Overview:

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Founded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $940 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry. GTRI's renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.   

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do: 

1. Students are our top priority.
2. We strive for excellence.
3. We thrive on diversity.
4. We celebrate collaboration.
5. We champion innovation.
6. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.
7. We nurture the wellbeing of our community.
8. We act ethically.
9. We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

Project/Unit Description

The Georgia Tech Research Institute’s (GTRI) Information and Communications Laboratory (ICL), Communications and Spectrum Systems Division (CSSD), seeks experienced professionals to lead complex tactical communications research portfolios in a fast-paced environment supporting national security and warfighter capability.

CSSD operates by the principle “Mission Focused; People Empowered,” driving operational excellence and technical leadership by aligning work to warfighter outcomes while investing in employee growth, tools, and expertise. The Division promotes a culture of innovation, integrity, and ownership, enabling teams to deliver meaningful solutions for those who serve.

CSSD has a strong legacy in cellular network technologies, with expertise spanning 4G LTE, 5G, and NextG systems. The Division is a leader in adapting commercial cellular technologies for tactical and contested environments and is recognized for its leadership in the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), supporting the Department of Defense’s shift toward modular, vendor-agnostic system designs.

The Division delivers advanced solutions across five mission areas: JADC2, Spectrum Warfare, AI/ML, NextG & ISAC, and UAS Operations. Its work is built on four core capabilities: SDR Design and Development, including rugged small-form-factor radios, waveform expertise, verification and validation, and integration; System Architecture, including SOSA, CMOSS, AMS-GRA, embedded systems, DevSecOps, CI/CD, and MBSE; Disaggregated Network Architecture, scaling from 10 to more than 1,000 nodes, including drone swarms; and Mission Planning and Geospatial Systems, including FalconView, situational awareness, and geospatial data fusion.

CSSD supports the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

Job Purpose

The Cybersecurity Research and Development Systems Architect designs and develops new systems, applications, and solutions for external sponsors’ enterprise-wide cyber systems and networks.

The Cybersecurity R&D Systems Architect is responsible for driving adoption, identifying and defining new security objectives and controls and helping with the organization’s automated security validation development. This researcher also performs vulnerability analysis and exploitation of applications, operating systems and/or networks.

The Cybersecurity R&D Systems Architect designs and implements Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) security solutions, and applies those ICAM solutions to advanced problem domains such as federation and trusted information sharing within select target communities of sponsors and project stakeholders.

The Architect ensures system security needs are established and maintained for operations development, security requirements definition, security risk assessment, systems analysis, systems design, security test and evaluation, certification and accreditation, systems hardening, vulnerability testing and scanning, incident response, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning.

The Cybersecurity R&D Systems Architect also provides analytical support for security policy development and analysis, integrates new architectural features into existing infrastructures, designs cyber security architectural artifacts, provides architectural analysis of cyber security features and relates existing systems to future needs and trends.

In addition, the Architect embeds advanced forensic tools and techniques for attack reconstruction, provides engineering recommendations, and resolves integration and testing issues. The Cybersecurity R&D Systems Architect serves in a consultative role, defining controls for different platforms, including definition of protection rule sets, and threat mitigations for potential threats.

The Cybersecurity R&D Systems Architect also interacts, advises, and counsels on a regular basis with internal staff as well as project sponsors and other stakeholders from the communities in which these solutions are implemented.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and build templates to assist SMEs in providing critical system information
• Conduct product or system design synthesis translating requirements into physical architectures for cyber system of low complexity
• Contribute to technical reports and diagrams detailing product or system attributes
• Identify and define new security objectives and controls to assist with system cyber security accreditation and/or cyber resiliency

Additional Responsibilities

• Engage program offices and mission stakeholders to understand operational needs, certification objectives, schedules, and security processes for tactical radio and other mission systems.
• Apply working familiarity with SOSA/CMOSS architectures, Red/Black separation concepts, cryptographic boundaries, and secure data flows when supporting system assessments and integration activities.
• Support program offices, security authorities, vendors, and engineering teams in navigating NSA SERD development, certification planning, evidence requirements, technical reviews, and approval processes.
• Review system architectures, interface specifications, security requirements, and engineering artifacts for alignment with Red/Black principles, SOSA practices, NSA expectations, and program objectives.
• Contribute to certification readiness activities, including requirements traceability, configuration management, vulnerability assessment, security test and evaluation, systems hardening, and preparation of supporting documentation.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, computer science, information systems, systems engineering, project management, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience supporting technical programs, cybersecurity initiatives, systems engineering activities, software development, research programs, government-funded projects, or Department of War (DoW) project management.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and engaging program offices, sponsors, technical leads, security personnel, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Experience supporting requirements gathering, risk and issue management, schedules, milestones, deliverables, and technical program documentation.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret Clearance
• Master’s degree in cybersecurity, systems engineering, computer science, or a related technical field.
• Familiarity with tactical communications or mission systems and SOSA and/or CMOSS architectures.
• Working familiarity with Red/Black architecture, separation concepts, cryptographic boundaries, and secure data flows; direct system design responsibility is not required.
• Familiarity with NSA Security Engineering and Risk Documentation (SERD), NSA certification processes, or comparable government security certification and accreditation activities.
• Experience supporting certification planning, security requirements traceability, configuration management, vulnerability assessment, security testing, system hardening, certification evidence development, or program-office approval activities.

Travel Requirements

This position vacancy is an open-rank announcement. The final job offer will be dependent on candidate qualifications in alignment with Research Faculty Extension Professional ranks as outlined in section 3.2.1 of the Georgia Tech Faculty Handbook

• 2 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Systems or Information Technology
• 0 years of related experience with a Masters’ degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Systems or Information Technology

Please refer to our Research Faculty Technical Level Guidelines for minimum requirements at the higher levels.

U.S. Citizenship Requirements

Due to our research contracts with the U.S. federal government, candidates for this position must be U.S. Citizens.

Clearance Type Required

Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain an active security clearance.

Benefits at GTRI

Comprehensive information on currently offered GTRI benefits, including Health & Welfare, Retirement Plans, Tuition Reimbursement, Time Off, and Professional Development, can be found through this link: https://benefits.hr.gatech.edu/.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and Institute policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Equal opportunity and decisions based on merit are fundamental values of the University System of Georgia (“USG”) and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of an individual’s race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.