Automotive Cybersecurity Test Engineer (Full Benefits Package)

Akkodis; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 87,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Akkodis is seeking a full-time Automotive Cybersecurity Test Engineer to join the Detroit Metro cybersecurity team. The role focuses on assessing the security of automotive ECUs, networks, and embedded systems through penetration testing and fuzzing.

You will drive offensive security efforts, analyzing CAN, Automotive Ethernet, BLE, Wi‑Fi, and RF interfaces while performing hardware and firmware reverse engineering to uncover vulnerabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related field.
• Hands-on experience in penetration testing and vulnerability research on automotive embedded systems.
• Experience applying AI/ML techniques to cybersecurity challenges is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute penetration testing campaigns against automotive embedded targets.
• Configure and deploy fuzzing frameworks against vehicle ECUs and clusters.
• Identify memory corruption, resource exhaustion, and logic flaws via testing and manual analysis.
• Intercept, manipulate, and inject traffic across CAN, CAN-FD, Automotive Ethernet, LIN, and FlexRay.
• Analyze Bluetooth/BLE, Wi‑Fi, Cellular, UWB, NFC and RF/keyless systems for vulnerabilities.
• Perform hardware and firmware reverse engineering, including JTAG/UART debugging and disassembly.
• Develop AI-driven fuzzing approaches to guide test case generation and vulnerability discovery.
• Create actionable remediation reports and collaborate with engineering teams to fix root causes.

Skills

Automotive cybersecurity

Penetration testing

ECU security

AI/ML in security

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in CS/Cybersecurity/Engineering

Tools

AFL++

libFuzzer

Peach

Defensics

CANoe/CANalyzer

Vehicle Spy

Logic Analyzers

Bus Pirate

J-Link

UART/JTAG/SPI

Job description

Akkodis is seeking a full-time, highly-skilled Automotive Cybersecurity Test Engineer to join our dedicated and elite cybersecurity team in the Detroit Metro area. As the automotive industry rapidly transitions toward software-defined vehicles, ensuring the security of complex vehicular networks has never been more critical.

Candidate must have experience with automotive ECU’s and Penetration Testing while being familiar with Protocol Fuzzing (no source code fuzzing).

In this role, you will be at the forefront of offensive security, acting as the ultimate stress-test for the next generation of connected and autonomous vehicles. You'll dive deep into the architecture of modern vehicles, conducting rigorous security assessments, penetration testing, and vulnerability research on mission-critical automotive embedded systems. Your primary targets will range from traditional Electronic Control Units (ECUs) to next-generation high-performance vehicle computers, gateways, and digital instrument clusters. By identifying zero-day vulnerabilities and architectural flaws before they can be exploited in the wild, you will play a direct role in safeguarding the future of mobility.

Starting Pay Range: Up to $145,000/yr (pay commensurate based on experience and education levels).

Automotive Cybersecurity Test Engineer job responsibilities include:

What You Will Do

Embedded Systems Penetration & Fuzz Testing

• Design & Execute Campaigns: Build and execute comprehensive penetration testing campaigns against a wide variety of automotive embedded targets.
• Advanced Fuzzing: Configure and deploy targeted fuzzing frameworks (e.g., AFL++, libFuzzer, Peach, Defensics) against vehicle computers, ECUs, and clusters.
• Vulnerability Discovery: Uncover memory corruption vulnerabilities (buffer overflows, use-after-free), resource exhaustion, and complex logic flaws that automated static analyzers often miss.

Comprehensive Wireless & Wired Protocol Analysis

• Wired Vehicle Networks: Intercept, manipulate, and inject traffic across internal wired topologies, including CAN, CAN-FD, Automotive Ethernet (SOME/IP, DoIP), LIN, and FlexRay. You will utilize industry-standard tools like Vector CANoe/CANalyzer and Vehicle Spy.
• Wireless Ecosystems: Aggressively analyze and exploit vulnerabilities across every wireless communication interface. This includes deep-dive assessments of Bluetooth/BLE, Wi-Fi (802.11), Cellular networks (4G/LTE, 5G, and C-V2X), UWB, NFC, and traditional RF/Keyless Entry Systems (RKE/PEPS) using Software Defined Radios (SDRs like HackRF, USRP).

Hardware & Firmware Reverse Engineering

• Physical Attack Vectors: Conduct hands-on, hardware-level security testing to identify physical attack vectors.
• Hardware Debugging & Exploitation: Utilize tools like Logic Analyzers, Bus Pirate, J-Link, and UART/JTAG/SPI debuggers, side-channel analysis (SCA), and voltage/clock fault injection techniques.
• Firmware Analysis: Extract firmware from flash memory for subsequent reverse engineering and static analysis using disassemblers like IDA Pro.

AI-Enhanced Fuzzing and Vulnerability Discovery

• Develop and apply AI-driven fuzzing techniques, using machine learning to intelligently guide test case generation and uncover complex vulnerabilities in vehicle software.
• Utilize ML models to perform automated analysis of source code and binaries, identifying potential zero-day vulnerabilities that evade traditional static and dynamic analysis tools.

Automated Anomaly Detection in Vehicle Networks

• Implement and manage machine learning systems to analyze real-time data from CAN, Automotive Ethernet, and wireless channels, automatically detecting anomalous patterns indicative of a cyberattack.

Adversarial AI/ML System Testing

• Conduct security assessments of on-board AI/ML systems (e.g., those used for perception, sensor fusion, or decision-making in autonomous driving).
• Design and execute adversarial attacks (e.g., data poisoning, evasion attacks) to test the resilience and integrity of automotive AI models.

Strategic Remediation

• Actionable Reporting: Document findings in meticulous, highly technical reports that include mitigation strategies.
• Engineering Collaboration: Partner directly with other security tester/consultants to craft actionable, robust remediation strategies that fix the root cause of vulnerabilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience & Education

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Computer Engineering, or a heavily related technical discipline.
• Proven experience in applying AI/ML techniques to cybersecurity challenges, such as intelligent fuzzing, anomaly detection, or securing machine learning systems.
• Hands-on experience in penetration testing, vulnerability research, or reverse engineering, specifically focused on automotive embedded systems, IoT devices, or specialized custom hardware.

Deep Technical Expertise & Certifications

• Deep understanding of automotive E/E architectures, RTOS (e.g., QNX, VxWorks, AUTOSAR OS), and POSIX-based systems (Automotive Linux).
• Familiarity with automotive microcontrollers (e.g., Infineon AURIX TriCore, Renesas RH850, ARM Cortex-R/M) and hardware security modules (HSM/SHE).
• Strong grasp of industry-standard cybersecurity regulations and frameworks, specifically ISO/SAE 21434, UNECE WP.29 R155, and MITRE ATT&CK.
• Knowledge of common machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn) and their application in a security context.

Understanding of adversarial ML concepts and defenses.

• Preferred Certifications: OSCP, OSCE, OSWE, eCPTX, GXPN, or specialized automotive/IoT security certifications.
• Proficiency in scripting and low-level programming languages such as Python, C/C++, Bash, or Assembly (ARM/x86/TriCore).
• Experience with data science and machine learning libraries within Python (e.g., Pandas, NumPy).
• Extensive hands-on experience with hardware/software testing tools (e.g., Oscilloscopes, Wireshark, Burp Suite, GNU Radio, Binwalk).

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Benefit offerings available for our associates include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, additional voluntary benefits, EAP program, commuter benefits and a 401K plan. Our benefit offerings provide employees the flexibility to choose the type of coverage that meets their individual needs. In addition, our associates may be eligible for paid leave including Paid Sick Leave or any other paid leave required by Federal, State, or local law, as well as Holiday pay where applicable.

To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please visit https://www.akkodis.com/en/privacy-policy.

The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:·

The California Fair Chance Act

Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers