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Cyber Exercise Planner Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Leidos is seeking a Senior Exercise Planner to lead aspects of HSEEP exercise design, development, conduct, and evaluation for CISA's National Cyber Exercise Program (NCEP). This role supports the ...

Leidos is seeking a Senior Exercise Planner to lead aspects of HSEEP exercise design, development, conduct, and evaluation for CISA's National Cyber Exercise Program (NCEP). This role supports the ...

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Cyber Exercise Planner information

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Cyber Exercise Planner, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Cyber Exercise Planner, you need expertise in cybersecurity principles, risk management, and scenario development, often supported by a relevant degree and certifications like CISSP or CISM. Familiarity with cyber range platforms, simulation tools, and incident response frameworks is commonly required. Strong communication, analytical thinking, and project management skills help facilitate coordination among diverse teams and stakeholders. These skills ensure the effective design and execution of realistic cyber exercises that strengthen organizational preparedness and resilience.

What are some common challenges faced by Cyber Exercise Planners when designing realistic scenarios?

Cyber Exercise Planners often face the challenge of balancing realism with practicality when developing exercise scenarios. Creating scenarios that accurately reflect current cyber threats while ensuring they are appropriate for the organization's systems and capabilities can be complex. Additionally, planners must coordinate with multiple stakeholders, including technical teams and leadership, to ensure objectives are clear and achievable. Time constraints and resource limitations can also impact the depth and breadth of exercises, requiring careful prioritization and creative problem-solving.

What are Cyber Exercise Planners?

Cyber Exercise Planners are professionals who design, coordinate, and execute simulated cyber attack and defense scenarios to test and improve an organization's cybersecurity readiness. They work with various stakeholders to develop realistic exercises that identify vulnerabilities, improve incident response procedures, and ensure teams are prepared for real-world cyber threats. Their role is crucial in strengthening an organization's overall cyber defense by allowing teams to practice their response in a controlled, risk-free environment.
What are popular job titles related to Cyber Exercise Planner jobs in Virginia? For Cyber Exercise Planner jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Cyber Exercise Planner jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Cyber Exercise Planner jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Cyber Exercise Planner jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Cyber Exercise Planner job openings:
Infographic showing various Cyber Exercise Planner job openings in Virginia as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 96% In-person, and 4% Hybrid job distribution.
Senior Exercise Planner

Senior Exercise Planner

Leidos

Arlington, VA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 22 days ago


Leidos rating

8.4

Company rating: 8.4 out of 10

Based on 149 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

67th of 487 rated business services


Job description

Looking for an opportunity to make an impact?

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers' success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainable. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business.

Your greatest work is ahead!

Leidos is seeking a Senior Exercise Planner to lead aspects of HSEEP exercise design, development, conduct, and evaluation for CISA's National Cyber Exercise Program (NCEP). This role supports the Regional Exercise Lead for their assigned regional exercises and leads aspects such as planning meetings, scenario development, exercise documentation, facilitation, exercise conduct, and exercise evaluation, for multiple concurrent exercises across their region.

If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, keep reading!

Leidos' Homeland Sector's Airports, Borders, and Security (ABS) business area delivers air travel modernization, border protection, and critical infrastructure security solutions that help build a safer, more resilient homeland. Operating globally across aviation security, passenger screening, cybersecurity, and border and port security, ABS integrates next-generation technologies-including AI-driven analytics, advanced threat detection, and command-and-control platforms-to secure the movement of people and goods worldwide by improving situational awareness, accelerating decisions, and strengthening operational outcomes for customers.

Are you ready to make an impact? Begin your journey of a flourishing and meaningful career, share your resume with us today!

Senior Exercise Planner - (TS/SCI)

Primary Responsibilities Include:

  • Work with the Regional Exercise Lead to determine specific exercise aspects to lead.

  • Lead all activities, documentation, communication, and coordination among the exercise support team for assigned aspect (e.g., scenario, evaluation, exercise documentation, planning meetings, etc.)

  • Communicate and coordinate regularly across exercise support team, with Regional Exercise Lead, and with exercise stakeholders to ensure planning timelines, resources, and staffing are maintained.

  • Participate in initial meetings with Regional Exercise Lead and exercise stakeholders to establish familiarity with the exercise support team, with the stakeholder leads, and to confirm exercise schedules.

  • Lead or support and participate in all planning meetings (as appropriate), such as C&O, IPM, MPM, MSEL Meeting, and FPM, and in developing all supporting documentation, including agendas, presentations, and notes.

  • Lead or support the development of core exercise documentation and artifacts (e.g., CONOPS, EXPLAN, SITMAN, MSEL, COSIN, evaluation forms, invitations/sign-in sheets).

  • Support end-to-end exercise execution: concept and scope, execution support, evaluation approach, and post-exercise reporting (AAR and assigned reports).

  • Report regularly to Regional Exercise Lead and across exercise support team according to communications plan.

  • Attend and participate in each exercise within assigned region as a designated exercise support role to be determined by Regional Exercise Lead and exercise support team requirements.

  • Fill in as Exercise Facilitator if necessary.

  • Support development of newCISA Tabletop Exercise Packages (CTEPs)and maintenance of the CTEP scenario library.

  • Provide SME input to internal training activities to improve facilitation and planning skills across NCEP staff.

Required Experience, Skills, and Education:

  • ActiveTS/SCIclearance.

  • Ability to obtain DHS EOD.

  • 10+ years experience in HSEEP exercise design, development, conduct, and evaluation.

  • FEMA HSEEP Certified.

  • Demonstrated experience planning and delivering exercises or exercise-like events that require structured documentation, coordination, and post-event reporting.

  • Strong writing skills to develop polished exercise materials and documents (such as EXPLANs, SITMANs, MSELs, and controller/observer instructions) and post-exercise products (including AAR drafting support).

  • Demonstrated ability to lead high-level meetings, exercise facilitation, and give customer-facing presentations.

  • Demonstrated ability to manage time, meet deadlines and milestones, and hold team members accountable to requirements.

  • Ability to meet DHS suitability and the clearance requirement applicable to the assigned role (TS/SCI for designated personnel; otherwise Public Trust fitness type), as described in the SOW.

Preferred Experience, Skills, and Education:

  • FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP)

  • Experience supporting cybersecurity-focused scenarios and stakeholder engagement across government and private sector partners.

  • Experience contributing to strategic plan maintenance and innovation projects in support of leadership requests.

  • Cybersecurity Certifications

    • CISSP

    • CEH

    • GIAC

Clearance Required:

  • ActiveTS/SCIclearance.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:June 4, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:Pay Range $82,550.00 - $149,225.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.


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About Leidos

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At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers' success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainable practices. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community.

Industry

It services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Reston, VA, US

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