting technical issues; documenting processes, and ensuring adherence to organizational security policies and procedures. The CE III tests, implements, deploys, maintains, reviews, and administers solutions, including certificate management, to effectively manage corporate cyber defenses infrastructure and assists with the monitoring of the defense systems to support the remediation of unauthorized activities and ensure tool effectiveness enabling a superior security posture.
The candidate will have:
- Strong hands-on experience with firewalls, load balancers, and security applications, across both on-premises and cloud environments.
- Familiarity with Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and enterprise-level security monitoring.
- Excellent problem-solving and communication skills.
- Passion for protecting critical infrastructure and public safety.
General Hybrid Work Statement:
This opportunity is a hybrid opportunity allowing for flexibility between virtual and in-person work subject to the Authority's telework policy .
Minimum Qualifications
Education
- A Bachelor¿s degree in Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Management or a similar technical computer or cybersecurity engineering degree
Experience
- 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
Certification/Licensure
Preferred
Medical Group
Satisfactorily complete the medical examination for this position, if required. The incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of this position either with or without reasonable accommodations.
Job Summary
The Cybersecurity Engineer III 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.
Additional Criteria for Progression:
- 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
Essential Functions
- Performs senior level 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.
- As a senior level engineer, employs the 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 documents appropriately.
- Conducts senior level software and systems engineering and software systems research to develop new capabilities, ensuring cybersecurity is fully integrated. Also, manages the conduction of comprehensive technology research to evaluate potential vulnerabilities in cyberspace systems.
- Provides senior level 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 senior level 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.
- Provides senior level analysis of internal operational architecture, tools, and procedures to improve performance. Ensures that the Authority has the most effective suite of tools and procedures to drive organizational success.
- Provides senior level support that identifies and/or develops reverse engineering tools to enhance capabilities and detect vulnerabilities. Ensures that vulnerabilities are identified as early as possible and mitigated.
- Provides senior level support of authorized penetration testing on enterprise network assets. Performs penetration testing as required for new or updated applications. Exploits network devices, security devices, terminals and/or environments using various methods or tools.
- Provides senior level support of defensive and simulated offensive measures, techniques and information collected 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 senior level support of 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 senior level support of the research, deployment, configuration and maintenance processes for network monitoring, defensive and administrative cybersecurity tools. Develops 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 senior level 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.
- Provides senior level support regarding the identification and development of 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.
Evaluation Criteria
Consideration will be given to applicants whose resumes demonstrate the required education and experience. Applicants should include all relevant education and work experience.
Evaluation criteria may include one or more of the following:
- 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
Closing
WMATA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by applicable federal law.
This posting is an announcement of a vacant position under recruitment. It is not intended to replace the official job description. Job descriptions are available upon confirmation of an interview.
