Senior Ground Software Engineer (Cyber)

Senior Cyber Security Engineer

Lanham, Maryland, United States

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today's five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Cyber Security Engineer (AWS Cloud Security & Compliance) to join our ground software and platform security efforts. This role is responsible for designing, securing, and governing cloud-based infrastructure with a strong emphasis on AWS security architecture, compliance alignment, and secure-by-design engineering practices. The ideal candidate blends hands-on cloud security engineering with pragmatic governance, working closely with development and platform teams to reduce risk while enabling delivery in highly regulated and reliability‑focused environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and continuously enhance AWS cloud security posture with an emphasis on least‑privilege IAM, identity management, and secrets/key hygiene
• Architect and enforce AWS network security controls, including VPC segmentation, ingress/egress management, security groups, NACLs, and private connectivity patterns
• Partner with engineering and DevOps teams to ensure Infrastructure‑as‑Code (IaC) aligns with security requirements, reviewing changes and defining secure guardrails
• Develop, maintain, and operationalize security standards, policies, and control mappings aligned to compliance‑driven environments
• Build and streamline audit readiness and evidence‑collection workflows to ensure control traceability across identity, networking, logging, and change management
• Configure, tune, and maintain AWS security services, logging baselines, and alerting to improve detection, investigation, and incident readiness
• Perform security reviews, threat modeling, and risk assessments for new systems and changes, driving remediation with clear prioritization
• Define and support incident response playbooks and participate in response activities, including triage, containment, and post‑incident hardening
• Document security architecture decisions, approved patterns, and exceptions to promote repeatability and accelerate secure delivery

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Relevant security or cloud certifications are a plus.

Experience

A minimum of 7+ years of experience in software, platform, or cybersecurity engineering, with significant hands‑on work securing cloud‑based environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive experience (10+ years) in cybersecurity or cloud security roles
• Experience supporting or securing systems in regulated, compliance‑driven, or government‑adjacent environments
• Practical experience implementing security controls aligned with common frameworks (e.g., NIST‑based or SOC‑style controls)
• Proven experience building guardrails for Infrastructure‑as‑Code, including policy‑as‑code and baseline hardening standards
• Background in aerospace, defense, robotics, industrial automation, or similarly risk‑sensitive technical domains
• Active or previously held security clearance (preferred but not required)
• Experience with AWS‑centric incident readiness, including logging strategies, detection coverage, and response workflows

Soft Skills

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to partner effectively across engineering, platform, and leadership teams
• Proven ability to balance security rigor with delivery velocity in fast‑paced technical environments
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document standards and architectural decisions clearly
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with a risk‑based mindset
• Meticulous attention to detail to ensure accuracy of security controls, documentation, and evidence artifacts

Technology Stack

• Cloud Platforms: AWS
• Infrastructure‑as‑Code & CI/CD: Terraform, GitLab CI
• Programming & Scripting: Python, Go, Bash
• Version Control: Git
• Containers & Platform Technologies: Docker
• Databases: Relational and non‑relational database systems
• Logging & Monitoring: Centralized logging platforms (e.g., Elasticsearch‑based systems)
• Networking & Security: IAM, VPC networking, security groups, NACLs, logging and alerting services

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in a standard remote or office environment
• Ability to sit for extended periods while using a computer and other standard office equipment
• Ability to participate in occasional travel as required

This job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands.

AST SpaceMobile is an Equal Opportunity, at will Employer; employment is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.