Senior Cyber Security Engineer 6

Role Overview

Nextlink is seeking an experienced Senior Cyber Security Engineer to provide cybersecurity architecture, engineering and technical leadership in support of NATO's cybersecurity initiatives and infrastructure projects.

The successful candidate will be responsible for designing secure technical solutions, identifying and mitigating cybersecurity risks, defining security requirements and coordinating the implementation of cybersecurity capabilities across NATO systems and infrastructure.

The role involves working closely with engineering teams within NCIA and the NATO Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), supporting cybersecurity projects throughout their lifecycle, from solution architecture and technical requirements definition to procurement, implementation, quality assurance and operational handover.

The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in cybersecurity architecture, risk management, cryptographic technologies, identity and access management, and secure infrastructure design, together with experience working in complex enterprise, government or military environments.

Key Responsibilities

A. Cybersecurity Solution Architecture

• Contribute to the design and development of secure solution architectures across business, infrastructure and functional domains.
• Evaluate alternative architecture approaches, considering cost, performance, scalability and security.
• Identify and document architecturally significant decisions.
• Develop technical specifications for cloud-based and on-premises infrastructure components, services and interfaces.
• Ensure proposed solutions align with enterprise architecture, security standards and NATO technical requirements.
• Apply architecture modelling methodologies, including ArchiMate, to represent complex systems and system-of-systems environments.

B. Cybersecurity Engineering and Risk Management

• Provide technical guidance on the implementation and operation of physical, procedural and technical security controls.
• Identify system vulnerabilities, potential threats and security weaknesses.
• Conduct cybersecurity risk assessments and business impact analyses for information systems.
• Evaluate security risks arising from proposed technical architectures.
• Design appropriate security solutions, alternative architectures and countermeasures.
• Support investigation of suspected cyberattacks and cybersecurity incident management.
• Ensure security requirements are incorporated throughout the solution design and implementation lifecycle.

C. Cybersecurity Requirements Definition and Management

• Define, document and manage cybersecurity requirements for engineering initiatives.
• Facilitate requirements gathering and prioritisation with technical and business stakeholders.
• Establish requirements baselines and maintain traceability to original requirements.
• Coordinate stakeholder reviews and obtain formal agreement on requirements.
• Translate complex cybersecurity needs into actionable technical specifications and engineering documentation.

D. Cybersecurity Project Implementation and Technical Leadership

• Provide cybersecurity technical leadership and engineering support to NCIA/NCSC projects.
• Prepare and review Statements of Work (SOW), technical specifications and implementation plans.
• Coordinate cybersecurity engineering activities between assigned NCIA and NCSC technical teams.
• Manage technical dependencies, identify implementation issues and support their resolution.
• Follow applicable multi-layer change management frameworks.
• Coordinate quality assurance activities and ensure the quality of technical deliverables.
• Prepare post-implementation specifications, operational instructions and cybersecurity service documentation.
• Coordinate handover of implemented solutions to operational cybersecurity service teams.
• Support the calculation of operational and maintenance costs.

E. Cybersecurity Procurement and Acquisition Support

• Provide technical input to cybersecurity acquisition and procurement projects.
• Develop and review cybersecurity requirements for procurement documentation.
• Prepare and review system design specifications, high-level and low-level design documents and Bills of Materials (BoM).
• Support procurement processes by responding to technical questions and clarification requests.
• Participate in technical bid evaluations and assess proposed cybersecurity solutions.
• Ensure procured solutions meet NATO security, architecture and operational requirements.

F. Identity, Cryptography and Infrastructure Security

• Support the design and implementation of cybersecurity capabilities and supporting infrastructure.
• Apply knowledge of cryptographic technologies and key management solutions.
• Support identity and access management (IAM) architecture and implementation.
• Contribute to secure infrastructure design across enterprise and cloud environments.
• Apply appropriate risk management and security engineering principles.

G. Stakeholder Management and Technical Coordination

• Work closely with NCIA/NCSC engineering teams, service delivery managers and project stakeholders.
• Understand stakeholder requirements, challenges and operational needs.
• Provide technical recommendations and propose effective solutions.
• Represent NCIA/NCSC in technical working groups, meetings and professional forums.
• Develop and present technical briefings, engineering reports and cybersecurity documentation.
• Support knowledge sharing and contribute to organisational technical knowledge management.
• Provide technical guidance and leadership to small engineering teams.

Requirements

Mandatory Skills and Experience

• Minimum 3 years of practical experience developing or delivering cybersecurity services.
• Extensive practical experience identifying vulnerabilities and potential security threats.
• Demonstrated experience developing technical requirements, system diagrams and engineering documentation for cybersecurity acquisition and procurement.
• Proven experience delivering cybersecurity capabilities within industry, government or military environments.
• Strong experience in the design and implementation of cybersecurity capabilities and supporting infrastructure in operational environments.
• Up-to-date knowledge of cryptographic technologies, including key management.
• Strong understanding of Identity and Access Management (IAM).
• Practical knowledge of cybersecurity risk management.
• Ability to apply architecture methodologies to model complex systems and system-of-systems environments.
• Demonstrated ability to manage stakeholders, understand technical requirements and propose constructive solutions.
• Experience leading or coordinating small engineering teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• English language proficiency at NATO STANAG 6001 Level 3 (Professional Proficiency) or higher.
• Proficiency in ArchiMate modelling language.

4. Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience working within or supporting military, defence or government organisations.
• Knowledge of network monitoring and cybersecurity threat detection technologies.
• Experience designing cybersecurity capabilities for cloud infrastructure.
• Relevant cybersecurity certifications, such as:
• CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional.
• CISM – Certified Information Security Manager.
• GIAC security certifications.
• Experience with enterprise security architecture and technical governance.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity engineering standards and secure infrastructure implementation.

5. Educational Qualifications

Standard Requirement

• Bachelor's degree from a nationally recognised/accredited university in a relevant discipline.
• Minimum 3 years of post-related professional experience.

Exceptional Equivalency

• Candidates without a university degree may exceptionally be considered if they demonstrate particular abilities and extensive relevant expertise.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive professional experience in duties related to the Statement of Work.

6. Key Deliverables and Expected Outcomes

The successful candidate will be expected to deliver

• Secure cybersecurity solution architectures and technical designs.
• Architecture models and technical documentation using ArchiMate.
• Cybersecurity risk assessments and mitigation recommendations.
• Technical cybersecurity requirements and engineering specifications.
• Statements of Work, system design specifications and Bills of Materials.
• Cybersecurity procurement and technical bid evaluation support.
• Implementation plans and engineering coordination documentation.
• Post-implementation technical specifications and operational instructions.
• Quality-assured cybersecurity project deliverables.
• Operational handover and knowledge transfer documentation.
• Technical briefings and stakeholder reports.

7. Key Competencies

The candidate should demonstrate

• Analytical Thinking: Ability to investigate complex cybersecurity challenges and develop effective technical solutions.
• Technical Leadership: Ability to guide engineering teams and coordinate technical implementation activities.
• Architecture and Design Skills: Ability to design secure, scalable and operationally effective technical solutions.
• Risk Awareness: Ability to identify vulnerabilities, evaluate security risks and recommend appropriate countermeasures.
• Stakeholder Management: Ability to build trust and maintain productive relationships with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Communication: Ability to explain complex cybersecurity concepts through clear technical documentation and presentations.
• Initiative: Ability to work independently and proactively resolve technical issues.

8. Working Conditions and Location

• The position is based at NCIA in Mons, Belgium.
• The expected working arrangement is full-time, primarily on-site.
• Remote working may be permitted for up to 20% of the total working time from another NATO nation, subject to prior approval from the Resource Manager and Section Head of D&I.
• Teleworking from the candidate's home in the duty location may be permitted in accordance with NCIA's teleworking policy.
• NCIA IT equipment will be provided for processing restricted information.
• For remote working, the contractor must provide appropriate IT equipment for processing public and unclassified information and participating in Microsoft-based video meetings.
• Occasional business travel to NCIA locations in Belgium, the Netherlands or other NATO countries may be required.
• Travel expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with NATO regulations.

9. Security Clearance

NATO SECRET security clearance is mandatory.

The candidate must hold the required clearance and comply with all applicable NATO security, confidentiality and information-handling procedures.