NSI SETA (Intermediate)

XMSTART is looking for a Project lead to guide our NSI Systems Engineering and Technical Advisory team supporting the Operations Innovation Office in Chantilly, VA. This position requires a proactive, organized, and highly communicative leader with strong technical project management and awareness. The successful candidate will oversee a multinational initiative and ensure project success by:

• Leading the planning, execution, and oversight of all IT, cybersecurity, and technical components of the project
• Providing strategic direction on networking, security, auditing, and emerging IT/cyber technologies (including AI)
• Advising customer leadership on project priorities, risks, resource allocation, and the overall effectiveness of planned initiatives related to cost, schedule, and performance
• Guiding optimization efforts across all IT domains including power, space, cooling, hardware, software, and licensing

Representing customer equities and ensuring project compliance with IT requirements, multinational considerations, and information‑sharing obligations

• US Citizenship
• Active TS/SCI with CI polygraph
• Bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) and nine (9) years or more relevant experience; master’s in STEM field and seven (7) years or more experience. STEM is a contractual requirement.
• Hands‑on experience working with AI and operating in DevOps, and/or DevSecOps, and/or agile environments
• Hands‑on expertise gathering and identifying actionable requirements for requested capabilities
• Hands‑on experience with IT infrastructure design and implementation (power, space, cooling, connectivity)
• Ability to identify engineering opportunities to customer decision makers
• Demonstrated ability to simultaneously manage multiple tasks and effectively interact with developers, USG customers, other SETAs, and USG project managers.
• Polished communication skills (written/verba); impeccable interpersonal skills and judgment; and confidence in presenting analysis and recommendations to all levels of USG
• Hands‑on JIRA and Confluence experience for project and internal team communications
• Expertise in MS Office applications (PowerPoint, Word, Access, Project)

Desired

• Familiarity with coalition/multinational security architectures, cross‑domain solutions, information‑sharing agreements, and sovereignty‑related policy factors
• Experience developing security documentation (SSP, SAR, POA&M) and knowledge of NIST, ICD 503, IC standards, and HPC/AI‑ML security
• Hands‑on cyber experience, including active Intermediate or Advanced DoD 8140 certification (Security+ CE, CISSP, CASP CE, etc.)
• Minimum of 10 years supporting a Big 5 customer
• Experience with large‑scale AI data center environments
• Ability to produce high‑quality briefings and analytic products under tight timelines
• Experience supporting SES/SIS/FO/GO‑level leadership