Project Leader

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MITRE's Cyber Defense - Installation to Edge Department (N175) is seeking a new Project Leader (PL) for the Defensive Cyber Effects (DCE) Project. The successful candidate will lead a diverse team of cyber professionals and partner with our sponsor in acquiring, developing, and implementing cyber capabilities to defend United States Air Force (USAF) enterprise networks, mission systems, weapon systems, and control systems.

The sponsor for this project is in San Antonio, TX, and requires continuous, on-site engagement for successful execution. For this project, the Project Leader is required to have a fundamental understanding of Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO) concepts and capabilities in support of Department of War (DoW) missions, cybersecurity concepts such as Zero Trust (ZT), enabling effective cyber situational awareness (SA), and implementing automated cyber response actions. Direct, hands-on experience with industry and open-source DCO tools as well as with cyber deception and Operational Technology (OT) monitoring and defense is preferred. Experience decomposing operational needs into functional and system requirements is also desired as this sponsor is focused on acquiring USAF enterprise cyber capabilities. Additionally, the project will work to extend current and future defensive cyber capabilities to the tactical edge for effective operations within environments with potentially limited or denied communications and reduced hardware form factors; this will require identification of use cases as well as potential operational analysis to develop and deploy solutions that are most relevant to mission needs. Lastly, the PL needs to understand enabling concepts used in designing, developing, and fielding cyber capabilities, such as Internet Protocol (IP) networking, commercial cloud environments, Digital Engineering, and DevSecOps.

PLs are the face of The MITRE Corporation. As a frontline leader, the PL engages with the sponsor to acquire and develop capabilities for their most pressing challenges. The successful candidate will work closely with MITRE Department and Division leadership to author cohesive strategies, uncover innovative solutions, and continually seek opportunities to shape our work program to provide the most significant impact for the sponsor. Candidates should have a track record of leading teams, innovating, delivering impact, and collaborating across organizational boundaries.

Roles & Responsibilities:

As the DCE Project Leader, the successful candidate will:

Mature and Shape the MITRE Project Work Program for Increased Mission Impact

• Engage with the sponsor and project team to refine and shape the project's work program in alignment with MITRE Air & Space Forces Center, Division, and Department strategies and goals to address our sponsors' highest priority needs
• Establish a project execution strategy (Mission Value Chain - MVC) that looks to identify key sponsor outcomes, key decisions that will realize those sponsor outcomes, and data-driven analyses and recommendations that will inform those decisions
• Leverage technical capabilities, innovation, and expertise across MITRE to bring the full weight of the corporation to bear on sponsor challenges
• Build collaborations with external partners (e.g., FFRDCs, Industry, DoW innovation organizations, and academia) to leverage expertise and resources and accelerate capability development and transition

Lead and Engage

• Work side by side with the sponsor to develop a trusted, collaborative relationship built on MITRE's technical capabilities and expertise
• Build and develop a team with the skills, experience, and behaviors needed to successfully deliver high-impact and lasting value to the sponsor
• Provide regular feedback and coaching/mentoring to project members to help them grow, recognizing speed, risk-taking, adaptability, collaboration, and grace/respect behaviors
• Integrate and transition MITRE and USAF research and development (R&D) to the sponsor

Execute and Deliver Mission Impact

• Deliver high-quality, data-driven technical analyses and proof of concepts with actionable recommendations for the sponsor
• Ensure project risks and challenges are raised to appropriate leaders and that mitigation plans are developed and implemented
• Maintain accurate staff plans and effectively leverage MITRE employees with the appropriate skills and expertise, while also finding new project members when needed
• Manage project budgets, to include staffing, travel, hardware/software, and training
• Leverage existing projects and bodies of knowledge across the company to ensure leading practices and lessons learned are incorporated within the project deliverables
• Work with the department leadership to forecast workforce levels and skillset demands, prepare for the follow-on year's work program, and submit formal requests for staffing

Basic Qualifications:

• Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering, cyber security, or related field; or 8 years and a Master's degree; or a PhD with 5 years' experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Active Secret clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance
• U.S. Citizenship required
• Strong knowledge of defensive cyber frameworks, capabilities and implementations, to include: Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO); commercial and open-source DCO capabilities; cyber security practices, cyber risk assessment frameworks and mitigation concepts; NIST cyber frameworks and publications
• Proven track record of developing capabilities and delivering data-driven analyses to inform key stakeholder decisions
• Strong written and verbal communications skills
• This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Active TS/SCI clearance
• Experience with MITRE's project leader processes and business systems
• Experience with DoW or USAF cyber operations publications and doctrine
• Experience with DoW acquisition programs and applying effective Systems Engineering, from requirements development to capability testing and fielding
• Experience with MITRE's ATT&CK, CALDERA, D3FEND, etc.
• Experience with cyber deception concepts and techniques
• Knowledge of Artificial Intelligence as applied to DCO and cyber security
• Knowledge of cyber security and monitoring of Operational Technology (OT)
• Knowledge of commercial cloud, networking, DevSecOps, and Digital Engineering (DE)
• Knowledge of MITRE Technology and Engineering (MTE) cyber capabilities and organizations

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):
Secret

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):
Top Secret/SCI

Salary compensation range and midpoint:
$172,800 - $216,000 - $259,200 Annual

Work Location Type:
Onsite

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.

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