Role Overview

Ease Learning is seeking a qualified practitioner with applied, real-world experience in Control Systems Security Specialist to participate in a skills assessment validation engagement. This is a short-term, contract, remote engagement in which the SME will complete a practitioner-level skills assessment and a brief post-assessment survey. This role does not involve teaching, instructional design, content creation, or ongoing advisory responsibilities.

Engagement Details

Engagement Type: Contract / 1099 – Short-term engagement

Location: Remote

Estimated Item Count: ~300

Estimated Time to Completion: Approximately 1–2 hours

Assessment Window: Work must be completed within a defined access window (typically 5 business days once access is granted)

Scope of Work

• Complete a practitioner-level skills assessment used for validation and standard-setting purposes.
• Complete a short post-assessment survey providing feedback on the assessment experience.
  
  

This Role Does Not Include

• Teaching or facilitation responsibilities
• Instructional or curriculum design work
• Content authoring or SME review of materials
• Ongoing advisory or consulting responsibilities

The SME should be a current practitioner with applied, real-world experience related to the following knowledge areas and skills:

• Apply security policies to meet security objectives of control systems
• Apply updates, patches, and security technical implementation while maintaining control system performance and availability
• Establish and maintain security configuration baselines for control systems, including field devices, IT components, interconnections, and interfaces
• Implement Risk Management Framework (RMF) assessment requirements for control systems and document/maintain records
• Maintain knowledge of the function and security of control system and IT technologies
• Maintain network segmentation to isolate control systems from business networks and external connections
• Perform asset management and maintain inventory of control system devices and components
• Support risk assessments by reviewing and documenting security requirements implementation status
• Mitigate/correct security deficiencies identified during security/certification testing
• Act as a liaison between facility operations/engineer teams and IT/network security teams
• Consult on control system security matters (e.g., risk assessment, configuration management)
• Ensure configuration and collection of control system audit logs for monitoring and forensic analysis
• Knowledge of computer networking concepts, protocols, and network security methodologies
• Knowledge of risk management processes (e.g., methods for assessing and mitigating risk)
• Knowledge of cybersecurity principles, cyber threats, and vulnerabilities
• Knowledge of national and international laws, regulations, policies, and ethics related to cybersecurity
• Knowledge of cloud computing service models (SaaS, IaaS, PaaS) and deployment models
• Knowledge of network access, identity, and access management (e.g., PKI)
• Knowledge of remote access technology concepts
• Knowledge of general SCADA system components
• Knowledge of control system technologies (PLCs, SCADA, DCS, OT)
• Knowledge of control system environment risks, threats, and vulnerabilities
• Knowledge of risk management processes specific to control systems
• Skill in applying security and managing risk in resource-constrained systems and networks
• Skill in architecting compensating security controls for control systems without adequate security capabilities
• Skill in securing control system communication protocols (e.g., IP/TCP, SSL/TLS, MODBUS/DNP3/PROFINET SCADA, GOOSE)
• Skill in determining installed patches on various operating systems and identifying patch signatures
• Knowledge of the Risk Management Framework Assessment Methodology
• Knowledge of embedded systems and operating system command line/prompt
• Skill in recognizing vulnerabilities in security systems
  

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Active practitioner with hands-on experience in Control Systems Security Specialist or closely related domains.
• Practical, working knowledge of how the concepts listed above are applied in real professional settings.
• Does not need to be an academic researcher or industry thought leader — applied experience is what matters.
  
  

Minimum Performance Expectation
Participants must demonstrate baseline practitioner competency on the assessment. This threshold is used solely to ensure valid practitioner-level participation and is not used for hiring, ranking, or performance evaluation.

Deliverables

• Completed skills assessment within the defined access window.
• Completed post-assessment survey.
  
  

Compensation
This is a flat-fee engagement, paid upon successful completion of the assessment and survey.