ISE Engineer

Description SAIC is seeking a Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Engineer to join our Comply to Connect (C2C) team in support of the North American Aerospace Defense Command/United States Northern Command (N&NC) Information Technology (IT) Enterprise Services (NITES) contract, with primary work onsite in Colorado Springs. This role requires hands-on experience with Cisco ISE, network authentication protocols, security policy enforcement, and compliance with DoD cybersecurity frameworks. The ideal candidate will collaborate with a team of IT professionals to maintain, troubleshoot, and optimize Cisco ISE infrastructure while ensuring compliance with security standards such as DISA STIGs, NIST 800-53, and IAVM policies. Key Responsibilities + Assist in configuring, maintaining, and optimizing Cisco ISE for authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA). + Support 802.1X, MAB (MAC Authentication Bypass), posture assessment, and profiling for endpoint security. + Troubleshoot authentication failures, endpoint misclassifications, and network access issues. + Administer and maintain ISE Policy Service Nodes (PSNs), Monitoring and Troubleshooting Nodes (MnTs), and PAN (Primary Admin Node). + Configure and troubleshoot Cisco ISE Guest Access, BYOD policies, and device profiling. + Perform routine ISE system updates, patches, and health checks to ensure system stability. + Monitor and analyze RADIUS, TACACS+, LDAP, and Active Directory authentication logs for security compliance and performance issues. + Ensure Network Access Control (NAC) enforcement aligns with DoD Comply to Connect (C2C) policies and DISA STIGs. + Support device posture validation, TrustSec, dynamic ACL (dACL) provisioning, VLAN assignments, and security group tagging (SGT). + Work alongside network and security teams to enforce Zero Trust security models and least privilege access principles. + Assist in implementing certificate-based authentication (TLS/SSL, OpenSSL operations, and PKI infrastructure). Qualifications Required Qualifications + Active Top Secret security clearance. + Certification required per DoDD 8140.03, Intermediate Level (Security+ or equivalent) + BS or equivalent work experience in the Information Assurance / Cybersecurity field + 9+ years of overall IT security experience + Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. + Knowledge of certificate-based authentication (PKI, TLS/SSL, OpenSSL, and certificate management). + Experience working within DoD cybersecurity compliance frameworks (DISA STIGs, NIST 800-53, IAVMs). + 3+ years of hands-on experience in Cisco ISE administration, NAC policy management, and network authentication security. + Experience with 802.1X, MAB, RADIUS, TACACS+, and LDAP integration. Preferred Qualifications + 5+ years of experience in network security and NAC. + Strong understanding of Cisco ISE architecture, profiling policies, posture assessment, and endpoint classification. + Hands-on experience troubleshooting authentication failures, network access issues, and ISE system health. + Basic scripting knowledge (Python, Bash, or REST APIs) for automation and troubleshooting is a plus. Preferred Certifications + Cisco Certified Specialist u2013 ISE + Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) u2013 Security or Enterprise + Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) u2013 Security or Enterprise Target salary range: $160,001 - $200,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors. REQNUMBER: 2610016SAIC is a premier technology integrator, solving our nation's most complex modernization and systems engineering challenges across the defense, space, federal civilian, and intelligence markets. Our robust portfolio of offerings includes high-end solutions in systems engineering and integration; enterprise IT, including cloud services; cyber; software; advanced analytics and simulation; and training. We are a team of 23,000 strong driven by mission, united purpose, and inspired by opportunity. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $6.5 billion. For more information, visit . For information on the benefits SAIC offers, see Working at SAIC. EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability

Created: 2026-03-12