Principal Security Architect

Who we are

Picogrid builds hardware and software infrastructure to connect and control the systems that power critical industries. Our platform unifies sensors, platforms, and operators to power mission planning, autonomous system control, and real-time decision-making.

We partner directly with operators, technology companies, and federal agencies to deliver rapidly deployable, mission-critical capabilities where they’re needed most, often on short timelines and in challenging conditions. Our technology is trusted in active operations, not just test environments, and we move quickly to close real-world capability gaps for those on the front lines.

Joining Picogrid means working on high-impact problems at the intersection of autonomy, national security, and cutting-edge technology. You’ll be part of a small, elite team that builds and ships systems used by the leading organizations around the world. We operate with urgency, ownership, and a deep respect for the mission.

Role Overview

Picogrid is hiring a Principal Cloud Security Architect to lead security strategy, architecture, and execution across the company. This is a senior leadership role, designed for a seasoned expert who wants to define how Picogrid meets the most demanding security and compliance requirements as we scale and serve increasingly sensitive defense and federal workloads.

Mission and Scope

At Picogrid, we build technology that directly supports national security missions—our customers rely on us to meet the highest standards of security, compliance, and resilience. As Principal Cloud Security Architect, you will define and drive the security architecture that underpins everything we build.

You will have broad ownership of Picogrid’s security posture, with direct responsibility for architecting secure, scalable systems that achieve and maintain compliance with frameworks like FedRAMP Moderate/High, NIST 800‑171, CMMC 2.0, and DoD RMF.

This is more than a technical leadership role: you’ll shape security strategy at the highest levels, work cross-functionally to guide engineering teams, and act as a trusted security advisor to company leadership and our federal customers. You will lead Picogrid’s efforts to earn and retain critical accreditations that enable our mission, while mentoring a growing team of engineers and architects.

Your work at Picogrid will help ensure that defense and government customers can rely on our platform to operate in some of the world’s most sensitive and high-stakes environments. If you are looking for an opportunity where your expertise will have immediate and meaningful impact on national security—this is it.

You will:

• Define and own Picogrid’s cloud security architecture strategy and roadmap.

• Lead design and implementation of enterprise-wide security controls aligned with NIST 800-171, FedRAMP, CMMC, and DoD RMF.

• Drive audit readiness, engaging directly with FedRAMP 3PAOs, DoD Authorizing Officials, and key stakeholders.

• Guide engineers and architects through secure design patterns, threat modeling, and risk management processes.

• Build automation for continuous monitoring, secure infrastructure provisioning, and compliance reporting.

• Advise Picogrid’s leadership on security risks, opportunities, and strategic direction.

• Recruit, mentor, and develop senior engineers and security staff.

Required Qualifications

• 12+ years in security architecture, cloud security, or related leadership roles.

• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.

• Proven track record architecting secure systems meeting NIST 800-171, FedRAMP, and CMMC 2.0 requirements.

• Expertise in AWS GovCloud, cloud-native security architectures, and scalable compliance frameworks.

• Strong understanding of DoD RMF, FedRAMP ATO processes, IL4/IL5 workloads, and secure enclave architectures.

• Experience leading FedRAMP or DoD audits and preparing artifacts and documentation.

• Strong leadership, influence, and mentoring skills with cross-functional teams and executives.

• Advanced automation/scripting experience for security infrastructure (e.g., Python, Terraform).

• Exceptional written and verbal communication.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Top Secret U.S. security clearance.

• Prior work as an ISSO, ISSE, or FedRAMP AO representative.

• Security certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, CISM, AWS Security Specialty, CAP, or CMMC-RP.

• Experience with secure Kubernetes/containerized environments.

• Deep knowledge of DevSecOps tooling and secure CI/CD pipelines.

Who you are

You are a security professional with a passion for protecting sensitive systems and a pragmatic approach to achieving robust security in high-velocity environments. You balance deep technical expertise with cross-functional collaboration and enjoy translating regulatory requirements into actionable security architectures. You thrive in mission-driven teams and are motivated by the impact Picogrid delivers at the intersection of national security and cutting-edge technology.

Export Control Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.