Chief Engineer at Booz Allen in Reston, VA

Job description

Chief Engineer The Opportunity: We are seeking a Chief Engineer to serve as the senior technical authority and platform modernization lead for a large-scale, mission-critical defensive security engineering program. This individual will own the end-to-end technical vision, enforce architectural discipline across integrated security platforms, and drive measurable improvements in the program's zero trust posture, operational resilience, and compliance standing. This role requires oversight of 20+ projects dedicated to designing, procuring, testing, implementing, deploying, and sustaining next-generation cyber tools. These tools operate across multiple complex network fabrics with varying security classifications. As the Chief Engineer, you will directly manage and orchestrate cross-functional engineering teams structured around core DoW-approved Zero Trust capabilities, such as Identity, Device, Network/Environment, Application/Workload, and Data. You will bridge the gap between advanced cybersecurity architecture and Agile IT Service Management, ensuring that all new capabilities are seamlessly integrated, highly available, and sustained with maximum operational efficiency. What You'll Do: Technical Governance & Leadership: Serve as the primary technical authority for 20+ interconnected cyber engineering projects. Define the technical roadmap, engineering standards, and system architecture across multiple isolated and interconnected network fabrics. Zero Trust Architecture Delivery: Drive the end-to-end engineering lifecycle, including design, procurement, testing, implementation, deployment, and sustainment, of next-generation cyber tools. Manage distinct engineering teams organized around Zero Trust pillars to ensure a cohesive, unified security posture. Agile ITSM Lifecycle Management: Oversee the operationalization of cyber tools using Agile ITSM frameworks. Align engineering workflows with continuous service improvement, incident, change, and release management processes, ensuring minimal disruption to live network fabrics. Vendor & Procurement Strategy: Partner with acquisition teams to evaluate, select, and procure cutting-edge hardware and software tools. Ensure third-party technologies comply with rigorous enterprise security standards and interoperability requirements. Testing & Validation Oversight: Lead the strategy for large-scale staging, testing, and validation, including vulnerability assessments and interoperability testing, before tools are deployed into production environments. Lifecycle Sustainment: Establish robust engineering practices for the long-term maintenance, patching, upgrading, and optimization of deployed cyber tools across all network fabrics. Delivery Execution & Contract Awareness: Partner with the Program Manager and delivery leads to align technical scope with contract structure — including T&M level-of-effort implications, FFP deliverable risk, and scope change documentation. Ensure all technical work products meet quality standards and are traceable to customer requirements, contract deliverables, and applicable control frameworks. Lead or contribute to technical baseline reviews, CDRLs, and architecture working groups with government and stakeholders. Ensure technical solutions meet ATO requirements from design through delivery — avoiding rework-intensive compliance gaps late in the delivery lifecycle. Champion engineering rigor, documentation discipline, and a culture of continuous improvement across the program. Team Leadership & Engineering Culture: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of senior engineers and architects — building expertise. Translate complex technical challenges into clear direction for engineering teams; serve as a decision-forcing function when ambiguity slows execution. Represent the program's technical capability in executive briefings, customer engagements, and competitive positioning activities. Join us. The world can't wait. You Have: 10+ years of experience in cyb