Senior Cyber Security Research Engineer

The Riverside Research Engineering and Support Solutions (ESS) directorate conducts Research and Development (R&D) of cyber-physical attacks against embedded systems. As a Senior Cyber Security Research Engineer,you will collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team of research engineers and scientists on a range of microelectronics research projects. You'll work directly with a team of embedded system security research subject matter experts (SME), the senior Principal Investigator, and Program Manager to support various project-specific research scope and deliverables providing value to our customers. The position is in Beavercreek OH and requires a security clearance. Remote work is not available for this position. Travel is not expected to exceed two to four times a year.

All Riverside Research opportunities require US citizenship.

Job Responsibilities

Perform reverse engineering and other cyber attacks against microelectronic devices

• Develop software to run in user-mode or kernel-mode

• Studies and reports over software-based threats to embedded systems published in scientific journals, hacking blogs, and presentations at conferences

• Documents findings in technical reports and presentations

• Collaborates with hardware security researchers

• Provide technical mentorship for junior researchers, in area of expertise

• Work with Project Manager and Principal Investigator to plan, and execute technical resource application to project; manage and communicate deliverable status and timelines.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science or related technical area with 8 years relevant experience, or a related technical Master's degree with 5 years relevant experience, or a PhD in a related field with 3 years relevant experience

• Secret clearance required to start, but must be able obtain Top Secret security clearance and all required program access approvals

• Extensive experience reverse engineering operating systems like embedded Linux (e.g. PetaLinux, Yocto, Buildroot), RTOS (e.g. VxWorks, Integrity), and bare-metal systems (e.g. firmware)

• Experience with a disassembler for vulnerability research (Ghidra, IDA Pro, BinaryNinja)

• Experience with one or more assembly languages (x86, x64, ARM, MIPS, PowerPC, etc.)

• Experience with debuggers like (WinDbg, HyperDbg, GDB/KGDB/KDB, TRACE32, and OpenOCD)

• Strong familiarity with published vulnerability databases (CVE, CWE, etc.)

• Experience with embedded processors (RISC-V, ARM, MicroBlaze, Nios, etc.)

• Experience with using simulation/emulation, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) to assist with debugging and reverse engineering

• Experience presenting technical material to both technical and non-technical audiences

• Willing to work in a secure US Government facility

• Interest in solving open-ended research challenges

Desired Qualifications

• Active DoD Top Secret (TS) or equivalent US Government security clearance

• Familiarity with hardware security attacks, hardware development, or side-channel analysis

• Experience leading small project teams, or leading software development

• Embedded software development experience

• Familiarity with compiled languages like C/C++ and Rust

• Knowledge of formal analysis, static analysis, or other software cyber research areas

• Python (preferred) or other scripting experience

• Previous experience working in a secure US Government facility is desired
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science or related technical area with 12 years relevant experience, or a related technical Master's degree with 8 years relevant experience, or a PhD in a related field with 5 years relevant experience