Security Authorization Lead

About the role

Leidos is seeking a Security Authorization Lead to join the Air Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector, supporting the development of the Leidos Common Automation Platform (L‑CAP). L‑CAP is a mission‑critical, future‑ready automation platform built on a hybrid cloud data mesh architecture, enabling next‑generation air traffic management capabilities. The team builds with an AI‑first engineering mindset, embracing emerging AI capabilities and modern development practices to accelerate delivery, improve software quality, and continuously evolve how mission‑critical systems are designed and built. This role operates within a SAFe/Agile framework as part of an Agile Release Train delivering iterative value across the program. It supports government programs and requires the ability to obtain and maintain a favorable Public Trust investigation. The position is hybrid: 3 days onsite and 2 days working from home for candidates within a commutable distance (< 1 hour drive one‑way during normal traffic) from Gaithersburg, MD; Eagan, MN; or Egg Harbor Township, NJ; otherwise a 100% remote arrangement may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Lead the government network connection and RMF/ATO authorization process for L‑CAP workloads on government‑provided cloud infrastructure, including security assessments, architecture reviews, control evidence, and assessor coordination.
• Own and maintain the security authorization package, including architecture briefings, data flow/security boundary diagrams, ports/protocols/services matrices, SBOMs, vulnerability/CVE dispositions, and POA&Ms.
• Define and defend security control inheritance across cloud provider, government platform, and Leidos application layers, maintaining the Customer Responsibility Matrix.
• Serve as the primary interface with government security reviewers, ISSOs, assessors, and Authorizing Official staff.
• Manage the POA&M and continuous monitoring lifecycle, including findings, risk characterization, remediation milestones, closure evidence, and security status reporting.
• Maintain the authorization boundary as architecture evolves, assess security impacts of proposed changes, and translate requirements into actionable engineering backlog items.
• Coordinate cross‑ART compliance across four Agile Release Trains to ensure consistent control implementation and evidence quality.
• Support FedRAMP and agency‑specific authorization requirements across cloud environments.
• Coordinate personnel security and facility access eligibility with program security and Talent Acquisition.
• Champion an AI‑first engineering culture through AI‑assisted development, automation, and emerging practices that improve productivity, code quality, testing, and delivery.

Requirements

Core Technical Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, IT, or related field with 6+ years of relevant cybersecurity, compliance, or security authorization experience, or a Master’s degree with 4+ years (additional experience, education and training may be considered in lieu of degree). Demonstrated experience leading a federal information system through RMF to ATO or equivalent authorization, including NIST 800‑53 Rev. 5 control implementation and assessment. Experience developing and defending authorization packages, including SSPs, POA&Ms, Security Assessment Reports, and authorization boundary diagrams. Experience with FedRAMP cloud control inheritance, Customer Responsibility Matrices, vulnerability management, CVE disposition, and remediation tracking. Experience working directly with government security reviewers, ISSOs, and/or Authorizing Official staff. Ability to translate security requirements into actionable engineering backlog items and coordinate compliance across multiple Agile engineering teams. Strong technical writing skills with experience producing government‑facing security documentation. Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust and successfully complete required government background investigations. U.S. citizenship required, including eligibility for FAA facility and information system access (continuous U.S. residency for at least 3 of the previous 5 years).