Senior Governance, Risk, and Compliance Engineer

Location: This position can work onsite or hybrid from one of our offices or fully remote in the US.
Travel: Up to 10%
Job ID: 1614

The Role: 

We are looking for a Senior Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) Engineer to join our Security team. As a Senior GRC Engineer, you’ll be part of a cross-functional team whose mission is to lead IonQ on its journey to build the world’s best quantum computers to solve the world’s most complex problems.

Quantum computing and national security are inseparable. IonQ operates at the intersection of cutting-edge research and the defense industrial base, making rigorous cybersecurity compliance a core business imperative. In this role, you will own and drive IonQ’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) posture across the organization, from architecting compliant environments and leading C3PAO assessments to developing compliance strategy and advising internal teams at every level. The ideal candidate is a self-directed senior practitioner who can architect solutions, lead programs, and serve as the go-to internal expert across engineering, legal, and operations.

In your first 90 days you will conduct a comprehensive gap assessment of our current CMMC posture, map CUI data flows across all environments, and develop a prioritized roadmap for building or maturing our SSP and associated artifacts.

Responsibilities:

• Architect and own end-to-end CMMC implementation and audit readiness, including scoping strategy, control mapping, SSP and POA&M development, evidence collection, and remediation tracking across the organization.
• Interpret and apply DFARS clause requirements, including DFARS 252.204-7012, 252.204-7019, and 252.204-7020, translating contractual obligations into operational controls and owning accurate SPRS submissions.
• Lead recurring internal audits of NIST 800-171 security controls and drive end-to-end preparation for C3PAO assessments, including evidence packages, assessment logistics, and assessor coordination.
• Architect CUI environments to meet CMMC boundary requirements, including network segmentation, access control, media protection, and FIPS-validated encryption; lead evaluation of cloud environments against CMMC scoping guidance.
• Drive implementation of technical controls across NIST 800-171 practice families, including MFA, audit logging, configuration management, incident response, and vulnerability management, engaging directly with engineering teams.
• Serve as the primary CMMC subject matter expert at IonQ, developing compliance roadmaps, facilitating readiness workshops, and providing authoritative guidance on DFARS flow-down requirements for subcontractors.
• Partner with legal and contracts teams to review FAR/DFARS clauses in new and existing contracts, flagging CUI obligations and CMMC level requirements, and lead coordination with regulatory teams on ITAR and EAR obligations as they intersect with CUI handling.
• Develop and operate a formal risk management program covering IT systems and infrastructure, maintain a risk register, and provide regular executive-level reporting on posture, open risks, and remediation progress.
• Own and mature the organization’s GRC platform to support evidence management, POA&M tracking, and risk register maintenance, and build compliance dashboards for leadership visibility.

Requirements:

• 5–8 years of professional experience in cybersecurity compliance, GRC, or security engineering, with demonstrated hands-on ownership of NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC compliance programs.
• Proven track record developing SSPs, POA&Ms, and C3PAO assessment artifacts, and independently scoping CUI environments across realistic system boundaries.
• Deep working knowledge of DFARS cybersecurity clauses (7012, 7019, 7020), CMMC 2.0 framework structure across all three levels, and the difference in assessment methodology between self-assessment and C3PAO.
• A technical background in systems administration, cloud security, or security engineering sufficient to credibly lead control implementation discussions with IT and engineering teams, including network architecture, IAM, key management, logging, and endpoint management.
• Experience leading cross-functional compliance initiatives and translating technical requirements for non-technical stakeholders including legal, finance, and executive leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Familiarity with ITAR and EAR and how export control obligations intersect with CUI handling in a defense-adjacent research environment.
• Hands-on experience with GRC platforms (e.g., Hyperproof, Drata, Anecdotes AI) and security tooling such as CSPM or vulnerability scanners.
• Prior experience in a defense contractor, national laboratory, government, or high-security research environment.
• CMMC certifications (CCP, CCA, or LCPA) are a strong plus, as are CISSP, CISM, CISA, or CRISC.

The approximate base salary range for this position is $110,336 - $144,459. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity, and a range of benefit options found on our career site.