Principal Information System Security Officer
Clarity Innovations · Columbia, MD · hybrid
Clarity Innovations is a trusted national security partner, dedicated to safeguarding our nation’s interests and delivering innovative solutions that empower the Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense (DoD) to transform data into actionable intelligence, ensuring mission success in an evolving world.
Our mission-first software and data engineering platform modernizes data operations, utilizing advanced workflows, CI/CD, and secure DevSecOps practices. We focus on challenges in Information Warfare, Cyber Operations, Operational Security, and Data Structuring, enabling end-to-end solutions that drive operational impact.
We are committed to delivering cutting-edge tools and capabilities that address the most complex national security challenges, empowering our partners to stay ahead of emerging threats and ensuring the success of their critical missions. At Clarity, we are people-focused and set on being a destination employer for top talent, offering an environment where innovation thrives, careers grow, and individuals are valued. Join us as we continue to lead innovation and tackle the most pressing challenges in national security.
Position Overview
The ISSO supports the ISSM and owns the authorization documentation for this platform at the unclassified (CUI) classification level, across every development team on it. This is the single ISSO seat for that platform and classification combination at this time, and separate ISSOs cover the other environments. The ISSO is not embedded with any one team. Instead, the ISSO works with all of them, each with its own goals and priorities, and consolidates those into a single authorization package covering the entire platform. The role centers on establishing and maintaining ATO packages and their associated artifacts, maintaining interconnection agreements (ISAs and related), and transitioning the package from NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4 to Rev 5. Initial scope is the unclassified (CUI) system only. As clearance and access are completed, the ISSO also provides surge support and backfill for the ISSOs of other environments, including leave coverage. Success requires comfort switching context between teams, a commitment to keeping documentation accurate as the system changes, and interest in improving documentation and reporting through automation where practical.
Key Responsibilities
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Owns and maintains the authorization package and its body of evidence (BoE), including the SSP, control statement responses, and supporting artifacts, so that documentation reflects the current state of the system. eMASS is the system of record for the BoE and POA&Ms in this role.
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Executes the package transition from NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4 to Rev 5 in coordination with the ISSM, using artifacts demonstrating compliance provided by security engineers and engineering development teams
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Develops and maintains interconnection and boundary documentation, including ISAs and related agreements
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Owns POA&M entries and milestone tracking, coordinating with security engineers and development teams on remediation artifacts and status
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Prepares ConMon documentation and reporting on schedule and ensures findings are accurately captured in the package
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Maintains the SBOM and component version representation in the package, and validates components against CVE data and mitigation guidance. Where a component carries a vulnerability, identifies the required remediation (for example, moving to a fixed version or above) and communicates it to the owning team. Where a compensating control is proposed instead, participates in the architectural plan and in obtaining AO and government customer buy-in. The role identifies vulnerabilities and required mitigations; it does not choose between alternative libraries or products.
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Participates in the CCB, documenting the authorization impact of proposed changes and keeping the package aligned with approved changes, including filling in for the project ISSM on the unclassified system when the ISSM is unavailable. Contractor ISSOs and ISSMs do not accept new risk. They determine whether a proposal aligns with the current risk posture and refer anything outside it to the appropriate government authority.
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Coordinates with security engineers for technical evidence, with development teams across the platform for artifacts, and with SCAs, AO staff, and government counterparts on documentation requests and findings
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Drafts risk acceptance and deviation documentation when assigned by the ISSM, for ISSM review before submission
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Identifies project-specific security training and awareness gaps not covered by customer or company guidance, in coordination with the ISSM
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Supports security authorization activities in compliance with RMF, DoDI 8510.01, and related DoD processes
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Provides surge support and backfill for ISSOs of other environments, including leave coverage, as clearance and access allow. This is a longer-term expectation; initial duties are limited to the unclassified (CUI) system.
Qualifications
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U.S. citizen able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance with CI polygraph, as longer-term duties include cross-environment coverage
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Current DoD 8570.01-M IAM Level II or III certification. This program is currently bound by 8570 certification requirements and will transition to DoD 8140 qualification once the applicable 8140 certification list is approved.
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5 or more years of relevant experience developing and maintaining RMF authorization packages (7 or more preferred)
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Working knowledge of RMF, NIST SP 800-37, NIST SP 800-53 (Rev 4 and Rev 5), NIST SP 800-53B, NIST SP 800-60, and DoDI 8510.01
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Experience maintaining the BoE, control statements, and POA&Ms in eMASS
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Experience writing or maintaining ISAs or other interconnection agreements (NIST SP 800-47 Rev 1)
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Understanding of network flows and architecture, especially cloud (Azure and AWS), on-premises, and hybrid environments, and the complexities each introduces
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Ability to context switch across multiple teams with differing goals and priorities, and to consolidate them into one coherent authorization package for the whole platform
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Familiarity with auditing and control assessments, including working with SCAs
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Familiarity with the SDLC and with working across multiple Agile or DevSecOps development teams
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Knowledge of government security requirements for unclassified and CUI systems
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Strong written and verbal communication skills. Documentation in this environment is produced with limited AI/LLM support, because many LLMs are not approved to process CUI or above, so candidates must write clear, accurate technical documentation on their own.
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Ability to work independently with engineering and government stakeholders
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Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related technical discipline. No experience equivalency applies.
Preferred Qualifications
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Active TS/SCI clearance with CI polygraph
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Experience migrating an authorization package from NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4 to Rev 5
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Experience taking a package from creation to full ATO
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Experience with classified system authorization (for example CNSSI 1253 overlays)
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Experience reading and interpreting vulnerability scan results to support CVE validation and POA&M entries
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Experience mentoring junior teammates
Location and Clearance
This is a hybrid position with an expected 3-4 days onsite. Clarity Innovations strives to set consistent expectations and ensure a flexible and healthy work-life balance, but due to the position's nature and emergent customer needs, some weeks may exceed 3-4 days and others may require no onsite work. It will require a counterintelligence polygraph upon hiring if not already attained.
Principal Information Security Engineer$102,200—$173,700 USDPay Range
The posted pay range reflects the national salary range for this position and is provided to give candidat