Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Information Systems, Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline (recent graduate or graduating within the current academic cycle).
Basic understanding of cybersecurity fundamentals, network concepts (TCP/IP, ports, protocols), and standard operating system concepts.
Academic, internship, or project-based experience navigating and administering Linux and/or Windows operating systems.
Current DoD 8570 / 8140 IAT Level II baseline certification (e.g., CompTIA Security+ CE, CySA+, or CCNA Security) or active progress toward one.
Classroom, lab, or internship experience with vulnerability scanners (ACAS/Nessus), SCAP tools, or SIEM platforms (e.g., Splunk).
Exposure to NIST SP 800-53 security controls, Risk Management Framework (RMF), or DISA STIG benchmarks.
Basic familiarity with shell scripting (Bash, PowerShell, or Python) and virtualization platforms (KVM, VMware, or VirtualBox).
Participation in collegiate cyber defense competitions (e.g., CCDC, CTFs), student engineering clubs, or personal homelab environments.
