Technical Lead, Chief Security Architect, Engineer

Employment Type: Full-Time

** This position is contingent upon award of the contract.

About the Company
Athena Technology Group, Inc. (ATG) is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) focused on Information Technology and Communications consulting, system engineering, integration, deployment and operation of state of the art command and control and information systems that deliver critical network centric solution to the warfighter. With a proven track record of technical support to our customers, we are looking for innovative industry professionals to join our team.
ATG is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Minorities/Females/Vets/Disability
Job Summary
We are seeking a Technical Lead, Chief Security Architect, Engineer to join our team supporting the end-to-end security lifecycle across the VA enterprise. You will support the design and development of security reference architectures, solution architects, architectural analysis, models, security patterns, and governance frameworks. You will also support technical workstreams to ensure consistent delivery of security outcomes and architectural alignment.
Key Responsibilities

- Conduct security architecture reviews for new, existing legacy systems and modernized systems to validate proposed or implemented designs address identified threats, vulnerabilitys and regulatory requirements.

- Perform risk analyses and architecture gap analyses to evaluate compliance with VA and federal security policies, standards, and frameworks

- Document all findings and provide mitigation strategies that are technically sound, actionable, and aligned with enterprise risk tolerance

- Develop secure solutions by applying Zero Trust principles, defense ‑ in ‑ depth strategies, least privilege, and secure ‑ by ‑ design methodologies.

- Conduct both enterprise-level and system-specific threat modeling utilizing standardized, industry-accepted methodologies

- Define, maintain, and regularly update security requirements and standards—including control baselines, architectural patterns, and guardrails—derived from VA policies, applicable federal standards, and the enterprise security architecture

- Provide expert-level cybersecurity and enterprise security architecture SME and support the development and maturation of the VAs security architecture ecosystem

- Provide expert input to technical design reviews, modernization initiatives, pilots, use cases and enterprise transformation efforts

- Participate in VA governance boards, technical review committees, and engineering working groups

Qualifications
Required:

- Minimum of 15 years of Enterprise Security Architecture Information Security experience at a large company or Government agency similar in size/scope to GSA, IRS, DoD or VA.

An additional advanced degree (e.g. Masters or PhD) in an IT related field may substitute for up to 5 years of the required experience.

- Masters degree in Cybersecurity, Math, Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems Architecture, Telecommunications Systems Design, Architecture Implementation, Information Systems Integration, Software Development Methodologies, Security Engineering, and Network Systems Communications Management

- Certification in one or more of the following: PMP, IAT III, IAM III or IASAE III certifications.

IAT III/ IAM III / IASAE III certifications may be substituted for a relevant Bachelors degree or 4 years of relevant experience

- Expertise in project management, security architecture and security engineering with ability to translate customer requirements and relay them to the team.

- Expertise and ability to advance the development of legacy and new health IT digital architectures including cloud, mobile, IoT, APIs, VR/XR, 5G, PQC, DLP, Cryptography, Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies.

- Expertise in risk management.

- Expertise in using Enterprise Architecture (EA) tools.

- Expertise in guiding architecture tool processes and products (e.g. SABSA)

- Expertise in performing analysis and research of complex problems and processes relating to the subject matter.

- Expertise in coordinating with program and project leaders to analyze system architectures during design reviews and throughout the conceptual design lifecycle.

- Expertise in identifying strategies for addressing requirements, risks, and issues, conducting detailed trade-off analysis of requirements against fiscal, schedule, and performance issues.

- Expertise in creating diagrams and documentation with all components that comprise IT systems including network topology.

- Expertise in security frameworks and Federal policies, processes, and standards. (e.g., NIST, FISMA, FedRAMP, CIS Controls, HIPAA).

- Must be a US citizen

Physical and Environmental Conditions

- Normal Office Environment. Requires Sitting, Standing, Near Acuity, Speaking with colleagues and customers, Listening, Sight, Use of hands/fingers.

Additional Benefits

- Performance Bonuses and annual salary reviews

- Health, dental, and vision insurance

- Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance

- 401(k) plan with company match

- Opportunities for professional growth and development

- A collaborative and inclusive work environment

ATG is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, medical condition, marital or domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression and transgender status, mental disability or physical disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship, low-income status or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law. Learn more about your rights under Federal EEO laws and supplemental language.