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Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.
At NLR, you’ll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.
The Cybersecurity Threat Analysis Group (CTAG) within the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) Cybersecurity Research Center performs research to make cybersecurity an enabling part of the nation’s energy ecosystem. This is primarily accomplished through engaging with energy sector partners, government program offices, and national security organizations. Research areas within CTAG includes energy system modeling and simulation, threat to consequence risk analysis, and hardware & software supply chain security.
CTAG is seeking an experienced senior electric grid cybersecurity research professional to lead our Energy Threat Analysis Center (ETAC) portfolio of work. The ETAC is an operational collaborative that convenes experts from the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. energy sector to collectively identify, analyze, and mitigate cyber threats to America’s critical energy infrastructure. The successful candidate will bring a combination of strong technical security background and power systems engineering. This role also requires proficiency in developing and executing cybersecurity research within a laboratory environment, knowledge of cutting-edge adversarial Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures, experience leading complex cybersecurity programs across a matrixed organization, a passion for leading and driving new research, and the ability to collaborate with partners from across the national laboratory complex, the Department of Energy, industry, and national security partners.
Responsibilities include:
Provide technical leadership supporting multi-partner programs, coordinating with program office leadership, tasking and mentoring staff in support of program objectives
Lead adversarial research initiatives targeting energy sector systems, including threat emulation, cyber range experimentation, and model-based simulation, defining experimental objectives and strategies
Independently design, execute, and evaluate complex adversary–defender studies, including multi-stage attack-chain modeling, vulnerability exploration, and defense validation, ensuring reproducible and rigorous research outcomes
Proven leadership in offensive cybersecurity research and program management, including planning and executing complex experiments with strategic impact
Advanced proficiency in Python, PowerShell, C/C++, or other languages, enabling automation, data-driven analysis, and modeling integration across projects
Expert-level knowledge of ICS, OT, and energy sector systems, including protocols, architectures, and security considerations
Writing high-quality intelligence assessments and briefings for both senior-level and technical audiences
Contribute specialized knowledge to collaborative response efforts based on cyber incidents
Provide technical thought-leadership by proposing and leading new areas of work
Support quick reaction tasking requiring research into areas of government concern
Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in adversarial TTPs, cybersecurity mitigations, best practices, and reverse engineering
Serve as a SME within our growing supply chain security portfolio of work
Collaborate with fellow researchers, Department of Energy staff as well as industrial partners to ensure research relevance and impact
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* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE security clearance at the Q/TS/SCI level. Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE O 472.2A for additional information. Polygraph may be required.
Knowledge of and demonstrated experience in power systems engineering principles and practices
Demonstrated experience leading cybersecurity programs for national security partners
Demonstrated experience in adversarial cybersecurity practices (e.g., red teaming, reverse engineering, threat hunting)
Demonstrated experience with threat hunting or detection engineering
Experience deploying and configuring operational technology system components (e.g., SCADA RTUs, PLCs, and HMI)
Familiarity with applicable security frameworks, best practices and guidance as provided by IEC62443, NERC CIP, NIST and IEEE
Understanding of MITRE ATT&CK for ICS to develop real-world security test strategies
Excellent leadership, communication, problem solving and project management skills
Strong writing and public speaking skills demonstrated through proposals, presentations, business development and/or customer engagement
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The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.
NLR takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.
* Based on eligibility rules
NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.
If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.
Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.
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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.
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