Mid-Level OTIT Network & Cybersecurity Engineer

The Health and Services Sector of Leidos is seeking an innovative hands-on engineer to join our Saxton Lab Team as a Mid-Level OT/IT Network & Cybersecurity Engineer!

Our team operates the Federal Highway Administrations (FHWA) Saxton Transportation Operations Laboratory (STOL) a USDOT research lab. STOL is a research and development center advancing the science of connected and automated vehicle technologies and digital roadway infrastructure. Our mission is to improve transportation safety mobility and environmental outcomes through innovation testing and real-world demonstrations.

We work at the intersection of engineering data and policydeveloping and evaluating cutting-edge systems for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication as well as cooperative driving automation. The labs culture values initiative curiosity collaboration and a strong sense of public purpose. Learn more about STOL here!

Candidates MUST:

Have the ability to full-time on-site in McLean VA AND

have the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance (three years continuous U.S. residency required) and a valid drivers license

Why This Role Matters

The Mid-Level OT/IT Network & Cybersecurity Engineer owns STOLs operational technology (OT) and IT network and testbed infrastructure and its OT and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) cybersecurity posture applying that foundation to support the labs connected-vehicle testing and experiments keeping these systems reliable secure and ready for research and high-visibility demonstrations.

Youll sit within the labs Operations team and work across a matrix organization partnering with researchers and project engineers to support testing campaigns and demonstrations. Your work directly enables STOLs connected-vehicle research and national transportation initiatives.

Role Overview & Priority Focus Areas

Two closely related primary disciplines in priority order with testing and experiment support woven through both:

OT/IT Network Engineering & Testbed Operations design build operate and secure the networks and physical testbed infrastructure underpinning the labs connected-vehicle and infrastructure research.

OT Cybersecurity Posture & Operations establish and operate a lab-wide security posture that keeps the research environment sound and by design enables the labs transportation cybersecurity research.

We expect strong hands-on OT/IT networking as the foundation with security posture and operations as a closely paired second focus; V2X depth is valued and can be grown into. Why youll want it: access to a one-of-a-kind connected-vehicle testbed and real-world deployments direct contribution to USDOT/FHWA initiatives and a clear path to grow at the rare intersection of OT networking V2X and cybersecurity.

What Youll Do

Network Engineering & Testbed Operations

Design build and operate the OT/IT networks underpinning the testbeds VLAN segmentation firewall/ACL and routing wireless distribution the fiber/copper cabling plant and backhaul to field-deployed roadside units (RSUs) edge nodes and remote sites (C-V2X PC5/Uu 5G NR Wi-Fi).

Own day-to-day testbed and Smart Garage operations commissioning and maintaining RSUs onboard units (OBUs) signal controllers edge platforms and network hardware and resolving issues across connectivity latency protocols and hardware in lab and field.

Maintain accurate network documentation precise time synchronization (PTP/IEEE 1588 NTP GPS) and reliable edge-to-analytics data movement all essential to reproducible experiment data.

OT Cybersecurity Posture & Operations

Establish and maintain a lab-wide OT security posture applying relevant frameworks (e.g. NIST SP 800-82/800-53) with judgment where the research environment or task orders call for them not as a blanket compliance program including defense-in-depth segmentation (IT/OT DMZ bastion hosts filtering) via the Purdue Model or IEC 62443.

Stand up and operate V2X security capabilities (PKI and SCMS credentialing) and run OT-appropriate vulnerability assessment and intrusion/anomaly monitoring coordinating remediation with program security.

Build and maintain a security environment that enables the labs transportation cybersecurity research and keep practical incident-response procedures and cybersecurity reviews current.

Testing & Experiment Support

Apply your network and security skills to support concurrent R&D projects translating research requirements into testbed configurations and instrumentation and keeping environments in known repeatable states for valid results.

Support test scenarios in-vehicle and roadside instrumentation and the technical preparation and execution of lab tours live demonstrations and field testing.

Operational Safety & Compliance

Uphold the labs safety posture in daily operations ensuring IT OT and cybersecurity work follows safety procedures across routine operations testing and special events with change-control for reconfigurations deployments and firmware updates.

Treat OT cybersecurity as safety-critical apply domain-specific safety practices (RF electrical/cabling on-road and closed-course protocols) and partner with facilities on power environmental controls and cable management.

Desired Qualifications

We encourage candidates who meet most but not necessarily all of these to apply; depth in OT/IT networking is the foundation and cybersecurity and V2X depth can be partly grown into.

Education & Experience

Bachelors degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering Network Engineering Computer Science IT or a related technical field with 48 years of hands-on experience in OT/IT networking R&D industrial or field-deployed systems OR a technical associates degree with 7 years. Equivalent demonstrated experience is considered in lieu of a degree.

4 years designing deploying and administering OT or IT/OT converged networks (managed switching/routing VLAN segmentation VPN firewall rules) including OT/ICS or research-testbed environments with field-deployed devices.

Command of infrastructure fundamentals: fiber/copper cabling network/RF diagrams time synchronization (NTP PTP/IEEE 1588 GPS) and comfort with Linux for device administration and scripting.

Working knowledge of C-V2X (PC5/Uu) for connected-vehicle communication or strong aptitude to acquire it quickly.

OT Cybersecurity Posture

Holistic understanding of OT/ICS security requirements and how to apply the right controls (NIST SP 800-82/800-53 Purdue Model or IEC 62443) to a transportation research environment with judgment about where they are needed; plus familiarity with the OT threat landscape and PKI/SCMS for V2X credentialing.

Awareness of how cybersecurity relates to functional safety in automated systems.

Professional & Work Requirements

Strong written and verbal communication for documentation and stakeholder briefings with the organization to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Hands-on work in lab garage and field settings (lifting up to 50 lbs; occasional off-hours for testing and events with reasonable scheduling flexibility in return).

Preferred Qualifications

Certifications such as CCNA/CCNP Security CySA or GICSP; ICS/SCADA security training (e.g. SANS ICS515); hands-on RSU platform experience (Savari Cohda Wireless Commsignia Kapsch) with SCMS enrollment; C-V2X (PC5) and 5G NR; SAE J2735 and SAE J3161 (C-V2X); OT monitoring tools (Claroty Dragos Nozomi); and experience supporting federally funded R&D or government contracting.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary range: $110000 $130000 per year (commensurate with experience). Eligible for the companys comprehensive benefits including health dental and vision insurance retirement plan and paid time off.

If youre looking for comfort keep scrolling. At Leidos we outthink outbuild and outpace the status quo because the mission demands it. Were not hiring followers. Were recruiting the ones who disrupt provoke and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. Were already at step 30 and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

Pay Range:

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job education experience knowledge skills and abilities as well as internal equity alignment with market data applicable bargaining agreement (if any) or other law.