ISSD jobs in Fort Meade, MD
Information System Security Designer (ISSD)
Customer advising, secure architecture, systems security engineering, and implementation guidance for cleared mission systems.
Apply for this RoleGS Consulting Environment
Designing Security Before the System Hardens Around Bad Choices
At GS Consulting, security design is not treated as a late review step. The best time to shape risk is when requirements, architecture, and implementation choices are still open enough to change.
This role is built for designers who can move between customer needs and technical reality. You will help define security requirements, shape architectures, assess solution options, brief tradeoffs, and guide implementation so secure design becomes part of the system instead of an afterthought.
The Work
What the Role Looks Like Day to Day
ISSD work usually starts with a customer problem. What capability is needed? What data or system boundary matters? What security functionality has to exist before the system can be trusted? What implementation choices create risk that will be expensive to unwind later?
A typical day may include reviewing requirements, comparing architecture options, assessing security designs, preparing customer briefings, advising on implementation planning, and coordinating with ISSEs, ISSOs, administrators, and technical teams.
Mission and Responsibilities
Core Responsibilities
Our ISSDs shape security decisions before they become operational constraints. Depending on your LCAT level, you will be expected to:
- Advise customers in defining information system security requirements and functionality by designing resilient system architectures and targeted security designs.
- Assess proposed security solutions against present and projected advanced threats, mission constraints, and implementation realities.
- Apply systems engineering and systems security engineering principles to complex operational environments.
- Guide customers through planning, training, installation, configuration, and implementation of secure technologies.
- Produce reports, senior briefings, and direct customer input on security requirements, functionality, architecture, and tradeoffs.
Technical Domains
Required Technical Domains
Successful Information System Security Designers at GS Consulting need practical experience across several of the following technical domains:
- Computer and information systems design and architecture
- Systems engineering and systems security engineering
- Information security, cyber security, and network security
- Vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, and computer forensics
- Security architecture and implementation planning
- System and network administration
Preferred Degree Fields
Preferred degree fields include Computer Science, General Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Forensics, Cyber Security, Information Technology, Information Assurance, Information Security, or Information Systems. The degree must be from an accredited institution.
Tools and Mission Context
Architecture Decisions Create Security Outcomes
Information System Security Designers use customer requirements, architecture artifacts, security policies, technical constraints, threat considerations, and implementation plans to help customers choose designs that can survive real mission use.
The work is advisory and technical at the same time. A strong ISSD can explain why a design choice matters to the mission, what risk it creates, and what implementation path gives the customer the best chance of operating securely.
Compensation
Estimated Compensation Range
Estimated compensation for Information System Security Designer roles ranges from $135,000 to $210,000 per year. Final compensation depends on ISSD level, years of relevant experience, clearance status, customer requirements, contract fit, and location expectations.
The range is intentionally broad because this posting covers Levels 1 through 4. Senior ISSDs are trusted with more complex architecture tradeoffs, greater customer advisory responsibility, and stronger ownership of design decisions.
Qualification Paths
LCAT Qualification Paths
We are actively staffing billets across all four ISSD levels. Relevant experience should connect to security design, systems engineering, systems security engineering, information assurance, architecture, vulnerability analysis, cyber security, or related mission work.
Level 1
- Associate Degree plus 4 years of experience
- Bachelor Degree plus 2 years of experience
- Master Degree plus 0 years of experience
Level 2
- Associate Degree plus 7 years of experience
- Bachelor Degree plus 5 years of experience
- Master Degree plus 3 years of experience
- Doctorate plus 0 years of experience
Level 3
- Associate Degree plus 10 years of experience
- Bachelor Degree plus 8 years of experience
- Master Degree plus 6 years of experience
- Doctorate plus 4 years of experience
Level 4
- Associate Degree plus 13 years of experience
- Bachelor Degree plus 11 years of experience
- Master Degree plus 9 years of experience
- Doctorate plus 7 years of experience
Career Growth
How ISSDs Grow Across Levels
Growth in this role comes from better architecture judgment, stronger customer trust, sharper threat awareness, and the ability to turn complex requirements into workable designs. Senior ISSDs are valuable because they can see the technical risk before it becomes an operational problem.
At GS Consulting, ISSD growth can lead deeper into security architecture, systems security engineering, customer advisory roles, implementation leadership, or related information assurance positions.
Why GS Consulting
A Smaller Team Close to the Design Problem
GS Consulting takes a direct approach to cleared mission support. We care whether the person in the seat can understand the customer problem, make the design clearer, and help the mission avoid expensive security mistakes.
ISSD work is not generic architecture language. It takes technical judgment, customer communication, implementation awareness, and the ability to explain why one design choice is stronger than another.
Role Questions
Information System Security Designer FAQ
What does an Information System Security Designer do?
An Information System Security Designer advises customers on security requirements, secure architecture, system functionality, implementation planning, and technical tradeoffs. The role connects customer mission needs with practical security design so systems can be built, configured, and operated with the right controls from the start.
What clearance is required for GS Consulting ISSD roles?
GS Consulting Information System Security Designer roles require an active TS/SCI clearance. Candidates must also be able to meet customer, contract, and site access requirements for the specific billet. If additional customer screening is required, that will be handled during recruiting rather than posted as public qualification language.
What are the ISSD levels 1, 2, 3, and 4?
ISSD levels reflect increasing experience, architecture judgment, and customer advisory responsibility. Level 1 starts at 0 to 4 years of relevant experience depending on education path. Level 2 ranges from 0 to 7 years. Level 3 ranges from 4 to 10 years. Level 4 ranges from 7 to 13 years. Relevant experience should involve security design, systems engineering, cyber security, information assurance, architecture, vulnerability analysis, or related mission work.
How is an ISSD different from an ISSE?
An ISSD is more focused on designing the solution space, advising customers, shaping security functionality, and guiding implementation choices. An Information Systems Security Engineer focuses on engineering secure systems, defining security requirements, and supporting technical risk decisions. The roles overlap, but the ISSD is usually closer to customer solution design and architecture tradeoffs.
What skills make a strong Information System Security Designer candidate?
Strong candidates understand security architecture, systems engineering, systems security engineering, cyber security, network security, vulnerability analysis, system administration, customer advising, and implementation planning. The best ISSDs can explain complex tradeoffs in plain language and design security that can actually be implemented.
What does an Information System Security Designer earn?
Estimated compensation for GS Consulting Information System Security Designer roles ranges from $135,000 to $210,000 per year. Final compensation depends on ISSD level, years of relevant experience, clearance status, customer requirements, contract fit, and location expectations.
Are these ISSD jobs onsite?
Yes. These Information System Security Designer positions support work in the Fort Meade, MD and Annapolis Junction area. Because the work is tied to cleared government facilities, sensitive systems, and customer mission requirements, candidates should expect onsite work rather than a remote arrangement.
How do I apply for GS Consulting ISSD roles?
Use the Apply for this Role button on this page or email your resume directly to info@gsconsultingllc.com. Include your active clearance level, primary security design or systems engineering experience, and the ISSD level you believe matches your background.
Ready to design the solution space?
Send us your resume. Please include your active clearance level, primary security design or systems engineering experience, and the specific ISSD level you are targeting.