About the Roles
ASD is seeking Technical Directors, Lead Technical Specialists and Assistant Technical Directors in the Cyber Security Resilience Division to lead the Australian Government's efforts to improve cyber security, and ASD's role to help make Australia the safest place to connect online.
As a technical leader, you will draw upon your significant knowledge and experience in your relevant discipline to design and lead technology capabilities, guide government decisions on technical matters, and build technical expertise in our people. You will have in-depth knowledge of cyber security, and will be responsible for the development, implementation, compliance and review of policies and procedures relevant to your work within your technical specialisation.
You will be responsible for working closely with external stakeholders, translating complex and technical information in a way that persuades stakeholders to take action to improve their cyber security posture.
We are recruiting multiple positions in various teams (see below).
Applicants are asked to select their preferred stream in the application form. This will not preclude from roles in other teams.
Each role may also require completion of technical testing unique to that role.
Travel may be required for some roles.
Key Duties could include:
Technical Director, Government Uplift (Executive Level 2)
* Use your strong technical knowledge of system vulnerabilities and defensive techniques to enhance the cyber security posture of all government entities.
* Work closely with team leads to help shape the technical direction of the section and ensure outputs align to strategic objectives.
* Ensure the team's projects and initiatives make an impact and improve the cyber security resilience of Government systems.
* Lead cyber security assessment methodology, tools development and direction of measurement programs.
* Perform research and testing of security controls, products and systems to help inform the measurement program and broader ACSC initiatives, such as the Essential Eight and other security guidance.
* Effectively communicate technical information, in both verbal and written formats.
* Mentor and develop technical staff and be responsible for the technical health of the Government Uplift section.
* Provide authoritative guidance to entities and other whole of government programs to improve cyber security posture.
* Work across ASD's technical community, international partners and industry, and whole of Australian government to achieve cyber security outcomes across Government.
Technical Director, Critical Infrastructure and Operational Technology Environments (Executive Level 2)
* Provide technical leadership for ASD's initiatives to improve the cyber security resilience of Australia's critical infrastructure.
* Work as part of the leadership team to help shape the technical direction of the section and ensure outputs align to strategic objectives.
* Lead a highly technical team, providing guidance in both Information and Operational Technology contexts.
* Mentor and develop technical staff and be responsible for the technical health of the section.
* Effectively communicate technical information, in both verbal and written formats, to a broad range of stakeholders.
* Ensure the team's projects and initiatives make an impact and improve the cyber security resiliency of critical infrastructure.
* Apply your technical knowledge to provide pragmatic and actionable cyber security recommendations for Australia's most essential critical infrastructure operators.
* Collaborate closely with industry partners to understand their cyber security and operating conditions, using these insights to ensure team outputs are aligned to industry requirements and the cyber threat environment.
* Work across ASD's technical community, international partners and industry, and whole of Australian government to achieve cyber security outcomes across Australian critical infrastructure.
Strong technical knowledge in Operational Technology domains such as Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems is required.
Technical Specialist, Critical Infrastructure and Operational Technology Environments (Executive Level 2)
* Apply expert knowledge of Operational Technology domains such as Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems to lead complex cyber uplift activities withy priority Australian critical infrastructure.
* Lead small, highly technical teams of ASD staff and contractors to provide expert cyber security guidance in both Information and Operational Technology contexts.
* Mentor and develop technical staff.
* Effectively communicate technical information, in both verbal and written formats, to a broad range of stakeholders in a persuasive and clear manner.
* Apply your expert technical knowledge to provide pragmatic and actionable cyber security recommendations to Australia's most essential critical infrastructure operators.
* Work across ASD's technical community, international partners and industry, and whole of Australian government to achieve cyber security outcomes across Australian critical infrastructure.
Strong technical knowledge in Operational Technology domains such as Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems is required.
Technical Director, Secure Design and Architecture (Executive Level 2)
* Apply expert technical knowledge to promote the benefits of security architecture in cyber security regulation, policies, standards and practices.
* Lead a multidisciplinary technical team to deliver ASD's Blueprint for Secure Cloud publication.
* Lead small and expert technical teams on technical engagements for priority ICT projects across the Australian Government and critical infrastructure, to deliver expert security architecture technical advice.
* Develop threat-informed security patterns and advice on emerging technologies and modern architecture approaches (including both secure-by-design and zero trust).
* Effectively communicate technical information, in both verbal and written formats, to a broad range of stakeholders in a persuasive and clear manner, including the development of technical advice and guidance publications.
* Design, review, and test technical security patterns and blueprints in accordance with current and emerging security best practice.
* Mentor and develop junior staff.
* Work across ASD's technical community, international partners and industry, and whole of Australian government to achieve whole of economy cyber security outcomes utilising secure design and architecture.
Assistant Technical Director – Government Uplift (Executive Level 1)
* Provide tailored technical advice and recommendations to a diverse range of technical and non-technical stakeholders, including Government entities.
* Lead a team of technical staff to use red team techniques to advise on, and assess, a variety of technical systems.
* Lead a team of technical staff to use blue team knowledge to provide entities with effective defensive recommendations.
* Use a combination of custom and open-source tools to perform assessments.
* Contribute to building new and improving existing tools.
* Support Directors and Technical Directors to achieve technical objectives and assist
* them in briefing senior leaders on priorities.
* Supervise and develop technical staff within the team.
* Shape and drive organisational priorities and contribute to strategic planning.
Assistant Technical Director - Critical Infrastructure and Operational Technology Environments (Executive Level 1)
* Assess and advise critical infrastructure entities on their security posture across both their corporate and engineering environments.
* Provide tailored technical advice and recommendations suitable to different stakeholders.
* Supervise and develop technical staff.
* Lead a team of technical staff to use a mixture of red and blue team techniques to assess a variety of technical systems and provide entities with effective defensive recommendations.
* Use a combination of custom and open-source tools to perform assessments.
* Contribute to building new and improving existing assessment tools.
* Effectively communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
* Shape and drive organisational priorities and contribute to strategic planning.
Systems Security Architect - Secure Design and Architecture (Executive Level 1)
* Develop and deliver tailored technical advice for priority ICT projects across the Australian Government, including threat modelling.
* Promote the benefits of architecture in cyber security regulation, policies, standards and practices.
* Provide technical advice and guidance to government entities, including those that perform cyber security policy and regulatory functions.
* Develop threat-informed security patterns and advice on emerging technologies and modern architecture approaches (including both secure-by-design and zero trust).
Microsoft 365 Cloud Architect - Secure Design and Architecture (Executive Level 1)
* Research contemporary systems design and operation.
* Lead the development of ASD's Blueprint for Secure Cloud publication.
* Design, review, and test technical security patterns and blueprints in accordance with current and emerging security best practice.
* Develop threat-informed security patterns and advice on emerging technologies and modern architecture approaches (including both secure-by-design and zero trust).
About the Team
Cyber Security Resilience Division is part of ASD's Australian Cyber Security Centre. Cyber Security Resilience Division works in collaboration with Australian Government and industry partners to improve Australia's cyber defence. This is a dynamic, positive and supportive team, dedicated to strengthening Australia's national security.
There are expected vacancies in the following sections:
Government Uplift – responsible for uplifting the cyber security of government through technical assessments, remediation programs, strategies and advice to build cyber security capability.
Critical Infrastructure Operational Technology Environments – responsible for enhancing the cyber security resilience of critical infrastructure around Australia, with a strong focus on operational technology.
Secure Design & Architecture – promotes and encourages cyber security best practice through thoughtful design and architecture processes and provides tailored advice on priority ICT projects with a focus on security architecture and threat modelling.
Our Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will have experience in the following areas:
* A commitment to leading and fostering a positive and inclusive workplace culture and ASD values.
* Very strong technical expertise in their relevant field.
* Ability to lead, motivate and mentor technical staff.
* Shape strategic direction and program delivery to meet national security outcomes.
* Accountability for delivery of work within timeframes and quality requirements.
* Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, for use in person and across a geographically dispersed workforce.
* Strong stakeholder engagement skills and ability to motivate action across a wide range of partners.
* Understanding of cyber security policies, standards and guidelines used by the Australian Government and critical infrastructure.
* A desire to support Australia's national interest.
Some of the advertised roles will require the ability to undertake domestic travel on a regular basis.
ASD is seeking applicants to fill current and anticipated vacancies and to create a merit pool for future vacancies. In line with the Australian Public Service Commissioner's Direction 2022, upon completion of the recruitment activity, the merit pool will be available to locations across Australia.