Cybersecurity Engineer - Critical Infrastructure & OT

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 85,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life insurance

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

Flexible spending accounts

Education assistance

Training and development

Job summary

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory seeks a Cybersecurity Engineer to advance technologies from research prototypes to operational environments, protecting critical infrastructure and cyber-physical systems. You will work with mission stakeholders across OT/ICS, build prototypes, and perform cyber test and evaluation to transition capabilities into real-world settings.

A degree in cybersecurity or related field is required, with Python/C/C++/Linux experience and an ability to obtain

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in cybersecurity, computer science, engineering, or related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• Experience with Python or another language (C/C++, Java, Go, or Rust) and Linux environments, debugging, and version control.
• Foundational knowledge of cybersecurity principles: network security, vulnerability analysis, and offensive concepts.
• Understanding of networking concepts with exposure to embedded systems, virtualization, ICS, or related technologies.
• Experience solving technical problems through coursework, internships, research, or hands-on projects.
• Experience using AI-assisted tools for coding, debugging, or research and how to validate results responsibly.

Responsibilities

• Research, develop, and prototype technologies to improve security, resilience, and assurance of critical infrastructure and cyber-physical systems.
• Collaborate with sponsors, operators, and stakeholders to translate mission needs into technical solutions.
• Build and evaluate capabilities across software, networks, embedded devices, and industrial control environments.
• Analyze and reverse engineer control system protocols, software, hardware, and architectures to identify vulnerabilities and hardening opportunities.
• Conduct cyber test and evaluation, adversary emulation, vulnerability research, and protocol analysis in labs and field-like conditions.
• Develop AI-enabled capabilities for situational awareness and decision support and assess performance and failure modes.

Skills

Python

C/C++

Java

Go

Rust

Linux

Networking

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in cybersecurity, computer science, engineering, or related field

Tools

Wireshark

Ghidra

Docker

SIEM

Job description

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory seeks a Cybersecurity Engineer to advance technologies from research prototypes to operational environments, protecting critical infrastructure and cyber-physical systems. You will work with mission stakeholders across OT/ICS, build prototypes, and perform cyber test and evaluation to transition capabilities into real-world settings.

A degree in cybersecurity or related field is required, with Python/C/C++/Linux experience and an ability to obtain