Cybersecurity/Anti-Tamper Engineering Subject Matter Expert

Job Description

Worker Type
Regular
Job Description

Summary
AV is seeking a Cybersecurity & Anti-Tamper Engineering Subject Matter Expert (Senior Principal Engineer) to support the LOCUST product line. This position will serve as a key technical contributor responsible for cybersecurity, network security, information assurance, and Anti-Tamper (AT) strategy and engineering across the development, integration, qualification, production, and fielding lifecycle of LOCUST systems.
The Senior Cybersecurity & Anti-Tamper SME will work closely with Systems Engineering, Software, Electrical Engineering, Integration & Test, Program Management, and Government customers to ensure LOCUST products are designed and delivered with appropriate cybersecurity protections, secure network architectures, and Anti-Tamper capabilities.
This role requires a hands-on engineer who can translate DoD cybersecurity and Anti-Tamper requirements into practical system-level requirements, architectures, technical solutions, verification activities, and program documentation.
Position Responsibilities
Cybersecurity & Network Security Engineering
· Serve as a cybersecurity engineering subject matter expert for the LOCUST product line, supporting system development, production, integration, and fielding activities.
· Develop, maintain, and manage system-level cybersecurity requirements and ensure appropriate allocation to hardware, software, firmware, and network components.
· Evaluate LOCUST system and network architectures for cybersecurity vulnerabilities and recommend design solutions that reduce technical and operational risk.
· Support the design and implementation of secure communications, network segmentation, authentication, access control, encryption, logging, system hardening, and other cybersecurity controls.
· Perform cybersecurity engineering analyses including threat assessments, vulnerability assessments, attack-surface analysis, and cybersecurity risk assessments.
· Support secure integration of Government, third-party, and commercial hardware/software into LOCUST system architectures.
· Work directly with software and systems engineering teams to incorporate secure-by-design principles throughout the product lifecycle.
· Support vulnerability identification, remediation, patching, configuration management, and cybersecurity sustainment for deployed systems.
· Develop and execute cybersecurity verification and validation activities to demonstrate compliance with applicable system requirements.
Risk Management Framework & Compliance
· Support implementation of the DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) and applicable cybersecurity requirements throughout the LOCUST product lifecycle.
· Develop and maintain technical cybersecurity artifacts supporting system authorization and customer accreditation activities.
· Assist with security control implementation, assessment, evidence development, POA&M resolution, and technical responses to cybersecurity findings.
· Support compliance with applicable DoD cybersecurity policies, Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs), and program-specific security requirements.
· Coordinate with internal security organizations, customer cybersecurity representatives, Authorizing Official representatives, and independent assessment organizations as required.
· Ensure cybersecurity requirements remain integrated with system configuration management and engineering change processes.
Anti-Tamper Engineering
· Serve as a technical contributor for Anti-Tamper engineering and implementation across LOCUST systems and critical technology.
· Support identification of Critical Program Information (CPI), critical technologies, and system components requiring protection.
· Perform technical assessments of potential exploitation pathways and recommend appropriate hardware, software, firmware, and system-level protection techniques.
· Support development and maintenance of Anti-Tamper plans, implementation strategies, technical documentation, verification approaches, and associated Government deliverables.
· Work with engineering teams to integrate Anti-Tamper requirements without unnecessarily impacting system performance, producibility, maintainability, or cost.
· Support Anti-Tamper verification, validation, test planning, and technical reviews.
· Coordinate with Government Anti-Tamper organizations and program security stakeholders as required.
Systems Engineering & Program Execution
· Participate in system architecture reviews, requirements reviews, design reviews, test readiness reviews, and other technical program reviews.
· Ensure cybersecurity and Anti-Tamper considerations are incorporated early into system architecture and design decisions rather than treated as downstream compliance activities.
· Develop technical requirements, interface requirements, verification criteria, engineering analyses, trade studies, and technical documentation.
· Support cybersecurity and AT inputs to proposals, statements of work, basis-of-estimate development, program schedules, and technical execution plans.
· Work across engineering disciplines to identify cybersecurity risks that could affect system performance, schedule, production, or customer acceptance.
· Support troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of cybersecurity and network-related issues during laboratory testing, system integration, demonstrations, acceptance testing, and field operations.
· Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers supporting cybersecurity and system security activities.
Key Competencies
· The successful candidate will demonstrate strong technical ownership and the ability to operate across traditional engineering boundaries.
· The position requires an engineer who can understand the complete LOCUST system architecture, identify where cyber and Anti-Tamper risks exist, and work directly with engineering teams to implement practical solutions.
· The ideal candidate combines cybersecurity depth with a systems-engineering mindset and understands that cybersecurity, network security, and Anti-Tamper are fundamental elements of product design, qualification, production, and operational effectiveness.
Role Impact
· The Senior Cybersecurity & Anti-Tamper Engineer will play a critical role in ensuring the LOCUST product line remains secure, resilient, and deployable in operational DoD environments.
· The position will directly influence LOCUST architecture and product maturation as the system transitions through continued development, production, customer integration, and fielding.
· This individual will help establish scalable cybersecurity and Anti-Tamper architectures and processes that can be applied across the LOCUST product family while balancing mission effectiveness, security, producibility, schedule, and cost.
Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)
· Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
· Typically 15+ years of relevant engineering experience, with significant experience supporting cybersecurity, network security, system security engineering, or Anti-Tamper activities.
· Experience developing or implementing cybersecurity requirements for complex hardware/software systems.
· Strong understanding of networking fundamentals, including TCP/IP, routing, switching, network segmentation, firewalls, ports/protocols, and secure communications.
· Experience with cybersecurity risk identification, vulnerability assessment, system hardening, and mitigation development.
· Working knowledge of the DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) and associated cybersecurity engineering processes.
· Experience working within formal systems engineering and configuration-management environments.
· Ability to develop clear technical documentation and communicate complex cybersecurity risks to engineering teams, program leadership, and customers.
· Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary engineering environment supporting aggressive development and production schedules.
· Ability to obtain and maintain the security clearance required for the position.
Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies
· Experience supporting DoD weapon systems, Counter-UAS, Directed Energy, air defense, sensors, targeting/tracking systems, or other mission-critical defense platforms.
· Experience with Anti-Tamper engineering, Critical Program Information protection, Program Protection Plans, or related technology-protection activities.
· Experience supporting RMF authorization packages for DoD systems.
· Familiarity with NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-171, DISA STIGs, Security Technical Implementation Guides, and DoD cybersecurity policy.
· Experience with embedded Linux, Windows, real-time operating systems, or embedded computing environments.
· Understanding of secure boot, trusted computing, encryption, key management, code signing, hardware roots of trust, and related platform-security technologies.
· Experience conducting or supporting penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, cybersecurity testing, or adversarial assessments.
· Familiarity with cybersecurity considerations for tactical Ethernet, RF communications, data links, sensors, EO/IR systems, command-and-control interfaces, and distributed system architectures.
· Experience supporting cybersecurity requirements for systems transitioning from prototype development into production and operational fielding.
· Relevant certifications such as CISSP, Security+, CEH, GSEC, or equivalent are desirable.
Physical Demands
· Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment (Constant)
· Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)
Clearance Level

Secret
The salary range for this role is:
$154,500 - $247,250
AeroVironment
considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited t