CISA is Seeking Cybersecurity Innovation Fellows
OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images
By
Frank Konkel
The Homeland Security Department’s cyber arm is looking for private sector talent to join the agency for up to four months.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency announced the launch of its Cyber Innovation Fellows program Tuesday in hopes of attracting leading private sector expertise for temporary four-month assignments to contribute to the nation’s cyber defense.
Selected fellows would work with CISA’s threat hunting, incident response and vulnerability management teams—depending on what best matches their skillsets—and will be compensated by their private sector employers.
“I couldn’t be more excited to launch our new Cyber Innovation Fellows initiative,” CISA Director Jen Easterly said in a statement. “This new effort will allow us to partner even more closely with top talent from the private sector, as they become part of our team for a few days each month to help us tackle some of the most complex cybersecurity challenges we face as a nation.”
The Cyber Innovation Fellows program mirrors other government fellows programs, including the Presidential Innovation Fellows program launched under President Barack Obama. That program invites private sector experts to perform tours in federal agencies, tackling major technical challenges.
Nomination packages for applicants to the Cyber Innovation Fellows program will be received through July 8.