Cybersecurity Architect​/Strategic Advisor

Our client is looking for a Cybersecurity Architect/ Strategic Advisor to serve as a strategic advisor to the CISO and drive the statewide implementation of the Accelerated Exposure Reduction Plan.

This role balances high-level strategic advisory with hands on engineering, operating on a "teach-by-doing" knowledge transfer model. The primary objective is to build long-term internal capabilities while operationalizing and enforcing the State''s newly updated Flaw Remediation (SI-2) Standard. This initiative transitions the State from reactive, manual vulnerability management to an AI-accelerated, continuous authorization, and automated Dev Sec Ops  posture.

2.1 CISO Strategic Advisory and Engineering

· Act as a direct technical advisor to the CISO, translating federal mandates, emerging AI threat models, and architectural gaps into actionable enterprise security directives.

· Execute a hands-on knowledge transfer model, co-engineering data pipelines and security automation alongside internal staff to institutionalize elite technical skills.

· Deliver real time training and co-develop automation playbooks within the security operations (Sec Ops) using live demonstration approach.

2.2 Flaw Remediation (SI-2) Standard Operationalization

· Tier Optimization & Enforcement:
Architect automated tracking, logging, and validation mechanisms to implement compliance with the State’s updated SI-2 time frames:

· Tier 1 (Highest Urgency):
Ensure all public-facing vulnerabilities, CISA KEV listings, active exploits, and identity/privileged system flaws implement approved mitigations or compensating controls within 24 hours, with full remediation closed inside 7 calendar days.

· Tier 2 (High-Risk/Internal):
Configure alerting and metric reporting to validate mitigation within 48 hours and full remediation within 15 calendar days.

· Tier 3 (Moderate/Low):
Establish repeatable monthly scheduling to ensure remediation within 30 calendar days.

· Clean Deployment Architectures:
Partner with agency development teams to pivot away from manual, in-place patching. Author and implement automated templates for clean deployments using virtualized system images, containers, and cloud-native configurations.

· Dev Sec Ops  Integration:
Embed secure builds, automated software testing, code scanning, and dependency updates natively into agency deployment pipelines.

2.3 AI Capability Deployment & Toolchain Integration

· Operationalize Gemini Government and Google Codemender or equivalent directly inside active workflows, showing security analysts and application developers how to leverage generative AI to automate log parsing, threat hunting, and source-code remediation.

· Engineer automated data pipelines to feed the centralized enterprise platform (incorporating telemetry from Tenable.io, Google Mandiant ASM, Microsoft Azure Arc, Splunk, and Google Sec Ops) to maintain a single, authoritative pane of glass.

· Ensure all AI-assisted capabilities comply strictly with privacy, data classification, and logging safeguards, preventing non-public vulnerability metrics from leaking into unvetted environments.

2.4 Governance Safeguards & Escalation Automation

· Build automated low-code workflows to manage the SI-2 time-bound exception lifecycle, ensuring every granted exception maps back to a named owner, specific compensating controls, and an explicit financial tiedown capturing technical debt.

· Configure automated alert thresholds and workflow routing for significant business risks that exceed normal management tolerance, ensuring rapid escalation in line with the SI-2 update.

Candidate MUST be a WI resident or willing to relocate to WI prior to starting the role at their own expense. This position can work 100% remote with occasional onsite visits 1-2 times required throughout the duration of the contract

Location:

Madison, WI

Contract:

1 year

• Proven experience serving as a trusted technical advisor to CISOs, CIOs, or senior executive leaders within public sector or heavily federated enterprise environments.
• Documented success as a technical mentor, trainer, or engineering lead focused on pair-engineering and technical upskilling…