Apply by Aug. 31 to Protect America’s Critical Infrastructure by Joining CESER’s Community of OT Experts
Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response
August 6, 2026
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The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of the Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) is calling energy sector cybersecurity leaders to join its Operational Technology (OT) Defender Fellowship 2027 Cohort. This elite program builds a network of cyber defenders dedicated to securing the critical energy infrastructure that powers America’s hardworking families and businesses.
Security managers and cybersecurity professionals play a decisive role in defending the energy sector against cyber-enabled sabotage and physical security breaches ranging from storm surges to kinetic attacks. Their work, bridging executive intent and technical reality, is both critical and challenging. CESER developed the OT Defender Fellowship in 2020 to create an energy sector community of highly skilled OT security and operational managers with clear knowledge of the U.S. government’s capabilities to support their responses to incidents.
The fellowship has gained momentum as the critical infrastructure’s threat landscape continues to evolve and opportunistic threat actors increasingly target OT of the nation’s critical infrastructure. OT is no longer just about reliability. It’s about adapting quickly to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving threat landscape to ensure the safety of the nation.
The program is sponsored by CESER in collaboration with DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and with support from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ (FDD) Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI). Fellows in this selective program will deepen their understanding of the OT threat landscape while gaining the tools and strategies necessary to combat cyber criminals and nation state actors targeting U.S. energy infrastructure. The fellowship features:
- Four in-person sessions throughout the year in various DOE, government agencies, and industry sites.
- A scenario-driven capstone exercise.
- In-depth learning about the techniques, tools, and tactics the U.S. government uses to counter threats, mitigate vulnerabilities, and reduce risk to critical infrastructure.
- Knowledge and skills applicable to specific professional roles in the energy sector.
- Networking opportunities with peers and cyber experts in U.S. government departments and agencies, including:
- DOE
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Office of the National Cyber Director (OCIO)
- National Security Agency (NSA)
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
- U.S. Secret Service
- Other Federal agencies and congressional experts
The OT Defender Fellowship is open to middle- and senior-level professionals at asset owner-operators in the U.S. energy sector, including electricity, oil, and natural gas energy companies. The fellowship is typically limited to 15 participants.
To learn more about the program or to apply, visit https://otdefender.inl.gov/
The application deadline is Aug. 31, 2026.