Communication Security Lead Architect

About the role

The Communication Security Lead Architect provides strategic direction, technical leadership, and operational execution for the department of State’s (DOS) high-assurance Communications Security (COMSEC) infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Direct Supervision
  • Manage, mentor, and evaluate a large team of KMI professional, Network & Systems engineers, security analysts, COMSEC auditors, and logistics personnel.
• Resource Integration
  • Align staffing and skill sets across distinct engineering, daily cryptographic operations, and compliance workstreams.
• Culture of Innovation
  • Foster continuous training on emerging cryptographic standards, Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), and evolving threat vectors.
• Emerging Technology Evaluation & Adoption
  • Lead the technical evaluation, laboratory benchmarking, and phased rollout of next-generation HAIPE devices, ensuring multi-enclave throughput, backward compatibility, and adherence to national security validation standards.
• Modern Load Infrastructure & Crypto-Agility Engineering
  • Oversee the strategic transition from legacy fill devices to modern Next Generation Load Device (NGLD) platforms, integrating seamlessly with contemporary Key Management Infrastructure (KMI).
• Drive the adoption of crypto-agile frameworks capable of seamlessly ingesting new cryptographic algorithms without requiring extensive physical hardware replacement.
• COMSEC Engineering & Lifecycle Operations Solutions Development Architect, test, and deploy secure enterprise and tactical cryptographic solutions.
• Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Transition
  • Drive strategic roadmaps, cryptographic asset discovery, and the implementation of PQC algorithms to safeguard data against quantum threats.
• Vulnerability & Patch Management
  • Direct rigorous testing, scheduling, and deployment of firmware modifications, software patches, and security configurations across all high-assurance assets.
• Lifecycle Logistics & Secure Warehouse Operations
  • Warehouse Accountability
    • Supervise secure warehouse environments managing Controlled Cryptographic Items (CCI), ensuring strict compliance regarding receipt, storage, distribution, and destruction.
  • Key Management Automation
    • Oversee traditional and modern automated key generation, escrow, and distribution mechanisms, specializing in Over-the-Network Keying (OTNK) protocols.
• Compliance, Governance, & Strategic Partnerships
  • Audit Readiness
    • Direct comprehensive COMSEC account audits to maintain absolute compliance with federal, defense, or institutional security mandates.
  • Governance Representation
    • Serve as the technical representative on executive steering committees and inter-agency governance working groups to influence cryptographic policy.
  • Partner Collaboration
    • Partner with external security agencies, technical vendors, and institutional stakeholders to evaluate emerging tools and synchronize joint operational frameworks.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience
  • Bachelor's in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline and fourteen (14) years or more experience; Masters and twelve (12) years or more experience; may accept additional experience in lieu of degree.
• Required Technical Competencies
  • High-Assurance Cryptography
    • Deep understanding of traditional and modern COMSEC architecture, Key Management Infrastructure (KMI), and type-1 encryption devices (e.g., TACLANE, SKL, KGV platforms).
  • Modernization Frameworks
    • Experience aligning enterprise technology with National Security Agency (NSA) Commercial National Security Algorithm (CNSA 2.0) guidelines and NIST standards.
  • Testing & Prototyping
    • Proven ability to establish isolated testing enclaves, define Proof-of-Concept (PoC) performance criteria, and manage low-blast-radius deployment strategies.
  • Leadership & Strategic Skills
    • Scale Management
      • Demonstrated success leading large technical teams (25+ personnel) within high-stakes, mission-critical environments.
    • Stakeholder Diplomacy
      • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to present complex technical risks and engineering roadmaps to executive leadership and external governance boards.
    • Decisiveness
      • Strong command presence with a methodical, risk-based approach to incident response, vulnerability management, and infrastructure bottlenecks.
• Preferred
  • CISSP, CISM, or formal federal/defense COMSEC Manager certifications.
  • PKI Engineering expertise.

Pay

$160,001 - $200,000.