Systems Engineer – Cryptography (Sr - Principal)

Senior Systems Engineer – Cryptography

Background

T2 Engineering supports BAE Systems as a subcontractor on the ICBM Support Contract (ISC), as well as the Air Force System Program Office (SPO) with both the Minuteman III and Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM).

This role provides exceptional support by researching, planning, reviewing, designing, and evaluating cryptographic requirements, secure communications, and key management systems for the Sentinel weapon system and future payload architectures.

Job Description

This role will serve as a subject matter expert (SME) in Cryptography and Information Assurance supporting the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) future payload and systems engineering teams.

The engineer will lead cryptographic architecture reviews, NSA/DoD security certification efforts, COMSEC integration, and secure key distribution assessments across future ICBM payloads, Command & Launch interfaces, and communications links.

• Cryptographic Architecture & Integration: Lead engineering tasks and trade studies regarding the design, integration, and modernization of NSA-certified cryptographic devices, secure processors, and Command & Control (C2) encryption subassemblies.
• Key Management & Distribution: Evaluate requirements and operational concepts for Key Management Infrastructure (KMI), electronic key distribution, and cryptographic authorization systems to ensure survivable, zero-fail nuclear command and control (NC3) links.
• Security Certification & NSA Compliance: Guide payload suites through the NSA cryptographic certification process, COMSEC compliance reviews, and Type-1 security evaluations in accordance with CNSSI 1253, NIST SP 800-series, and DoD Information Assurance standards.
• Systems Engineering & MBSE Tracing: Interface with the Requirements Verification Board (RVB), Technical Evaluation Review Boards (TERB), and Cryptographic Working Groups. Integrate cryptographic security requirements and interface control documents (ICDs) into Cameo/SysML Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) models.
• Anti-Jam & Secure Communications: Assess software-defined radios (SDRs), secure telemetry, and cryptographic protocols to protect against spoofing, jamming, interception, or unauthorized command injection in contested electronic-warfare environments.
• Program & Acquisition Support: Develop cryptographic security briefs, Program Security Plans (PSPs), technical evaluation reports, and risk mitigations for AFNWC leadership under tight timelines with minimal oversight.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Degree & Experience:
• Bachelor’s degree with 7+ years of experience, OR
• Master’s degree with 5+ years of experience.
• Degree Field: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or related technical field.
• Security Clearance: Active DoD Secret Clearance with Top Secret eligibility required.
• Cryptography Core: Direct experience evaluating, integrating, or testing military-grade cryptographic hardware/software (e.g., Type-1 encryptors, NSA-certified roots of trust, secure boot, public/symmetric key infrastructure).
• Security & Assurance Standards: Demonstrated knowledge of NSA cryptographic certification requirements, CNSSI standards, or NIST cryptographic modules (FIPS 140-3).
• Communication: Exceptional oral and written communication skills suitable for technical interchange meetings with senior military officers, AFNWC civilian directors, NSA stakeholders, and prime contractor leads.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Clearance: Active DoD Top Secret Clearance (SCI / SAP eligible).
• COMSEC Expertise: Direct experience managing or integrating Communications Security (COMSEC) equipment, NSA-approved keying material, CCI (Controlled Cryptographic Items), and COMSEC accounting/operational policies.
• Domain Experience: Direct experience with ICBM Command & Launch (C&L) systems, strategic re-entry vehicles, nuclear command pathways, or L3Harris/BAE secure communications equipment.
• Digital Engineering: Experience tracing security and cryptographic requirements within Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools (e.g., Cameo Systems Modeler / MagicDraw).
• Software & Hardware Security: Familiarity with tamper resistance/detection, side-channel attack mitigations, or FPGA/ASIC-based cryptographic implementation.

Pay: $130,000.00 - $180,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person