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Cybersecurity · Work role code 633

System Security Engineer

Contributes to the design, development, and delivery of mission-capable systems and supporting systems-of-systems (such as development, operational, or maintenance systems) so that they are protected against intentional subversion or forced failure; this includes ensuring stakeholder cybersecurity, survivability, and resiliency needs are addressed across the entire system lifecycle; and that there is necessary assurance in the system’s ability to operate in evolving mission and threat environments.

From DoD DCWF Tool v5.3 (2026-09-25)

Tasks

From DoD DCWF Tool v5.3 (2026-09-25), in the tool's order, with the DCWF KSAT id

Free · DoD DCWF Tool v5.3 (2026-09-25)
  • 8234Works with stakeholders to ensure security objectives, protection needs, assurance needs, security requirements, security and trustworthiness claims, and associated validation methods are defined to ensure required mission capabilityCore
  • 8235Defines measurable system security requirements (including measures of performance [MOPs] and measures of effectiveness [MOEs]), associated verification methods, and associated traceability.Core
  • 8236Documents information security and/or cybersecurity policies, regulation, laws, standards, and guides that apply across the system lifecycle; and work with all stakeholders to ensure that they inform the system development lifecycle processes.Core
  • 8237Contributes to the plans and processes for the security elements of the systems development process and demonstrates how they meet the system security policies.Core
  • 8238Develops security views and viewpoints as part of the system architecture and design – including any security boundaries and/or any physical, logical, or data elements of the system-of-systems.Core
  • 8239Designs preemptive and reactive features and functions as part of a balanced strategy to limit asset loss and associated loss consequences across the whole system lifecycle.Core
  • 8240Identifies and assesses susceptibilities and vulnerabilities that can result in or contribute to life cycle hazards and adversities.Core
  • 8241Identifies and recommends changes to the system design to remove or mitigate susceptibilities and/or vulnerabilities as part of a balanced strategy to limit asset loss and associated loss consequences.Core
  • 8242Conducts risk management activities in accordance with organizational and/or program specific standards, integrates those into larger program and organizational risk management activities, and uses the results of the overall risk management activities to inform other SSE activities.Core
  • 8243Provides security considerations to inform systems engineering efforts with the objective to reduce errors, flaws, and weaknesses that may constitute a security vulnerability.Core
  • 8244Performs system security analyses, interprets the results of other system analyses, participates in system design reviews, and advocates for inherently secure system capabilities in support of decision-making as part of the overall product development team – including engineering, system operators, and other specialties.Core
  • 8245Identifies, quantifies, and evaluates the security trade space for features, functions, and considerations to inform assessments of alternative solutions, engineering trade-offs, and risk treatment decisionsAdditional
  • 8246Defines assurance needs for the system and validates that they are appropriate for the system stakeholders.Core
  • 8247Demonstrates through evidence-based reasoning (to include testing, evaluation, verification, and/or validation) that security and trustworthiness claims for the system have been satisfied to the desired level of assurance.Core
  • 8248Contributes to continuous monitoring, assessment, and improvement of the ongoing security of the system across the entire system lifecycle.Core
  • 8249Ensures that survivability and resilience are considered in the design of the system in accordance with applicable standards provided for the system (e.g., the Cyber Survivability Attributes (CSAs), Cyber Survivability Endorsement Implementation Guide) and addressing cyber performance requirements.Core
  • 8250Reviews vulnerabilities, incidents, lessons learned, and cyber 'near-misses' (e.g., faults, system logs and data, incident response information) that can reactively inform improvements to the system to make it less susceptible to attacks or mitigate vulnerabilities throughout the system lifecycle.Core
  • 8251Reviews threat intelligence, emerging practices, lessons learned, and principles or tenets that can proactively inform improvements to the system to make it less susceptible to attacks throughout the system lifecycleCore
  • 8252Engages in awareness and outreach regarding the system’s security needs with all stakeholders involved in the system’s development and operation.Additional
  • 8253Provides input on security relevant portions of program activities that are necessary prior to contract award, for example acquisition – including but not limited to cost and schedule, system concepts, designs, reviews, proposals, estimates, or risk management.Core
  • 8254Contributes to supply chain risk mitigation activities (e.g., hardware, software, services), and assess and manage residual risk for the operational system across the entire system lifecycle.Core
  • 8255Contributes to supply chain risk mitigation activities (e.g., hardware, software, services), and assess and manage residual risk for development, operational support, and maintenance systems across the entire system lifecycle.Core
  • 8256Develops security objectives, protection needs, and security requirements for external services (e.g., cloud service providers, data centers) required across the system lifecycle.Core
  • 8257Contributes to the definition of security compliance needs and assessments for external services (e.g., cloud service providers, data centers) required across the system lifecycle.Core
  • 8258Assesses and supports any required system security certification / authorization (e.g., RMF, DO-326A) analysis, contributes to required documentation, creates and maintains traceability required for certification, supports and advocates for resolution of actions that come about as part of certification, and provide subject matter expertise to decision makers.Core
  • 8259Provides input to the incident response plan.Additional
  • 8260Participates in incident response activities as part of the incident response team.Core
  • 8261Recommends corrective actions for the system using the results of the incident response activities.Core
  • 8262Translates lessons learned from incident response activities into future requirements, organizational best practices, and knowledge sharing activities.Core
  • 8263Provides inputs to and support execution of program protection activities.Core
  • 8264Uses available and credible threat intelligence (e.g., governmental, commercial, open source) to augment and inform all other SSE tasks.Core
  • 8265Contributes to and maintains platform-specific documentation that describes the anticipated physical, technological, and adversarial environment(s) that the system is designed to operate in.Core

Knowledge

From DoD DCWF Tool v5.3 (2026-09-25), in the tool's order, with the DCWF KSAT id

Free · DoD DCWF Tool v5.3 (2026-09-25)
  • 16Knowledge of capabilities and requirements analysis.Core
  • 19Knowledge of cyber defense and vulnerability assessment tools, including open source tools, and their capabilities.Core
  • 22* Knowledge of computer networking concepts and protocols, and network security methodologies.Core
  • 40Knowledge of organization's evaluation and validation requirements.Additional
  • 43AKnowledge of embedded systems.Core
  • 51Knowledge of how system components are installed, integrated, and optimized.Core
  • 55Knowledge of cybersecurity principles used to manage risks related to the use, processing, storage, and transmission of information or data.Core
  • 60Knowledge of incident categories, incident responses, and timelines for responses.Core
  • 61Knowledge of incident response and handling methodologies.Core
  • 62Knowledge of industry-standard and organizationally accepted analysis principles and methods.Core
  • 69BKnowledge of Risk Management Framework (RMF) process.Core
  • 88AKnowledge of current and emerging cyber technologies.Core
  • 90Knowledge of operating systems.Core
  • 95BKnowledge of penetration testing principles, tools, and techniques, including specialized tools for non-traditional systems and networks (e.g., control systems).Core
  • 98Knowledge of policy-based and risk adaptive access controls.Core
  • 101Knowledge of process engineering concepts.Core
  • 107Knowledge of resource management principles and techniques.Core
  • 108* Knowledge of risk management processes (e.g., methods for assessing and mitigating risk).Core
  • 112AKnowledge of systems engineering theories, concepts, and methods.Core
  • 129AKnowledge of system life cycle management principles.Core
  • 144Knowledge of the systems engineering process.Core
  • 296Knowledge of how information needs and collection requirements are translated, tracked, and prioritized across the extended enterprise.Additional
  • 296AKnowledge of how security information is integrated into the organizational Knowledge Management System.Additional
  • 979Knowledge of supply chain risk management standards, processes, and practices.Core
  • 1005Knowledge of functionality, quality, and security requirements and how these will apply to specific items of supply (i.e., elements and processes).Core
  • 1021BKnowledge of risk assessment methods.Core
  • 1061AKnowledge of the acquisition/procurement life cycle process.Additional
  • 1157* Knowledge of national and international laws, regulations, policies, and ethics as they relate to cybersecurity.Core
  • 1158* Knowledge of cybersecurity principles.Core
  • 1159* Knowledge of cyber threats and vulnerabilities.Core
  • 6290Knowledge of how to leverage government research and development centers, think tanks, academic research, and industry systems.Additional
  • 6420Knowledge of sustainment technologies, processes and strategies.Core
  • 6900* Knowledge of specific operational impacts of cybersecurity lapses.Core
  • 6935* Knowledge of cloud computing service models Software as Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS).Core
  • 6938* Knowledge of cloud computing deployment models in private, public, and hybrid environment and the difference between on-premises and off-premises environments.Core
  • 7111* Knowledge of Zero Trust Security Model Principles.Core
  • 7121Knowledge of current and emerging technological trends outside of the cyber discipline.Core
  • 7122Knowledge of the unique constraints, restrictions, and technologies used in the product domain.Core
  • 7126Knowledge of how to analyze and document a system's mission, analyze and document a system’s failure modes, and analyze and document unacceptable system losses.Core
  • 7127Knowledge of the current DoD Implementation(s) of the required Cyber Compliance / Authorization Standards to include the roles, responsibilities, and process.Core
  • 7128Knowledge of cybersecurity and System Security Engineering principles (i.e., Appendix E in NIST 800-160 Vol 1, NIST SP 800-53 SA-8 Control and Enhancements, etc).Core
  • 7129Knowledge of test and evaluation theories, concepts, and methods.Core
  • 7130Knowledge of Commercial Industry Implementation(s) of required Cyber Compliance / Authorization Standards (i.e., FAA / EASA cyber guidance, CMMC, CISA Secure By Design, etc) to include processes as needed to perform their duties.Core
  • 7148Knowledge of cybersecurity principles and methods that apply to the software lifecycle, the software development process, software development environment and tooling, and software architecture and design methodologies.Core
  • 7149Knowledge of how other engineering disciplines do their work - including DevSecOps, Agile methods, etc; and how security integrates into them.Core
  • 7150Knowledge of PPP and/or PPIP content, objectives, and preparation.Core
  • 7151Knowledge of critical program information (CPI) concepts, identification of CPI, and protection of CPI.Core
  • 7153Knowledge of AT requirements, designs, technologies, and process for approval.Core
  • 7154Knowledge of Security Classification Guide (SCG) purpose, interpretation, and format.Core
  • 7155Knowledge of organizationally specific System Security Engineering lessons learned and best practices.Additional
  • 7156Knowledge of what assurance cases are, how they are created, and how they are used.Additional

Skills

From DoD DCWF Tool v5.3 (2026-09-25), in the tool's order, with the DCWF KSAT id

Free · DoD DCWF Tool v5.3 (2026-09-25)
  • 144ASkill in applying the systems engineering process.Core
  • 162Skill in conducting capabilities and requirements analysis.Core
  • 190Skill in developing operations-based testing scenarios.Core
  • 203Skill in identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.Core
  • 220Skill in systems integration testing.Core
  • 1122ASkill in applying and maintaining cyber supply chain risk management standards across the system operational lifecycle.Core
  • 7123Skill in collaborating with product domain experts to navigate the unique constraints, restrictions, and technologies used in the product domain for all SSE activities.Core
  • 7124Skill in working with the product development team to ensure the system delivers its required mission needs.Core
  • 7125Skill in using detailed knowledge of current and anticipated tactics, techniques, and procedures of adversaries for all SSE activities.Core
  • 7131Skill in applying cybersecurity principles.Core
  • 7132Skill in determining and designing system capabilities necessary to detect and respond to security incidents.Core
  • 7133Skill in interpreting and evaluating the data used in or produced in system activities in all system lifecycle phases (e.g., development, V&V, operation, incident response).Core
  • 7134Skill in managing and updating system security analyses (e.g., risk, threat, vulnerability, consequence) across the system operational lifecycle.Core
  • 7135Skill in performing organizationally approved risk assessments and system security analyses (e.g., threat, vulnerability, consequence, criticality).Core
  • 7136Skill in using the results of system security analyses (e.g., risk, threat, vulnerability, consequence) to inform the system design.Core
  • 7137Skill in using cyber threats and vulnerabilities to inform the system design to ensure the system can deliver its mission.Core
  • 7138Skill in eliciting, documenting, and analyzing stakeholder security needs and requirements for the system of interest and supporting systems.Core
  • 7139Skill in deriving security needs and requirements from cybersecurity policies, regulation, laws, standards, and guides that are applicable the system-of-interest.Core
  • 7140Skill in engaging and working with diverse stakeholders to deliver mission-capable systems.Core
  • 7141Skill in creating and managing a security assurance case including the integration across the system development and operation lifecycle.Core
  • 7142Skill in championing security risks as part of the overall system's integrated risk management activities.Core
  • 7143Skill in using current and emerging Systems Engineering methods and tools.Core
  • 7144Skill in analyzing all system needs and requirements and understanding how they affect and are affected by security.Core
  • 7145Skill in applying system security analyses (e.g., risk, threat, vulnerability, consequence) to supply chain elements of the system-of-systems.Core
  • 7146Skill in analyzing and mapping the attack surface of a subsystem or platform, identifying all potential data ingress and egress points.Core
  • 7147Skill in applying defense-in-depth strategies across system-of-systems architectures to effectively mitigate threats and enhance overall security and system resilience.Core
  • 7152Skill in assessing a system to identify CPI.Core
  • 7157Skill in creating and managing a security assurance case, and how to integrate this with the other verification and validation activities in the system.Additional

Abilities

From DoD DCWF Tool v5.3 (2026-09-25), in the tool's order, with the DCWF KSAT id

Free · DoD DCWF Tool v5.3 (2026-09-25)
  • 325AAbility to ensure security practices are followed throughout the acquisition process.Core

Workforce Automation analysis, not part of the source

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    From DoD DCWF Tool v5.3 (2026-09-25), linked from published ids only, never from titles

    Free · DoD DCWF Tool v5.3 (2026-09-25)

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