Guidehouse logo

Senior Information Systems Security Engineer (ISSE) – Technical Lead

GuidehouseArlington, Virginia

$113,000 - $188,000 / year

Automate your job search with Sonara.

Submit 10x as many applications with less effort than one manual application.1

Reclaim your time by letting our AI handle the grunt work of job searching.

We continuously scan millions of openings to find your top matches.

pay-wall

Overview

Schedule
Full-time
Education
PMP
Career level
Senior-level
Remote
On-site
Compensation
$113,000-$188,000/year
Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance

Job Description

Job Family:

IT Cyber Security

Travel Required:

None

Clearance Required:

Active Top Secret (TS)

What You Will Do:

Our Cybersecurity Consultants are a team of business integrators with extensive consulting and industry experience who help our clients solve their complex business issues from strategy through execution. A career in an integrated team of developers and consultants provides the opportunity to grow and contribute to our clients' business issues every day, applying a collection of security spectrum capabilities, including security strategy and governance, IT risk, security technologies, and cybercrime and breach response.

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Information Systems Security Engineer (ISSE) – Technical Lead to support a major federal initiative. The Senior ISSE provides advanced cybersecurity engineering expertise, guiding secure system architecture, integrating NIST security controls, and ensuring secure design across complex hybrid cloud and on‑premises systems. This role serves as a technical lead, advising architects, developers, ISSOs, and federal stakeholders on secure system engineering practices, secure configuration management, and RMF engineering requirements.

The Senior ISSE plays a critical role in system modernization, secure architecture reviews, and the engineering decisions that influence a system’s security posture across its full lifecycle.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Lead the development, engineering, and review of secure system architectures across cloud, hybrid, and on‑prem environments.
  • Implement and validate NIST 800‑53 security controls and cloud‑native security services (IAM, encryption, segmentation, logging).
  • Lead threat modeling, risk assessments, and advanced system security engineering reviews.
  • Oversee secure configuration management, including STIG‑based hardening, SCAP assessments, and enforcement of security baselines.
  • Evaluate and recommend security technologies, tools, and design patterns to support mission needs and modernization efforts.
  • Provide engineering leadership during RMF activities, including boundary definition, control inheritance, system architecture documentation, and ATO engineering support.
  • Lead or support security functional testing, integration testing, and validation of implemented controls.
  • Guide cross‑functional development, engineering, DevSecOps, and operations teams on secure integration practices.
  • Mentor junior and mid‑level ISSEs and act as a technical escalation point for cloud engineering issues.

What You Will Need:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Systems, Computer Engineering, or related technical field.
  • Minimum of EIGHT (8) years of cybersecurity or secure systems engineering experience, including cloud architecture.
  • An ACTIVE and CURRENT TOP SECRET federal or DOD security clearance.
  • Strong understanding of security frameworks and compliance standards (e.g., NIST, RMF SP 800-53 Rev 5, DoD 8570).
  • Proven experience in designing and implementing enterprise security tools such as SIEM (e.g., Splunk), vulnerability scanners (e.g., Nessus), and endpoint protection platforms (e.g., Crowdstrike).
  • Experience with cloud security practices and technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP).
  • Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and complex technical projects.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to convey technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

What Would Be Nice To Have:

  • Master’s Degree in relevant cybersecurity or IT field
  • One or more of the following certifications:
    • Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
    • Certified Authorization Professional (CAP) / Certified in Governance, Risk and Compliance (CGRC)
    • IAT Level II (Information Assurance Technical)
    • IAM Level II (Information Assurance Management) 
    • AWS Certified Security – Specialty, or Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert.
  • Hands-on experience with network security, cryptography, and/or identity management.
  • Project Management Professional (PMP) or Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) certification for managing cybersecurity projects in Agile environments
The annual salary range for this position is $113,000.00-$188,000.00. Compensation decisions depend on a wide range of factors, including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, security clearances, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs.

What We Offer:

Guidehouse offers a comprehensive, total rewards package that includes competitive compensation and a flexible benefits package that reflects our commitment to creating a diverse and supportive workplace.

Benefits include:

  • Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance

  • Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays

  • Parental Leave

  • 401(k) Retirement Plan

  • Group Term Life and Travel Assistance

  • Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance

  • Health Savings Account, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

  • Transit and Parking Commuter Benefits

  • Short-Term & Long-Term Disability

  • Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development, Certifications & Learning Opportunities

  • Employee Referral Program

  • Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach

  • Care.com annual membership

  • Employee Assistance Program

  • Supplemental Benefits via Corestream (Critical Care, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Legal Assistance and ID theft protection, etc.)

  • Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus

About Guidehouse

Guidehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer–Protected Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.

Guidehouse will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law or ordinance including the Fair Chance Ordinance of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

If you have visited our website for information about employment opportunities, or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Guidehouse Recruiting at 1-571-633-1711 or via email at RecruitingAccommodation@guidehouse.com. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodation.

All communication regarding recruitment for a Guidehouse position will be sent from Guidehouse email domains including @guidehouse.com or guidehouse@myworkday.com.  Correspondence received by an applicant from any other domain should be considered unauthorized and will not be honored by Guidehouse.  Note that Guidehouse will never charge a fee or require a money transfer at any stage of the recruitment process and does not collect fees from educational institutions for participation in a recruitment event. Never provide your banking information to a third party purporting to need that information to proceed in the hiring process.

If any person or organization demands money related to a job opportunity with Guidehouse, please report the matter to Guidehouse’s Ethics Hotline. If you want to check the validity of correspondence you have received, please contact recruiting@guidehouse.com. Guidehouse is not responsible for losses incurred (monetary or otherwise) from an applicant’s dealings with unauthorized third parties.

Guidehouse does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Guidehouse and Guidehouse will not be obligated to pay a placement fee.

Automate your job search with Sonara.

Submit 10x as many applications with less effort than one manual application.

pay-wall

FAQs About Senior Information Systems Security Engineer (ISSE) – Technical Lead Jobs at Guidehouse

What is the work location for this position at Guidehouse?
This job at Guidehouse is located in Arlington, Virginia, according to the details provided by the employer. Some roles may also include multiple work locations depending on the requirement.
What pay range can candidates expect for this role at Guidehouse?
Candidates can expect a pay range of $113,000 and $188,000 per year.
What employment applies to this position at Guidehouse?
Guidehouse lists this role as a Full-time position.
What experience level is required for this role at Guidehouse?
Guidehouse is looking for a candidate with "Senior-level" experience level.
What education level is required for this job?
The education requirement for this position is PMP. Candidates with relevant qualifications or equivalent experience may also be considered.
What benefits are offered by Guidehouse for this role?
Guidehouse offers following benefits: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Disability Insurance, Life Insurance, Family/Dependent Health, Paid Holidays, Paid Vacation, Paid Sick Leave, Parental and Family Leave, Career Development, 401k Matching/Retirement Savings, Tuition/Education Assistance, and Health & Wellness Programs for this position. Actual benefits may vary depending on the employer's policies and employment terms.
What is the process to apply for this position at Guidehouse?
You can apply for this role at Guidehouse either through Sonara's automated application system, which helps you submit applications 10X faster with minimal effort, or by applying manually using the direct link on the job page.