Cybersecurity Specialist (ISSO)

Title: Cybersecurity Specialist (ISSO)

Location: Washington, DC, USA, Greenbelt, MD, USA

ASRC Federal Agile Decision Sciences LLC is seeking an Information System Security Officer (ISSO) / Cybersecurity Specialist to support mission-critical federal systems for NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program. The ideal candidate brings comprehensive experience managing federal Assessment and Authorization (A&A) lifecycles, navigating the NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF), and maintaining cybersecurity compliance across multiple hybrid and cloud-hosted environments.

Work Location: Hybrid, Washington DC or Greenbelt MD

Responsibilities

Serve as the dedicated ISSO across a multi-system portfolio, managing ongoing Continuous Monitoring (ConMon), assessment preparation, and full Assessment and Authorization (A&A) lifecycles to achieve and maintain Authorities to Operate (ATO).

Develop, update, and maintain comprehensive System Security Plans (SSPs), Risk Assessment Reports (RAR), Contingency Plans, PIA/PTAs, system architecture/network diagrams, and supporting authorization artifacts within RISCS.

Manage and track Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms) and Risk-Based Decisions (RBDs) through remediation and closure.

Evaluate vulnerability scan results, identify technical security weaknesses, and coordinate remediation and mitigation actions with engineering, SOC, and systems administration teams.

Coordinate and conduct annual security control assessments, self-assessments, gap analyses, and contingency plan testing/training.

Prepare and support ATO briefings, Change Control Board (CCB) reviews, and security impact analyses for system modifications.

Draft, review, and maintain system interconnection documentation, including Interconnection Security Agreements (ISAs), MOUs, and MOAs for external and cross-system onboarding.

Transition legacy on-premises control implementations to cloud-native AWS environments and validate cloud security tools and shared responsibility models.

Collaborate closely with Authorizing Officials (AOs), System Owners, engineering teams, and program leadership to align security compliance with operational mission objectives.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).

6+ years of direct experience supporting cybersecurity governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) or ISSO duties for federal information systems.

Strong working knowledge of NIST SP 800-53 (Rev. 5), NIST RMF (SP 800-37), FISMA, and federal cybersecurity compliance standards.

Proven track record creating, maintaining, and assessing authorization packages (SSPs, POA&Ms, RBDs, SARs) and executing continuous monitoring strategies.

Experience evaluating vulnerability scan outputs, identifying vulnerabilities, and driving technical remediation across cross-functional teams.

Familiarity with cloud security concepts, AWS environments, and the shared responsibility model.

Strong technical writing, analytical, and stakeholder coordination skills, with demonstrated experience managing multiple competing security packages simultaneously.

U.

S. Citizenship required; ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.

Travel may be required occasionally

Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience supporting NASA cybersecurity policies, processes, and tools (including hands-on experience with RISCS).

Familiarity with NASA Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) operations, mission communications, or ground infrastructure.

Active cybersecurity certification (e.g., CISSP, CISM, CAP/CGRC, Security+, or AWS Certified Security).

Practical experience establishing and reviewing Interconnection Security Agreements (ISAs) and onboarding customer systems.

Knowledge of Zero Trust Architecture principles, ICAM, network segmentation, and secure interconnectivity.