Security Engineer – Network Defense Focus

Position Title: Security Engineer – Network Defense Focus
Position Type: Full-Time, On-Site
Location: Chantilly, VA
Clearance: Active Top Secret/SCI with Polygraph

Waypoints client is seeking an experienced Security Engineer with a focus on Network Defense to support cybersecurity engineering, network security architecture, and infrastructure protection initiatives for mission-critical systems within the Intelligence Community. This position will play a key role in designing, evaluating, and implementing secure network architectures and defense solutions while ensuring cybersecurity requirements and security engineering principles are integrated throughout the system design, development, and deployment lifecycle.

The ideal candidate will possess a strong technical foundation in cybersecurity, security engineering, network protocols, and network defense technologies, with demonstrated experience supporting complex network architectures and implementing effective security controls. This individual must be capable of working independently, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, and effectively communicating technical findings, security risks, and recommendations to leadership.

Responsibilities

- Apply security engineering principles and best practices throughout the system design, development, integration, and deployment lifecycle.

- Support the design, evaluation, implementation, and maintenance of secure network architectures and network defense solutions.

- Assess network environments, infrastructure, and communication protocols to identify potential security vulnerabilities, configuration weaknesses, and cybersecurity risks.

- Develop and implement network security controls and defense strategies to protect enterprise systems, networks, applications, and sensitive information.

- Collaborate with network architects, systems engineers, infrastructure teams, software developers, and cybersecurity professionals to integrate security requirements into network-based solutions.

- Evaluate network architectures, configurations, and technical designs to ensure alignment with organizational security policies, standards, and mission requirements.

- Apply security engineering principles to strengthen network security, mitigate vulnerabilities, and improve overall network defense capabilities.

- Assess network communication protocols, traffic flows, access controls, and security configurations to identify potential threats and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.

- Support the implementation and evaluation of network defense technologies, including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, network segmentation, and other security controls.

- Provide technical expertise and recommendations regarding network security architecture, defense-in-depth strategies, and cybersecurity risk mitigation.

- Support cybersecurity assessments, security requirements analysis, and the implementation of security controls across enterprise network environments.

- Identify emerging network security threats and recommend engineering solutions to address vulnerabilities and improve infrastructure resilience.

- Work independently to manage assigned responsibilities, resolve technical challenges, and support cybersecurity objectives with minimal oversight.

- Prepare and deliver network security assessments, technical findings, risk evaluations, and security recommendations to leadership and other stakeholders as needed.

- Communicate effectively with cross-functional teams to ensure network security considerations are incorporated into technical and operational decisions.

Required

- Active Top Secret/SCI clearance with Polygraph.

- IAM Level II certification or higher in accordance with applicable DoD cybersecurity workforce requirements.

- Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution, preferably in a STEM discipline such as Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Engineering, or a closely related technical field.

- Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in cybersecurity, security engineering, network defense solutions, or a closely related technical discipline.

- Demonstrated experience with network protocols, network architecture, network design, and network security and defense solutions.

- Experience applying security engineering principles during system design, development, integration, and implementation.

- Strong understanding of network security concepts, network infrastructure protection, security controls, and risk mitigation strategies.

- Knowledge of network communication protocols, network traffic analysis, routing, switching, and secure network configurations.

- Understanding of network defense technologies and security mechanisms, including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, access controls, and network segmentation.

- Ability to evaluate network architectures and technical security requirements and provide practical engineering recommendations.

- Experience identifying and addressing network security vulnerabilities, configuration weaknesses, and potential cybersecurity risks.

- Experience collaborating with technical teams to integrate cybersecurity requirements into network engineering and infrastructure initiatives.

- Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.

- Self-motivated professional capable of working independently and managing responsibilities with minimal supervision.

- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively in a team-oriented environment.

- Ability to communicate complex technical information clearly and provide technical briefings, network security assessments, and recommendations to technical teams, stakeholders, and senior leadership as needed.