Cybersecurity Specialist - Junior

Job Description

This position will be located at one of our customer sites in Bethesda, MD;
Reston, VA; or Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, DC.

Leidos has an exciting opportunity for a Junior Cybersecurity Specialist in our Intel Security Sector’s Analysis Solutions Business Area. The Junior Cybersecurity Specialist supports the organization’s cybersecurity program by implementing and maintaining security operations at both tactical and operational levels. This role helps ensure that security controls are operating effectively across key areas including security logging, monitoring, alert management, incident response, vulnerability management, and configuration management.

The analyst will work closely with multidisciplinary teams—including Information Systems Security Engineers (ISSEs), Information Systems Security Managers (ISSMs), software developers, and systems engineers—to strengthen the security posture of mission systems. Throughout the Dev Sec Ops  lifecycle, the candidate will assist in developing, implementing, and maintaining robust security strategies that protect mission‑critical systems, data, and infrastructure while ensuring compliance with organizational and federal cybersecurity requirements.

• Support the secure architecture, design, and implementation of DoD systems in accordance with DoDI 8510.01, NIST SP 800-53, and other DoD security guidance.
• Lead the integration of RMF activities into the system development lifecycle (SDLC), including selecting, implementing, and validating security controls.
• Develop and maintain key security documentation such as System Security Plans (SSPs), Security Assessment Reports (SARs), Risk Assessments, and Plan of Action and Milestones (POA Ms).
• Collaborate with ISSOs, ISSMs, developers, and system owners to ensure systems are developed and maintained with approved security configurations.
• Apply Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) to systems and validate compliance using tools such as SCAP, STIG Viewer, and ACAS.
• Apply security patching.
• Maintain application, network, and database scanning infrastructure (application/product updates, database maintenance, benchmark/audit files, application/server builds, rule pack/content updates, scanner, or agent deployment etc.).
• Analyze vulnerability scans and ensure timely mitigation or acceptance of risks based on DoD policies.
• Provide technical input to support and maintain system authorization.
• Participate in system reviews, architecture assessments, and engineering design reviews to embed cybersecurity from the outset.
• Develop and implement automation or security tools to improve the compliance and monitoring of systems.
• Support security incident response and forensics analysis in coordination with ISSMs and Security points of contact.

• Active TS/SCI clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain TS/SCI with Polygraph.

• Bachelors degree and less than 2 years of experience. Entry‑level Cybersecurity experience including internships. Additional years of experience in lieu of degree are accepted.
• Experience with reviewing cybersecurity vulnerabilities for risk and relevance as well as in vulnerability mitigations/remediation planning, for identified systems, network, application and database vulnerabilities and applying security patching.
• Active TS/SCI clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain TS/SCI with Polygraph.
• Due to the nature of the government contracts we support, US Citizenship is required.
• Understanding of Microsoft Windows and/or Linux/UNIX operating systems.
• Experience with middleware / web technologies (Apache, Tomcat, IIS, etc.)
• Experience with Databases (Postgres, MS SQL, MySQL, Elastic Search, etc.)
• Understanding of TCP/IP networking.
• Experience with Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery Platforms (Jenkins, Bamboo, Gitlab CI, TFS, etc.)
• Familiar with NIST 800-171, 800-172, NIST SSDF, and CMMC requirements.
• Experience supporting DoD/IC systems through the entire Risk Management Framework Plus (RMF) process.
• Experience with System Security Engineering management processes to integrate security…