Lead Security Engineer - SME (R-00242)

True Zero Technologies is a veteran-owned small business founded on the principle that the purposeful enablement of people and technology directly drives the quality of an organization’s outcomes. We design and deliver cybersecurity programs and software solutions that empower federal, state and local government, education, and commercial leaders to run a proactive defense with better intelligence and more efficient collaboration. Recent recognitions include Inc.

Magazine’s 2026 Best Workplaces list and awarded positions on Fairfax County VA Cybersecurity Program, Montana ITS Contract, Kansas Services MSA, DARPA’s MANNUS IDIQ, NASA SEWP VI, and the $151B SHIELD contract.

We are seeking a highly experienced Lead Security Engineer to provide technical leadership, cybersecurity engineering expertise, and strategic oversight in support of a federal government program. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in application security, cloud security, and enterprise cybersecurity architecture, with a demonstrated ability to lead complex technical initiatives and collaborate with senior government stakeholders.

Position Overview: True Zero is seeking a Portfolio Manager, Commercial & SLED to own the delivery performance, financial results, growth, and people of a defined market segment. This is a working-leader role: the Portfolio Manager is accountable for a portfolio of customers, contracts, and programs, and serves as the business owner for that segment — responsible for revenue and gross margin, delivery quality and contract compliance, customer relationships, account growth, and the leadership and development of the people assigned to

the segment.

The Portfolio Manager is the first-line supervisor for the Program Manager and Project Manager tier within the segment (which in turn supervises delivery staff), and remains partially billable — maintaining 40–50% billable or chargeable utilization while leading the business. The ideal candidate brings a track record of P&L ownership, team leadership, and customer management in consulting, professional services, or government program delivery. This role will be reporting to the Director, Commercial/SLED Services.

Key Responsibilities: Lead the design, implementation, and oversight of enterprise application security and cybersecurity engineering solutions, ensuring alignment with federal security requirements and industry best practices.

Provide subject matter expertise in application security, cloud security, vulnerability management, and secure system architecture across complex enterprise environments.

Establish technical objectives, develop project plans, and direct security engineering activities to ensure successful delivery of program requirements.

Evaluate security risks, identify vulnerabilities, and recommend mitigation strategies to strengthen enterprise applications, cloud infrastructure, and overall security posture.

Provide technical and management leadership for major cybersecurity initiatives, including oversight of engineering resources, staffing, budgets, and project deliverables.

Collaborate with government stakeholders, senior leadership, and cross-functional technical teams to define security requirements, resolve complex challenges, and support strategic decision-making.

Develop and enforce security engineering standards, policies, and procedures aligned with applicable federal cybersecurity frameworks and compliance requirements.

Mentor and provide technical direction to security engineers and other team members while ensuring successful execution of project objectives.

Qualifications & Requirements: Education:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related
• 15+ years of relevant experience in cybersecurity engineering, application security, cloud security, information assurance, or related technical disciplines, including leadership on complex enterprise or federal government programs.
• Active Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification – Mandatory.
• Active Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certification – Mandatory.
• Extensive knowledge of application security principles, secure software development practices, vulnerability assessment, risk management, and enterprise security architecture.
• Demonstrated experience securing cloud environments and implementing cybersecurity controls across enterprise applications, infrastructure, and hybrid cloud architectures.
• Strong understanding of federal cybersecurity requirements and frameworks, including NIST standards, Risk Management Framework (RMF), FISMA, and applicable security compliance practices.
• Proven ability to lead technical teams, manage complex cybersecurity initiatives, oversee project resources, and communicate effectively with senior leadership and government stakeholders.
• Must reside in or be willing to relocate to the Washington, DC, Maryland, or Northern Virginia (DMV) area and be available to work a hybrid onsite/remote schedule.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification.
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certification.
• Additional recognized cybersecurity or cloud security certifications.
• Previous experience supporting federal government cybersecurity programs or large-scale enterprise security initiatives.
• Experience providing technical leadership, managing project financials and staffing, and coordinating with senior-level government clients.

What We Offer

Team members at True Zero enjoy:

• A competitive salary, paid twice per month, plus an annual performance bonus tied to segment results
• Best-in-class medical coverage — 100% of medical premiums covered by True Zero
• Companywide new business incentive programs
• Contribution incentives (white papers, blog posts, internal webinars, etc.)
• 3 weeks of PTO to start, plus 11 paid holidays annually
• 401(k) with 100% company match on the first 4%
• Monthly reimbursement of cell phone and home internet costs
• Paternity / Maternity leave