Assistant Research Scientist (PREP0005231)

Johns Hopkins University; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 36,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University is seeking a PREP Research Associate to support a collaboration with NIST on security evaluation and mitigation of cross-chiplet vulnerabilities in heterogeneous integration. The role involves conducting research, developing evaluation frameworks, and publishing findings to advance trustworthy microelectronics.

Work will focus on formal threat modeling, tool-assisted assessments, and engagement with industry and government partners.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in a PhD program in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Familiarity with integrated circuit design and threat analysis methodologies.
• Strong technical expertise in C/C++, Python, and MATLAB, as well as Verilog HDL.
• Expertise with gem5, Noxim, Sniper, LegoSim, Cadence Innovus, and Synopsys Design Compiler.
• Knowledgeable in cybersecurity tenets.
• Ability to integrate information from diverse sources effectively.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• US citizenship is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Research on threats to security of heterogeneous integration, including formal threat modeling, metrics for evaluating security leakage and mitigation effectiveness, and attack simulations.
• Develop a security evaluation framework for identifying and characterizing vulnerabilities across chiplets, inter-chiplet interfaces, shared interconnects, memory controllers, and other system-level resources.
• Engage stakeholders across industry, academia, and government to align security requirements, research priorities, evaluation methods, and adoption pathways, incorporating insights from workshops and ongoing collaborations.
• Focus on emerging areas such as advanced packaging and chiplet-based systems, developing actionable countermeasures and publishing findings for industry use.
• Identify, research, and document methods to support secure and interoperable security assessment across heterogeneous integrated systems, including benchmarks, test methodologies, metrics, and machine-readable reporting formats suitable for large-scale deployment.
• Developing a security evaluation and mitigation framework for heterogeneous integration, with an initial focus on multi-tenant computing platforms.
• Addressing emerging vulnerabilities across chiplets, interposers, interfaces, and integrated components, while enabling trusted, scalable, and privacy-preserving communication within heterogeneous systems.
• Developing and evaluating practical mitigation techniques that reduce security leakage while preserving system performance, scalability, and design flexibility across different chiplet architectures, interconnect topologies, and integration configurations.
• Documenting results and developing publishable material for consumption by semiconductor engineers.
• Presenting results at internal meetings, and occasional meetings with external stakeholders.

Education

PhD in Computer Engineering / Computer Science / Electrical Engineering

Cybersecurity principles

Analytical skills

Communication skills

US citizenship preferred

C/C++

Python

MATLAB

Verilog HDL

Tools

gem5

Noxim

Sniper

LegoSim

Cadence Innovus

Synopsys Design Compiler

Job description

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first researchuniversity and home to nine world-class academic divisions workingtogether as one university.

Salary : $36000 - $50000

Johns Hopkins University: Whiting School of Engineering: Office ofResearch and Translation

Description

PREP Research Associate

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST)Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. NIST recognizesthat its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thusrequires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

Research Title: Security Evaluation and Mitigation of Cross-Chiplet Vulnerabilities in Heterogeneous Integration.

This project directly addresses the semiconductor industry’s need for secure and trustworthy heterogeneous integration, aligning with national security priorities and trusted microelectronics goals.

The work will entail

• Research on threats to security of heterogeneous integration, including formal threat modeling, metrics for evaluating security leakage and mitigation effectiveness, and attack simulations.
• Research and develop a security evaluation framework for identifying and characterizing vulnerabilities across chiplets, inter-chiplet interfaces, shared interconnects, memory controllers, and other system-level resources.
• Engage stakeholders across industry, academia, and government to align security requirements, research priorities, evaluation methods, and adoption pathways, incorporating insights from workshops and ongoing collaborations.
• Focus on emerging areas such as advanced packaging and chiplet-based systems, developing actionable countermeasures and publishing findings for industry use.
• Identify, research, and document methods to support secure and interoperable security assessment across heterogeneous integrated systems, including benchmarks, test methodologies, metrics, and machine-readable reporting formats suitable for large-scale deployment.

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to

• Developing a security evaluation and mitigation framework for heterogeneous integration, with an initial focus on multi-tenant computing platforms.
• Addressing emerging vulnerabilities across chiplets, interposers, interfaces, and integrated components, while enabling trusted, scalable, and privacy-preserving communication within heterogeneous systems.
• Developing and evaluating practical mitigation techniques that reduce security leakage while preserving system performance, scalability, and design flexibility across different chiplet architectures, interconnect topologies, and integration configurations.
• Documenting results and developing publishable material for consumption by semiconductor engineers.
• Presenting results at internal meetings, and occasional meetings with external stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in a PhD program in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Familiarity with integrated circuit design and threat analysis methodologies.
• Strong technical expertise in general-purpose programming languages, including C/C++, Python, and MATLAB, as well as hardware description languages widely used in the semiconductor industry, such as Verilog HDL.
• Expertise in open-source computer architecture and interconnect simulation tools, including gem5, Noxim, Sniper, and LegoSim, as well as leading commercial design and verification tools from Cadence and Synopsys, such as Cadence Innovus and Synopsys Design Compiler.
• Knowledgeable in Cybersecurity tenets.
• Ability to integrate information from diverse sources effectively and efficiently.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• US citizenship is preferred

Pre-Employment Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at [e-mail]. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations at Johns Hopkins University for disabilities, medical conditions (including medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), accessibility, or religious reasons, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.

Background Checks

After receiving a conditional offer, the successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check including education verification. When deciding whether a candidate’s conviction history is job-disqualifying, the University considers the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that has passed since the conviction, and the nature of the job being sought.

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the seasonal flu vaccine or COVID-19 vaccine (for SOM) requirement(s) may be provided to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs or medical conditions that preclude them from receiving the vaccine. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

EEO is the Law

https://www.eeoc.gov/employees-job-applicants

Salary Range

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics. The University is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors or demographic characteristics that are irrelevant to the program involved.