Cyber Reverse Engineer/Vulnerability Researcher

globalhr; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 96,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) match

Paid time off

Job summary

RTX Corporation’s BBN Technologies team in Columbia, MD is seeking a highly capable engineer to advance offensive cyberspace operations. Onsite role requiring an active Top Secret clearance and relocation assistance is available.

You will analyze systems, disassemble binaries, develop exploits and payloads, and collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to deliver cutting‑edge research and demonstrations. The position emphasizes rigorous testing and field deployments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in CS/CE/EE/Math/Physics with 5+ years experience (or advanced degree with 3+ years).
• Programming in C/C++ and/or Python.
• Experience with assembly language (x86-64, ARM, PPC, MIPS, etc.).
• Vulnerability research and reverse engineering skills.
• Understanding of network protocols (TCP/IP, etc.).
• Active Top Secret clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Analyze systems to understand how they work and what happens when they break.
• Disassemble and analyze binary code.
• Develop exploits, implants, payloads, and communication stacks based on reverse engineering and vulnerability analysis.
• Develop unique networking protocols and communication schemes.
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to solve challenges and deliver actionable results.
• Operationalize software through testing, documentation, and integration with other systems.
• Participate in laboratory and field tests to collect and analyze data.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Assembly

Vulnerability research

Reverse engineering

Network protocols

Top Secret clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/CE/EE/Math/Physics

Tools

IDA

Ghidra

BinaryNinja

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-06-09

Country: United States of America

Location: US-MD-COLUMBIA-720 ~ 9861 Broken Land Pkwy ~ BBN COLUMBIA, Ste 400

Position Role Type: Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Security Clearance Type: DoD Clearance: Top Secret

Security Clearance Status: Active and existing security clearance required on day 1

RTX Corporation is an Aerospace and Defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. It comprises three industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. Its 185,000 employees enable the company to operate at the edge of known science as they imagine and deliver solutions that push the boundaries in quantum physics, electric propulsion, directed energy, hypersonics, avionics and cybersecurity. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Arlington, VA.

BBN Technologies Team

The following position is to join our BBN Technologies team:

Role Overview

BBN is looking for an individual excited by the prospect of developing exploits, implants, and payloads to deter and defeat our Nation’s adversaries. You are an ideal candidate if you are creative, curious, and persistent in finding system vulnerabilities. We are looking for a highly motivated individual who wants to create, contribute to, and grow cutting‑edge research and development projects for offensive cyberspace operations.

Location & Clearance

This position is onsite in Columbia, MD and requires an active Top Secret clearance in order to be considered. Relocation Assistance is available.

What You Will Do

• Analyze systems to understand how they work and what happens when they break
• Disassemble and analyze binary code
• Develop exploits, implants, payloads, and communication stacks based on extensive reverse engineering, vulnerability analysis, and software development
• Develop unique networking protocols and communication schemes
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to solve challenging problems and deliver actionable results
• Operationalize software through extensive testing, documentation, and integration with other systems
• Participate in laboratory and field tests to collect and analyze data, test new capabilities, and perform demonstrations
• Overnight travel required for certain projects

What You Will Gain

• A strong leadership team well‑versed in government R&D
• A collaborative and collegial environment to push state‑of‑the‑art research
• A diverse and technically competent pool of research scientists who are willing to mentor, listen, and help you refine our vision and strategy
• Business development, programmatic, contracting, finance, and HR support
• Access, through RTX, to opportunities that help transition capabilities and ultimately see it fielded

Qualifications You Must Have

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mathematics, or physics with 5+ years of experience or an advanced degree with 3+ years of experience
• Programming skills using one or more of: C/C++ or Python
• Experience with some assembly language (x86/64, ARM, PPC, MIPS, etc.)
• Vulnerability research experience
• Reverse engineering skills using a tool such as IDA/Ghidra/BinaryNinja.
• Understanding of network protocols (TCP/IP, wire‑level protocols, BGP, RF communications, etc.)
• Active Top Secret security clearance. Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Capture the Flag (CTF) experience
• OS kernel development experience (e.g., Windows, Linux, MacOS, Android)
• Network programming skills
• Hardware emulation experience
• Hands on experience with system architecture design, prototyping, and technical project leadership
• Active TS/SCI security clearance

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this role is 95,500 USD - 181,700 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.

• Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short‑term disability, long‑term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective‑bargaining agreement.
• Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short‑term and/or long‑term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective‑bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.
• This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.
• RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.