Principal Engineer

Position Title: Principal Engineer
Position Type: Full-time, Remote
Location: Tampa, FL (Preferred)
Clearance: (At Minimum) Secret
Travel: Approximately 10%

Waypoint’s client is seeking a Principal Engineer to support U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) initiatives focused on cybersecurity, platform engineering, automation, and AI-enabled capabilities. This senior-level role operates at the intersection of hands-on engineering, technical leadership, and program support, providing architectural guidance, engineering direction, and technical oversight across mission-critical environments.
The selected candidate will lead key technical efforts involving cybersecurity engineering, cloud and hybrid infrastructure, automation, data analytics, and emerging AI capabilities. This role requires a strong background in secure enterprise environments and experience supporting highly regulated federal, defense, or intelligence community programs.

Responsibilities:
Cybersecurity Engineering & Architecture
• Design and implement cybersecurity solutions across cloud, hybrid, and on-premises environments.
• Provide subject matter expertise in Zero Trust Architecture, Identity and Access Management (IAM), and system hardening.
• Support incident response, vulnerability management, and security operations activities.
• Ensure engineering solutions align with NIST 800-53, RMF, STIGs, FedRAMP principles, and contractual requirements.
Platform Engineering & Automation
• Develop and maintain automation tools and scripts supporting security operations and infrastructure management.
• Implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions and scalable platform architectures.
• Integrate security controls into CI/CD pipelines and DevSecOps workflows.
• Support cloud platform optimization and operational automation initiatives.
AI, Data Engineering & Analytics
• Develop and support data pipelines for security and operational analytics.
• Contribute to anomaly detection, reporting, and advanced analytics capabilities.
• Support integration of AI/ML-enabled features into cybersecurity and operational workflows.
• Leverage data-driven approaches to improve system performance and operational visibility.
Program Support & Technical Leadership
• Serve as a senior technical advisor supporting architecture and engineering decisions.
• Translate program requirements into actionable engineering tasks and technical solutions.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership across project teams.
• Collaborate with program managers, stakeholders, and technical teams to drive successful delivery execution.
Operational Support & Continuous Improvement
• Analyze system performance, security metrics, and operational data to identify risks and improvement opportunities.
• Maintain technical documentation and support compliance audits and assessments.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and contribute to corrective actions and process improvements.

Required:
• U.S. Citizenship
• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field (or equivalent experience)
• 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity, information security, or systems engineering
• 3–5 years of experience in a senior, lead, principal, or technical leadership role
• Strong experience securing enterprise systems in DoD, Federal Civilian, or Intelligence Community environments
• Experience implementing and supporting NIST 800-53, RMF, STIGs, FedRAMP controls, and compliance frameworks
• Experience supporting Authority to Operate (ATO), system accreditation, and audit activities
• Experience with Identity and Access Management (IAM), Zero Trust Architecture, and enterprise security controls
• Experience with cloud security architectures and cloud-native security services
• Experience supporting automation, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and DevSecOps initiatives
• Familiarity with FAR/DFARS requirements and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) handling requirements
• AWS Security Specialty, Azure SC-100, or equivalent cloud security certification
• One or more of the following certifications: CISSP, CISM, GCIH, OSCP, GIAC, or equivalent

Desired:
• Master’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
• Experience supporting DoD, DHS, Intelligence Community (IC), Special Operations Forces (SOF), or Combatant Command programs
• Experience with DevSecOps pipelines, CI/CD automation, and Infrastructure as Code technologies
• Experience supporting continuous monitoring and audit readiness programs within RMF environments
• Experience with AI/ML integration, security analytics, and data engineering initiatives
• Familiarity with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environments
• Experience coordinating technical efforts across multiple programs and organizations
• Experience supporting cloud platforms such as AWS and Azure in highly regulated environments
• Experience influencing enterprise architecture decisions and technical modernization efforts within large-scale federal programs