ARA · 1 day ago
Cyber Security Specialist 1
Pinehurst, NC
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$66.07/hr - $71.81/hr
8+ years expApplied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) is an employee-owned international research and engineering company. They are seeking a Cyber Security Specialist to implement and maintain cybersecurity controls for a mission-critical TAK Server environment, ensuring security compliance and operational resilience.
ConsultingHealth CareInfrastructureManufacturingTraining
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Implementing and maintaining cybersecurity controls aligned with:
FISMA High
NIST 800-53 Rev. 5
Applying and maintaining secure configuration baselines using:
DISA STIGs
CIS Benchmarks
Program-approved hardening standards
Performing identity and access management (IAM) activities, including:
User onboarding and offboarding
Role-based access assignments
Support for federated TAK environments
Operating security monitoring tools by:
Reviewing logs and alerts
Triaging security events
Escalating incidents per established procedures
Supporting vulnerability scanning and configuration compliance checks
Assisting with remediation efforts under the direction of Cyber Security Engineers
Executing patching and security updates for TAK Server components and supporting infrastructure
Supporting incident response activities by:
Collecting logs and evidence
Executing containment or mitigation actions as directed
Maintaining security artifacts and evidence to support RMF and ATO requirements
Verifying backups, audit logging, and disaster recovery processes
Qualification
Required
Associate's or Bachelor's degree or higher in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Information Systems, Network or Systems Administration (or 16-18 years of experience in lieu of a degree)
12-14 years of progressive cybersecurity experience with an associates degree OR 8-10 years with a bachelors degree
Cybersecurity operations
System or network administration with security responsibilities
SOC or security monitoring roles
Practical experience performing user account and access management
Practical experience performing system hardening and patching
Practical experience performing log review and alert handling
Exposure to regulated or compliance-driven environments (FISMA, FedRAMP, or similar)
Working knowledge of NIST 800-53 security controls
Working knowledge of secure configuration practices
Working knowledge of basic incident response procedures
Hands-on experience with security monitoring or SIEM tools
Hands-on experience with vulnerability scanning tools
Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GovCloud preferred)
Detail-Oriented – Takes pride in doing tasks correctly and consistently
Team Player – Works well with engineers, operators, and government partners
Dependable – Follows through on assigned tasks and responsibilities
Process-Focused – Comfortable working within established procedures and controls
Preferred
Prior experience supporting federal, state, or mission-oriented systems
Experience following runbooks, SOPs, and security playbooks
Comfort working in a 24/7 operational or on-call support environment
Strong written documentation skills
Certifications such as CompTIA Security+, CompTIA CySA+, AWS or Azure foundational certifications
Familiarity with Kubernetes or containerized environments is a plus, but not required
Company
ARA
ARA provides research, engineering, and technical support services.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$12MKey Investors
Engineer Research and Development Center
2023-03-16Grant· $12M
Leadership Team
C
Curt Beckemeyer
President & CEO
Recent News
2026-01-22
2026-01-12
2025-12-06
Company data provided by crunchbase