Security Specialist

Security Specialist
Location: DC-Metro Area Preferred (Hybrid | On-site as needed in Maryland)

Clearance/Screening Requirements: Offer recipients will undergo background screening, including employment and education verification, criminal background check, and consumer reports.

Position Summary:
PBG is seeking a Security Specialist to support a federal web-based system. The Security Specialist will ensure system compliance with federal cybersecurity requirements, assist with system accreditation activities, monitor vulnerability remediation, and maintain system security documentation.

This role requires experience with federal information security standards, familiarity with cloud-based system architectures, and strong collaboration and documentation skills.

Key Responsibilities:

Security & Compliance Support

• Assist in maintaining system Authority to Operate (ATO) under applicable federal cybersecurity frameworks.
• Monitor and report on system vulnerabilities and track remediation efforts.
• Support updates to the System Security Plan (SSP), Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M), and related documentation.
• Monitor and address findings from Tenable scans, automated tools, and manual testing.
• Facilitate required security patching, coordination with system engineers, and verification of remediations.
• Maintain audit readiness for all environments in line with federal cybersecurity posture.

Security Operations & Reporting

• Submit weekly and monthly reports on security issues, ATO status, and vulnerability remediation activities.
• Collaborate with internal project teams and Information System Security Officers (ISSOs) to ensure compliance with federal mandates (e.g., NIST 800-53, FedRAMP).
• Provide security-related documentation and reporting to stakeholders as requested.

Program & Team Support

• Develop an understanding of the system architecture and business processes.
• Participate in weekly project status meetings.
• Attend additional meetings as required.
• Contribute to the testing of new software releases to assess security impact and support secure implementation.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 5–7 years of federal IT security experience.
• Hands-on experience supporting FISMA-compliant systems and working with NIST 800-53 controls.
• Familiarity with federal cybersecurity policies and governance processes preferred.
• Strong understanding of system accreditation, vulnerability management, and patch tracking.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Information Security, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• Security certification (e.g., Security+, CISSP, CISA, or similar) required.