Rapid Strategy
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Senior Cyber Analyst
role at
Rapid Strategy . Rapid Strategy is an award‑winning, African‑American‑owned small business that provides advanced cybersecurity, risk management, and IT modernization services to federal and commercial clients. Our mission is to deliver secure, high‑impact solutions that protect and enable mission success.
Location Reston, VA
Clearance Active TS/SCI (CI Poly required)
Job Overview The role supports an existing federal customer in achieving and maintaining system Authorization to Operate (ATO) across classified environments. It focuses on leading government clients through the full ATO lifecycle—ensuring systems meet stringent federal cybersecurity and compliance standards. The ideal candidate has deep expertise in RMF, NIST SP 800‑53, and ICD 503 frameworks, with hands‑on experience supporting ATO efforts for cloud and on‑premise systems from IL5 to IL6+.
Key Responsibilities
Collaborate with government stakeholders to analyze system architectures, identify applicable controls, and define strategies for achieving and maintaining ATO status.
Conduct detailed security assessments and risk analyses aligned with NIST, RMF, and FISMA requirements, identifying control deficiencies and potential vulnerabilities.
Monitor and analyze system logs, alerts, and network activity to detect anomalies and ensure ongoing compliance with government cybersecurity standards.
Partner with IT and engineering teams to establish and maintain security measures including firewall configurations, IDS/IPS tuning, encryption mechanisms, and access control policies.
Investigate and respond to security incidents, developing root‑cause analyses and implementing containment, eradication, and recovery plans.
Develop and maintain documentation required for ATO packages, including SSPs, SARs, and POA&Ms, ensuring continuous authorization readiness.
Advise leadership on emerging threats, system posture, and compliance trends, translating complex technical risks into actionable recommendations.
Required Qualifications
Active TS/SCI clearance with CI Polygraph.
4–7 years of experience as a cybersecurity analyst or engineer supporting ATO and compliance initiatives within federal environments.
CISSP or equivalent certification meeting DoD 8140 requirements.
Comprehensive understanding of government cybersecurity frameworks, including RMF, NIST SP 800‑53, ICD 503, FISMA, and FedRAMP.
Experience obtaining and maintaining ATOs for cloud and hybrid systems operating at IL5–IL6+ across NIPR, SIPR, and JWICS domains.
Proficiency with vulnerability management, incident response, and forensic analysis techniques.
Experience with ATO toolsets, vulnerability scanners, and intrusion detection/prevention systems.
Strong communication skills with the ability to brief technical findings to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience leading or supporting continuous monitoring and POA&M management for federal programs.
Hands‑on familiarity with automated RMF tool suites and cloud compliance environments (e.g., AWS GovCloud, Azure Government).
Additional certifications such as CAP, CISM, or AWS Security Specialty.
Employment Type Full‑time
Seniority Level Mid‑Senior level
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Senior Cyber Analyst
role at
Rapid Strategy . Rapid Strategy is an award‑winning, African‑American‑owned small business that provides advanced cybersecurity, risk management, and IT modernization services to federal and commercial clients. Our mission is to deliver secure, high‑impact solutions that protect and enable mission success.
Location Reston, VA
Clearance Active TS/SCI (CI Poly required)
Job Overview The role supports an existing federal customer in achieving and maintaining system Authorization to Operate (ATO) across classified environments. It focuses on leading government clients through the full ATO lifecycle—ensuring systems meet stringent federal cybersecurity and compliance standards. The ideal candidate has deep expertise in RMF, NIST SP 800‑53, and ICD 503 frameworks, with hands‑on experience supporting ATO efforts for cloud and on‑premise systems from IL5 to IL6+.
Key Responsibilities
Collaborate with government stakeholders to analyze system architectures, identify applicable controls, and define strategies for achieving and maintaining ATO status.
Conduct detailed security assessments and risk analyses aligned with NIST, RMF, and FISMA requirements, identifying control deficiencies and potential vulnerabilities.
Monitor and analyze system logs, alerts, and network activity to detect anomalies and ensure ongoing compliance with government cybersecurity standards.
Partner with IT and engineering teams to establish and maintain security measures including firewall configurations, IDS/IPS tuning, encryption mechanisms, and access control policies.
Investigate and respond to security incidents, developing root‑cause analyses and implementing containment, eradication, and recovery plans.
Develop and maintain documentation required for ATO packages, including SSPs, SARs, and POA&Ms, ensuring continuous authorization readiness.
Advise leadership on emerging threats, system posture, and compliance trends, translating complex technical risks into actionable recommendations.
Required Qualifications
Active TS/SCI clearance with CI Polygraph.
4–7 years of experience as a cybersecurity analyst or engineer supporting ATO and compliance initiatives within federal environments.
CISSP or equivalent certification meeting DoD 8140 requirements.
Comprehensive understanding of government cybersecurity frameworks, including RMF, NIST SP 800‑53, ICD 503, FISMA, and FedRAMP.
Experience obtaining and maintaining ATOs for cloud and hybrid systems operating at IL5–IL6+ across NIPR, SIPR, and JWICS domains.
Proficiency with vulnerability management, incident response, and forensic analysis techniques.
Experience with ATO toolsets, vulnerability scanners, and intrusion detection/prevention systems.
Strong communication skills with the ability to brief technical findings to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience leading or supporting continuous monitoring and POA&M management for federal programs.
Hands‑on familiarity with automated RMF tool suites and cloud compliance environments (e.g., AWS GovCloud, Azure Government).
Additional certifications such as CAP, CISM, or AWS Security Specialty.
Employment Type Full‑time
Seniority Level Mid‑Senior level
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