Data Protection Engineer

Company Description

Citizant is a leading provider of professional IT services to the U.S. government. We seek to address some of our country's most pressing challenges in the areas of Agile application development, Enterprise Data Management, Enterprise Architecture, and Program Management support services - focusing on the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Treasury. We strive to hire only ethical, talented, passionate, and committed "A Players" who already align with the company's core values: Drive, Excellence, Reputation, Responsibility, and a Better Future. No matter how large we grow, Citizant will retain its collaborative, supportive, small-company culture, where successful team effort to address external and internal customer challenges is valued above all individual contributions.

Job Description

Join our remote team as a Data Protection Engineer, where you will contribute to the implementation and support of enterprise Data Protection, Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and Data Valuation capabilities. In this role, you will work with the Office of the Chief Data Officer (CDO) and support federal clients in strengthening data management practices, improving data security posture, and adopting Zero Trust principles for sensitive information.

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience configuring data protection tools, supporting DLP operations, documenting data processes, and collaborating with technical teams to ensure data is properly classified and safeguarded.

Responsibilities:

• Support the configuration, deployment, and tuning of Data Protection and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solutions across cloud and on-prem environments.
• Assist in the development and refinement of data protection strategies, ensuring alignment with Zero Trust Architecture principles.
• Contribute to assessments and recommendations that help improve data loss prevention, data valuation, and data governance practices.
• Work with Infrastructure & Operations teams to ensure data protection controls are implemented correctly and consistently.
• Assist in developing classification and data valuation frameworks, including contributing to documentation and standards.
• Support updates to policies, workflows, and SOPs that ensure the appropriate protection and handling of sensitive data.
• Help develop documentation, diagrams, and guidance on data handling to support data protection and governance initiatives.
• Participate in technical reviews and risk assessments, contributing findings and observations related to data protection.
• Assist with evaluating data protection tools and technologies, including DLP rule sets, tagging/classification tools, and cloud native security features.
• Support the implementation of data categorization and classification activities aligned with Zero Trust data requirements.
• Help maintain data definitions, data health metrics, and data governance documentation to promote consistency across the organization.
• Work with cross-functional teams to define and clarify data protection requirements and support data-related project activities.

Required Skillset:

• 8 years of experience in data engineering, data analysis, data governance, data protection, or related technical domains.
• Experience with DLP tools and methodologies in cloud or hybrid environments.
• Familiarity with data classification, data sensitivity, and data valuation practices.
• Experience collaborating with SMEs and technical teams to gather and document data requirements.
• Hands-on experience participating in Agile teams and workflows.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and documentation skills.

Desired Skillset:

• Certifications such as CDMP, DCAM, CIPP, CIPM, or similar data/privacy/security credentials.
• Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or related field.
• Experience with Microsoft Purview or similar DLP and information protection platforms.
• Exposure to Zero Trust data concepts and data-centric security controls.
• Experience working in cloud environments such as AWS or Azure, preferably with data protection or classification features.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or related field.

Clearance Requirement:

• Active Public Trust security clearance or the ability to successfully obtain and maintain a Public Trust.
• U.S. Citizenship required.

Citizant offers a competitive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Generous PTO
• Company-paid life and disability insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Additional information

Citizant strives to be an employer of choice in the Washington metropolitan area. Citizant associates accept challenging and rewarding work and in return receive excellent compensation and benefits, as well as the opportunity for personal and professional development.

Citizant is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.