Security Engineering Manager Jobs in Virginia
Security Engineering Manager jobs in Virginia are in strong demand, concentrated in defense contracting, federal IT, financial services, and cloud infrastructure sectors, with openings at every level from senior engineer stepping into management through veteran director-track leaders. Northern Virginia's dense federal ecosystem anchors most of the hiring, followed by Richmond and Hampton Roads, where large employers including Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and General Dynamics IT maintain significant security engineering footprints. The most sought-after specialties are cloud security architecture, zero-trust network design, and compliance-driven security program management tied to federal frameworks like FedRAMP and NIST. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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DESCRIPTION
At Amazon Web Services (AWS), Security is our highest priority. Our team is responsible for inventing, scaling, and operating the foundational security services used across Amazon to secure our systems, processes, and data. We build authentication, authorization, and enforcement services that are used across our diverse internal teams as they build and deliver services for our customers. We support all of Amazon.com and AWS with our services, and need solution-oriented thinkers who are passionate about solving problems at scale, thinking through edge cases, and iterating quickly to delight our customers.
Are you a good fit for our team?
You’ll love the ADC System Security Engineering team if you are passionate about security, and curious how we design security into the cloud and Amazon infrastructure from the minute a server hits our data center through how we securely administer and operate services. At Amazon, we are looking for engineers who know how to think through a problem, be creative, and who think outside the box in ways that benefit our customers. The intense focus we have on our customers is why we are one of the world’s most beloved brands – it is part of our company DNA.
Our Engineers (you!) are obsessed with customer trust, building solutions that address real world risks, and thinking deeply about how humans use security systems to build elegant security that users love to use. We are looking for people who bring diverse perspectives, ask a lot of questions, and challenge the status quo. We are a team of out-of-the-box thinkers, who iterate quickly, and think deeply about how to build secure systems that are easy to use.
This position requires that the candidate selected must currently possess and maintain an active TS/SCI security clearance. The position further requires that, after start, the selected candidate obtain and maintain an active TS/SCI security clearance with polygraph or commensurate clearance for each government agency for which they perform AWS work.
Key job responsibilities
In this role you will join an established and rapidly growing DevOps engineering team who is maintaining an existing security service while expanding the deployment, features, and capabilities to address significant new initiatives across the company.
The ADC System Security Engineering Team works across the company on services that are always-on; the company depends on us. To perform our best, we value work/life harmony, flexible schedules, and unscheduled time to brain storm. We support established, and rapidly growing services, with a DevOps model, so you will be part of an on-call rotation every couple of months.
Our challenges and goals are ambitious, often ambiguous, and we sometimes try things that don’t work. We embrace the learnings from failure and iterate quickly. We emphasize shipping rapidly, using automated releases and testing to deploy frequently, and deeply root causing issues to ensure that we stay fast. On a typical day, we are together in the office collaborating around a whiteboard, planning over coffee, or playing a video game during downtime.
A day in the life
- Build, deploy, and maintain security services that are used internally to support the US intelligence community.
- Mentor other Systems and Systems Development Engineers in their career growth.
- Work backwards from the customer to ensure our services are developed with features that meet the needs of our end users.
About the team
Why AWS
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
AWS Infrastructure Services (AIS)
AWS Infrastructure Services owns the design, planning, delivery, and operation of all AWS global infrastructure. In other words, we’re the people who keep the cloud running. We support all AWS data centers and all of the servers, storage, networking, power, and cooling equipment that ensure our customers have continual access to the innovation they rely on. We work on the most challenging problems, with thousands of variables impacting the supply chain — and we’re looking for talented people who want to help.
Inclusive Team Culture
Here at AWS, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.
Work/Life Balance
We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve in the cloud.
Mentorship and Career Growth
We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.
Diverse Experiences
Amazon values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Associate's degree, or Cloud+ or GICSP (Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional) or GSEC (GIAC Security Essentials) or SSCP (Systems Security Certified Practitioner)
- 3+ years of Linux systems administration experience
- 2+ years of networking (such as DNS, DHCP, SSL, OSI Model, and TCP/IP) experience
- Current, active US Government Security Clearance of Top Secret with SCI eligibility or above
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience in information security and compliance
- COMPTIA A+, N+ or Sec+ certification, or industry relevant certification (Linux+, LPIC-1, or equivalent)
- Experience creating and improving documentation, runbooks, automation for ops.
- Background mentoring/training other engineers on technical topics.
- Proficiency in scripting/coding for automation and operational tasks.
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, MD, Jessup - 116,900.00 - 167,400.00 USD annually
USA, VA, Arlington - 116,900.00 - 167,400.00 USD annually
See All 18 Security Engineering Manager Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsSecurity Engineering Manager Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Security Engineering Manager Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Trucking
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in security engineering manager jobs across Virginia.
- Active security clearance at Secret or Top Secret level required for most Virginia positions
- Demonstrated experience leading security engineering teams of five or more engineers
- Deep expertise in NIST, FedRAMP, or CMMC compliance frameworks commonly required in Virginia
- Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, or CCSP strongly preferred by Virginia employers
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, cybersecurity, information systems, or a related field
- Proven ability to develop security roadmaps and communicate risk posture to executive stakeholders
Security Engineering Manager Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a security engineering manager in Virginia?
Virginia does not require a state-issued license for security engineering managers, so the path runs through technical credentials and progressive leadership experience. Employers in Virginia's federal contracting corridor consistently prioritize candidates who hold a CISSP or CISM certification alongside hands-on experience securing classified or government-adjacent environments. Most hiring managers expect several years as a senior security engineer or architect before a first management role, and obtaining or maintaining a federal security clearance significantly strengthens any application in Northern Virginia.
How much do security engineering managers make in Virginia?
Security engineering managers in Virginia earn a median of about $139,030 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $77,130 for the lowest 10% to over $185,950 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire security engineering managers in Virginia?
Employers hiring security engineering managers in Virginia right now include Amazon, Amazon Web Services, and Visa, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Virginia's concentration of federal agencies and defense primes means many of these employers require cleared candidates, making the state one of the most active markets in the country for security-cleared engineering leadership.
Which Virginia cities have the most security engineering manager jobs?
Herndon, Arlington, and Ashburn have the most security engineering manager openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia dominates because of its unmatched density of federal agencies, defense contractors, and cloud infrastructure providers, while Richmond draws openings from financial services firms and state government IT, and Hampton Roads benefits from concentrated Navy and Department of Defense operations that generate steady demand for cleared security leadership.
Are there remote security engineering manager jobs in Virginia?
Yes, though they are less common than in purely analytical roles because many Virginia security engineering manager positions involve cleared facilities, classified systems, or on-site team oversight. About 100% of security engineering manager openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, and the positions that do offer flexibility most often involve commercial cloud security, policy and governance work, or cross-functional program management that does not require access to classified environments.
How can I get hired as a security engineering manager in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is building a foundation as a security analyst, systems administrator, or network engineer at one of Virginia's large federal contractors, then moving laterally into a senior individual-contributor security role before pursuing a team lead title. Employers like Leidos, SAIC, and Booz Allen Hamilton run associate and early-career cybersecurity programs in Northern Virginia that serve as a pipeline. Pursuing a CISSP or CompTIA Security+ credential and initiating the security clearance process early are the two steps that most visibly accelerate a Virginia candidate's progression toward a management track.
Where can I find and apply to security engineering manager jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to security engineering manager jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings from employers across Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads. Search the listings, find roles that match your experience and clearance level, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 18 Security Engineering Manager Jobs in Virginia
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