Secure Systems Engineer – Cyber Architecture & Edge Security at The Aerospace Corporation in Colorado Springs, CO

Job description

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space. We are seeking an experienced cybersecurity professional to serve as a Secure Systems Engineer (Information Security Staff V) , supporting the architecture and engineering of secure, resilient systems across our enterprise IT, edge computing, and operational technology (OT) landscape. In this role, you will embed security into the software development lifecycle, strengthen network defenses at the network edge, and champion automation and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices across engineering teams. You will join a team of cybersecurity professionals chartered with securing complex aerospace environments and recognized as leaders within the aerospace security community. What You'll Be Doing Partnering with software engineering teams to embed secure software development practices throughout the SDLC, including design, build, and release phases Assessing and strengthening network security controls with particular emphasis on edge computing architectures and distributed/remote deployments Maintaining working awareness of Operational Technology (OT) systems and their distinct risk considerations within a niche aerospace environment Applying programming familiarity to begin contributing to and eventually lead software review initiatives, identifying security weaknesses in application logic Leveraging a strong technical IT background to architect, troubleshoot, and secure systems across hybrid, cloud, and on-prem environments Advancing automation and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) adoption to improve consistency, repeatability, and security of deployments Supporting the development of secure testing methodologies and contributing to threat modeling exercises (e.g., STRIDE, PASTA, DREAD) as expertise matures Producing clear, thorough technical documentation to support audits, knowledge transfer, and engineering standards Staying current on cybersecurity laws, regulations, and risk management frameworks (e.g., NIST) relevant to aerospace and defense Coordinating with SOC, IT operations, and engineering stakeholders on architectural security matters and emerging threats Mentoring junior staff and sharing engineering/security expertise across the cybersecurity team Remaining informed on emerging secure development, automation, and AI-assisted engineering trends What You Need to be Successful Minimum Requirements 10+ years of professional IT/cybersecurity experience 5 + years of experience in network security, with specific experience or strong working knowledge of edge computing architectures Demonstrated, informed use of AI-assisted coding tools, with the ability to validate, understand, and take ownership of AI-generated code Familiarity with Operational Technology (OT) environments and their unique security considerations Working programming familiarity (language-agnostic) sufficient to engage meaningfully in code reviews Strong technical IT background — systems administration, networking, infrastructure engineering, or similar hands-on experience Practical experience with automation and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools and principles (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, CloudFormation, or similar) Ability to work collaboratively across engineering, IT, and security teams on complex technical initiatives This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a US Secret security clearance, issued by the US government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.