Cyber Operations and Security Team Lead

Hiring Department

The Missouri Institute for Defense and Energy (MIDE) in the Office of Strategic Initiatives at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC).

Job Description

MIDE is seeking a mission-driven and strategically oriented Cyber Operations and Security Team Lead to guide the institute's research direction and funding strategy in cybersecurity and cyber operations. This role is ideal for a forward-thinking professional who understands the intersection of academic research, DoD priorities, and industry cyber needs and is excited to push the state-of-the-art in cyber activities.

The Cyber Operations and Security Team Lead will leverage existing programs to continue growing a portfolio of research and development (R&D) projects by aligning internal expertise (and partnerships with AI/ML teams) with external funding opportunities, building relationships with government and industry sponsors, and developing a multi-year vision for cyber operations and security initiatives.

• Strategic Research Planning
  • Develop and maintain a forward-looking cybersecurity research roadmap that reflects emerging DoD, federal, and industry cyber needs.
  • Align institutional capabilities with national security priorities through applied research initiatives.
  • Identify strategic areas for growth in cybersecurity operations, infrastructure, resilience, and analytics.
• Research Development and Funding Acquisition
  • Identify and assess federal funding opportunities (e.g., DoD BAAs, NSF, DHS, DARPA, IARPA) and coordinate competitive proposal development.
  • Lead or contribute to white papers, concept development, and collaborative proposal writing across faculty and research teams.
  • Build and maintain relationships with program officers, DoD sponsors, and prime contractors to position the institute for cyber-related research awards.
• Team and Program Leadership
  • Provide leadership to a multidisciplinary team of research scientists, graduate students, and affiliated faculty engaged in cybersecurity R&D.
  • Mentor early-career researchers and students on applied research, proposal development, and stakeholder engagement.
  • Work closely with academic departments, labs, and technology transfer offices to foster internal collaboration and innovation.
  • Coordinate and collaborate with AI/ML researchers to expand the research portfolio and push the state-of-the-art.
• External Engagement and Stakeholder Relations
  • Represent the institute at DoD workshops, industry days, technical symposia, and federal research meetings.
  • Establish and grow relationships with partners in defense, government labs, and the private sector to support sponsored research and workforce development.
  • Lead or support collaborative initiatives between the university, national labs, and defense R&D entities.

Note: this position is grant funded and contingent on continued funding.

Shift

This position is not hybrid; the candidate selected will work in a shared office space, in-person, Monday through Friday. Limited flexibility on standard schedules may be discussed with supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 5 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary
• Active or eligible U.S. security clearance (Secret or higher)

Preferred Qualifications

Strongly Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical discipline
• 8+ years of relevant experience in cybersecurity, cyber operations, or cyber R&D, including experience with federally funded research.
• Demonstrated success in identifying and capturing external research funding, especially from DoD, DHS, or federal agencies.
• Familiarity with DoD cyber missions, funding cycles, and acquisition processes (e.g., BAAs, SBIR/STTR, S&T programs).
• Experience leading or managing research projects or programs involving multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to engage both technical researchers and external sponsors.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters degree or Ph.D. in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical discipline
• Prior experience in or with a university-affiliated research center, DoD lab, or FFRDC/UARC
• Knowledge of key cybersecurity frameworks (e.g., NIST, RMF), threat intelligence, cyber-physical systems, and applied research methodologies
• Strong proposal writing and research development skills
• Experience working with graduate students or mentoring junior researchers

Anticipated Hiring Range

Anticipated starting salary is $95,000 to $125,000 annually, commensurate with education, experience, and internal equity.