Senior Cyber Security Engineer

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who we are supporting  

The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.

Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

Role ID – C005314

Role Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direction of the Section Head of Cyber Enablement Service (CES) they shall:

• Installation, configuration and testing of firewalls, routers, switches, network proxies and VPN concentrators to maximise network efficiency and security in accordance with NCSC operational requirements.
• Installation, configuration and testing of vulnerability assessment tools, including Tenable Nessus.
• Installation, configuration and testing of computer forensic tools, including AccessData.
• Installation, configuration and testing of monitoring, detection and incident response tools and appliances, including RSA NetWitness and Splunk.
• Installation, configuration and testing of virtualisation and software-defined networking technologies.
• Implementation and validation of security settings across Cisco, Juniper, Linux, Unix and Microsoft operating system environments.
• Assessment of network performance, security and availability through continuous monitoring, analysis and troubleshooting using appropriate network management and security monitoring tools.
• Investigation of network faults, security incidents and performance issues, including the development and implementation of proposed improvements.
• Support to the integration of cyber security tools into existing and future NATO CIS environments.
• Conducting testing, validation and acceptance activities for deployed cyber security capabilities.
• Support to the development of technical documentation, including installation guides, configuration baselines, test plans, test reports, standard operating procedures and security hardening guides.
• Provision of technical advice and recommendations on cyber security architecture, tool configuration, system integration and operational improvements.
• Support to vulnerability management activities, including scanning, analysis, reporting and remediation tracking.
• Support to incident response activities, including evidence collection, log analysis, forensic investigation and reporting.
• Coordination with project managers, system engineers, network engineers, security architects and operational stakeholders to ensure successful delivery of cyber security capabilities.
• Ensuring that implemented solutions comply with applicable NATO security policies, operational requirements and agreed technical standards.
• Support to handover to operations, including knowledge transfer, training support and preparation of operational documentation.
• Participation in technical meetings, reviews, workshops and coordination activities with NATO, national and industry stakeholders.

Essential Skills, Experience and Certifications

• At least 5 years practical experience in cyber security or related field, such as developing and maintaining cyber security solution architecture, developing or delivering capabilities and services in the area of Cyber security, or complex and demanding technical environments;
• The individual shall have extensive knowledge and experience, preferably more than five years, in cyber security principles, best practices, concepts, technologies and operational procedures. The individual shall possess a broad understanding of cyber security tools and their configuration, including the configuration and integration of boundary protection components such as firewalls, Network Intrusion Prevention Systems, Host Intrusion Prevention Systems and data diodes. The individual shall also have experience with encryption technologies, identity and access management, monitoring and detection solutions, incident response, vulnerability assessment, computer forensics and risk management.
• The individual shall have recent and relevant experience with technologies and tools including Juniper, Palo Alto, web application proxy solutions, RSA NetWitness, Splunk, Tenable Nessus and AccessData. The individual shall also have experience in the design and configuration of IT infrastructure elements within projects, including routing, switching and virtualisation technologies such as VMware.
• The individual shall have a proven ability to deliver technologies, systems, solutions and capabilities for industry, government or military organisations, including deployment to operational military areas. Experience with implementation projects within NATO and/or national military organisations is desirable. The individual shall be capable of working independently and as part of a team to achieve agreed objectives, including the ability to monitor, coordinate and support industry teams. Excellent communication and technical writing skills in English are required

Skills:

• Very good communication and analytical skills.
• Proficient at using the ArchiMate modelling language.

Desirable Skills, Experience and Certifications

• Experience in working for or supporting a military or governmental organization.

Education

• A minimum requirement of a Bachelor's degree at a nationally recognised/certified University in a related discipline and 3 years post-related experience, or exceptionally, the lack of a university degree may be compensated by the demonstration of a candidate's particular abilities or experience that is/are of interest to NCIA, that is, at least 10 years extensive and progressive expertise in duties above

Language Proficiency

• Business English

Working Location

• Mons, Belgium  

Working Policy

• Hybrid (80% on-site, 20% off-site)

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance