Facility Security Officer

The FSO position is a dual-hatted role serving as the Contractor Special Security Officer (CSSO) and Facility Security Officer (FSO), with responsibility for establishing, directing, and maintaining the company’s industrial and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) security programs.

The CSSO/FSO is responsible for ensuring that company and customer security requirements are fully implemented and maintained at the nLIGHT DEFENSE Systems facility in Longmont and the parent company, nLIGHT, Inc., located in Camas, Washington. While leading the security functions at both locations, this role will sit in Longmont, Colorado. This role interfaces with all levels of company personnel, senior leadership, and U.S. Government security officials to ensure full compliance with 32 CFR Part 117 (NISPOM), Security Classification Guides (SCGs), and Contract Security Classification Specifications (DD Form 254), as well as applicable Intelligence Community and Cognizant Authority requirements.

The successful candidate will be a self-motivated security professional capable of operating independently while also collaborating closely with program managers, technical teams, and executive leadership. This role includes responsibility for developing and implementing security processes and procedures, conducting self-inspections and government assessments, expanding the company’s classified and SCI footprint, applying risk mitigation methodologies, and supporting customer and government security reviews. The CSSO/FSO plays a critical role in integrating security requirements into business operations while enabling secure mission execution.

• →Build, implement, manage, and maintain the company’s industrial and SCI security programs at the Longmont, Colorado and Camas, Washington facilities, ensuring compliance with 32 CFR Part 117 (NISPOM), applicable Security Classification Guides, SCI directives, and contract requirements.
• →Lead day-to-day security operations for collateral and SCI programs, including personnel processing, document control, classified inventories, audits and self-inspections, incident reporting, visit certifications, and classified receipt, transmission, and destruction activities.
• →Serve as the primary contractor authority for SCI security, managing and administering the SCI security program for assigned SCIFs and SCI-enabled spaces in accordance with DoD, Intelligence Community, and Cognizant Authority (CA) requirements.
• →Act as the principal security interface with U.S. Government security officials, including DCSA, Government Special Security Officers (SSOs), Cognizant Security Authorities, and Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs), coordinating all collateral and SCI security matters through appropriate channels.
• →Manage personnel security clearance processes for cleared employees, including submissions, eligibility tracking, reinvestigations, indoctrinations and debriefings, and accurate system-of-record maintenance in DISS, NISS, SIMS, and related security systems.
• →Lead and administer the Insider Threat Program for cleared personnel, ensuring regulatory compliance and coordination with company leadership and government stakeholders.
• →Plan, coordinate, and execute security education, training, and awareness (SETA) programs for collateral- and SCI-cleared personnel, including initial, annual, refresher, and special-topic briefings.
• →Prepare for, support, and respond to U.S. Government audits, inspections, security vulnerability assessments, self-inspections, and accreditation activities, serving as the contractor lead and coordinating corrective actions.
• →Ensure proper safeguarding, transmission, storage, control, and destruction of classified information, enforcing access control, escort procedures, foreign contact and travel reporting, courier authorizations, badge access, and secure communications requirements.
• →Develop, maintain, and enforce security policies, SOPs, emergency response plans, and SCI security documentation, including configuration management controls and program-specific security plans.
• →Oversee and investigate security incidents or violations, coordinating reporting, mitigation, and corrective actions in accordance with NISPOM, SCI policy, DCSA guidance, and internal company procedures.
• →Review contracts, Statements of Work (SOWs), Performance Work Statements (PWSs), and DD Forms 254 to ensure security requirements are properly defined, implemented, and flowed down to programs and personnel
• →Provide security input to proposals and capture efforts, including Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), ensuring security requirements are accurately addressed.
• →Support program and technical teams with secure meeting planning and visitor coordination, including processing collateral and SCI visit requests, VARs, and access approvals.
• →Advise senior company leadership on collateral and SCI security risk, compliance posture, and operational impacts, ensuring security considerations are integrated into program execution and business planning.

 Required Experience / Capability:     

• →Commitment to Excellence.  Attention to Detail.  Pride in Workmanship.  
• →5+ years of FSO experience
• →Bachelors Degree or equivalent (4 years)
• →Must complete DISS/NISS training
• →Must hold Facility Program Management for Possessing Facilities certification
• →Experience initiating CMMC efforts and CUI programs
• →Current or able to obtain Industrial Security Professional (ISP) Certification
• →Current or previously held and eligible TS/SCI
• →Strong understanding of Physical Security requirements to include: Open Storage Areas
• →Understanding of DISS, e-QIP, NISS, and ISFD
• →Knowledge of COMSEC custodian duties
• →Experience working in a fast-moving, dynamic environment with multiple government customers and program managers
• →Thorough working knowledge of the 32 CFR Part 117 and other relevant DoD security guidance
• →Experience developing and implementing OPSEC plans
• →Must be able to read and interpret Security Classification Guides (SCGs) and develop and deliver training pertaining to them
• →Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel)
• →Possess a high degree of originality, creativity, initiative requiring minimal supervision
• →Willingness to travel within the organizational Area of Responsibility (AOR)
• →Thrive in high-responsibility role in a fast-moving, startup environment
• →Serve as the primary point of contact for all matters related to facility security, industrial security, and NISPOM compliance