Job Title: Software Technical Lead — Applied Skills Assessment Platform (ASAP) Company Name: SANS Institute Job Url: https://sans.bamboohr.com/careers/572 Job Description: Software Technical Lead — Applied Skills Assessment Platform (ASAP) Information Technology (IT) - Product Development - Bethesda, Maryland (Remote) Department Information Technology (IT) - Product Development Employment Type US Employee | Full-Time Minimum Experience Experienced Compensation $165,000-$210,000, plus bonus eligible About SANS Founded in 1989, SANS Institute (SANS) began as a cooperative research and education organization. Over the next 25 years, it grew to become the most trusted and widely recognized provider of information security training and certification in the world. Today, SANS has served more than 300,000 cybersecurity professionals around the world, with more than 60,000 earning Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) security certifications—the leading certification that provides assurance to employers that their people and prospective hires can do the job.  At the heart of SANS is a community of practitioners, from auditors and network administrators to CISOs, who share their lessons learned and collaborate on solutions to the challenges they face. These experts, working across corporations, government agencies, and universities, come together to support and strengthen the global information security community. Why SANS? At SANS, our culture is defined by three pillars: Mission, Brand, and People. Our Mission is to hire people who understand the importance fighting against cybersecurity threats. Our Brand reflects a commitment to delivering the highest quality training.  Our People are grounded in a culture of fairness, honesty, customer focus, and a pragmatic approach. What You’ll Achieve at SANS We are seeking a Software Technical Lead to join our Information Technology (IT) - Product Development team.  SANS is building ASAP — the Applied Skills Assessment Platform — a next-generation, CTF-style assessment product designed to objectively measure the real-world capabilities of cybersecurity practitioners. Unlike traditional knowledge tests, ASAP places participants in simulated environments that mirror actual job conditions, assessing their decision-making, tooling proficiency, and technical execution across challenges.  ASAP will initially focus on defensive cybersecurity disciplines, targeting SOC roles including analysts, incident responders, and threat hunters, before expanding to additional roles. The platform will be sold as an enterprise product to companies for employee training, development, retention, and talent acquisition. Participants will face no other competitors—performance is assessed individually against objective scoring criteria.  We need a Software Technical Lead who can own the full technical vision for ASAP: from challenge delivery infrastructure and scoring engines, to enterprise reporting pipelines and integrations with the broader SANS platform ecosystem. This is a role for a builder who has shipped complex, scalable assessment or learning platforms before.  This is a senior technical leadership role. We are not looking for a senior developer who wants to “step up.” We need a proven lead who has already led platform-scale technical builds, managed engineering teams, and operated as a trusted partner to executive stakeholders.  As a Software Technical Lead you will: Define the end-to-end technical architecture for assessment capabilities—challenge delivery, scoring infrastructure, reporting pipelines, and enterprise integrations—with full accountability for outcomes.  Architect containerized CTF-style challenge environments with dynamic flag generation, automated attack simulation, participant isolation, and anti-cheat mechanisms integrated within the ranges.io platform.  Integrate the reporting layer that turns participant performance data into employer-ready insights: role suitability scores, skill gap analysis, ranked candidate views, and personalized SANS course recommendations.  Partner with Product, UX, Cybersecurity SMEs, and executive leadership to translate strategy into roadmaps; present technical decisions to VP/C-level audiences; and drive alignment across engineering, security, and operations.  Conduct architecture and code reviews; recruit top talent; and foster a culture of engineering excellence across the ASAP organization.  Own platform reliability, security posture, and DevOps maturity—CI/CD, infrastructure as code, containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), and support for on-demand, remote, hybrid, and in-person delivery modes.  Foster a culture of engineering excellence and serve as the technical escalation point for complex problems across teams.  Perform other related duties as assigned. What We’re Looking For Every SANS employee brings something unique. For this role, we’re looking for candidates with: Unrestricted authorization to work in the USA; visa sponsorship is not available. 10+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 5 years in a senior architect, principal engineer, or equivalent technical leadership role.  Demonstrated experience building and shipping assessment platforms, CTF/cyber range products, or EdTech platforms from 0→1 at meaningful scale.  Deep, hands-on expertise in full-stack development (JavaScript/TypeScript, React, Node.js, Python) and production cloud-native architectures (AWS and/or Azure), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and infrastructure as code.  Experience with AI-enabled product development and deployment with various frontier AI models  Hands-on experience with containerized challenge environments: docker-compose orchestration, isolated network topologies, and automated environment seeding.  Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop engineering teams of 5+ engineers, and to operate as a technical partner to product and executive leadership.  Unrestricted authorization to work in the USA; visa sponsorship is not available. Preferred qualifications include: Experience with cybersecurity concepts and training platforms, virtual lab integration, or cyber range technologies (ranges.io experience a significant plus).  Experience in developing training for cybersecurity curriculum.  Background in data analytics, AI-driven personalization, or adaptive learning systems—particularly for skill gap analysis and training recommendation engines.  Previously led and mentored a team of senior and mid-level engineers.  Familiarity with SOC 2, GDPR, or other compliance frameworks in a SaaS/platform context.  Accessibility expertise (WCAG 2.1) and user-centered design sensibility.  Active engagement in the cybersecurity community—publications, conference speaking, certifications, or open-source contributions.  Benefits and Perks of Working at SANS We’re committed to fair and equitable compensation. The expected salary range for this position is $165,000 - $210,000, plus bonus eligible depending on geographic location, skills, and experience. At SANS, pay equity and transparency are priorities. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that supports your total well-being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally: Financial Benefits: Competitive base salary, bonus opportunities, and a 401(k) plan with company match. Health & Wellness: Robust medical, dental, and vision plans; company-provided short term disability; optional long-term disability, supplemental life and AD&D insurance for employees and dependents; voluntary benefits including accident insurance and identity theft protection; fitness and wellness programs; and a company paid employee assistance program (EAP). Time Off & Flexibility: Generous paid time off, including volunteer time. Learning & Development: Access to professional development and SANS training opportunities.   Flexibility and Balance at SANS We support our colleagues with the tools and flexibility they need to thrive, both professionally and personally. As a primarily remote work environment, we are committed to maintaining strong connections, collaboration, and a vibrant culture across virtual teams. While most roles operate remotely, some positions may require occasional in-person presence depending on role-specific or business needs. SANS is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer SANS is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact SANS Human Resources. US Job Seekers: Click here to view the “Know Your Rights” poster. SANS complies with all applicable state and local laws regarding the consideration of applicants with arrest or conviction records. For positions governed by federal and/or state banking regulations, SANS will adhere to relevant requirements when evaluating candidates with criminal histories. Employment eligibility in the United States is required. SANS does not provide visa sponsorship for this position.