Embedded Systems Security Engineer

Attic Research

Dayton (OH)

On-site

USD 110,000 - 150,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

10% 401k contribution (fully vested on

4 weeks PTO + 11 paid Federal Holidays

100% employer paid healthcare, dental,

100% employer paid short-term, long-

Annual tuition reimbursement

Conference access to DEFCON/BlackHat

Highly competitive salaries andBonuses

Job summary

Attic Research is seeking an Embedded Systems Security Engineer to protect hardware and software behind deployed defense systems. You’ll work across firmware, embedded OS, and hardware security features from design through integration and delivery.

The role emphasizes hands-on security engineering on SoC platforms, with a focus on secure boot, key management, and anti-tamper strategies, in a small team environment.

Qualifications

B.S. or M.S. in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
2+ years of experience in embedded software, firmware, or closely related development.
Familiarity with the architecture and security features of commercial SoCs, embedded processors, or microcontrollers.
Working knowledge of applied cryptography and its use in embedded systems.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Responsibilities

Analyze embedded system architectures, boot flows, firmware, and hardware interfaces to identify vulnerabilities and help define security requirements.
Design, implement, and debug firmware and embedded software that support system security and anti-tamper objectives.
Integrate processor and platform security capabilities, such as secure boot, authenticated updates, hardware-backed key storage, cryptographic services, and system monitoring.
Develop and execute tests on target hardware, investigate issues across firmware and operating system boundaries, and verify that security features work within the system’s performance and operational constraints.
Collaborate with senior engineers and prime customers to integrate, evaluate, and deliver secure solutions.
Contribute to security architecture, design, and test documentation, clearly explaining the assumptions and tradeoffs behind technical decisions.

Skills

Embedded software

Firmware

Security engineering

Cryptography

SoC security

Embedded Linux

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field

Tools

NVIDIA Jetson

AMD/Xilinx tools

Job description

Overview

Attic Research is looking for an Embedded Systems Security Engineer to help protect the hardware and software behind deployed defense systems. This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys understanding how embedded systems work, finding where they are vulnerable, and building effective protections. You’ll work across firmware, embedded operating systems, and hardware security features, contributing to systems from early design through integration and delivery.

Role

In this role, you’ll develop embedded security and anti-tamper (AT) solutions alongside senior engineers and customers. The work centers on modern system-on-chip (SoC) platforms and defense computing systems, including a variety of embedded CPU targets (e.g. ARM, RISC-V, x86), AI/ML/GPU-accelerated edge computing devices, and state-of-the-art FPGAs. You’ll contribute to both security architecture and implementation, working through the interactions between hardware security features, boot firmware, operating systems, and application software. Depending on the project, you may be tracing a boot sequence, implementing key management, securing a Linux-based software stack, or testing whether a protection feature behaves as intended on target hardware. You’ll work through the practical questions that come with securing embedded systems: what needs to be protected, which features the platform provides, and how to optimize protections within the system’s constraints.

At Attic Research, you’ll be part of a small technical team with experience in reverse engineering, vulnerability research, and embedded system security. You’ll have opportunities to take ownership of substantial engineering tasks, contribute to design decisions, and learn from the people working alongside you. We’re looking for someone who is curious about unfamiliar systems, careful with implementation details, and willing to follow a difficult problem through to a tested solution.

What You’ll Do

Analyze embedded system architectures, boot flows, firmware, and hardware interfaces to identify vulnerabilities and help define security requirements.

Design, implement, and debug firmware and embedded software that support system security and anti-tamper objectives.

Integrate processor and platform security capabilities, such as secure boot, authenticated updates, hardware-backed key storage, cryptographic services, and system monitoring.

Develop and execute tests on target hardware, investigate issues across firmware and operating system boundaries, and verify that security features work within the system’s performance and operational constraints.

Collaborate with senior engineers and prime customers to integrate, evaluate, and deliver secure solutions.

Contribute to security architecture, design, and test documentation, clearly explaining the assumptions and tradeoffs behind technical decisions.

What We’re Looking For

B.S. or M.S. in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

2+ years of experience in embedded software, firmware, or closely related development.

Familiarity with the architecture and security features of commercial SoCs, embedded processors, or microcontrollers.

Working knowledge of applied cryptography and its use in embedded systems.

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Preferred Experience

Embedded Linux development, including board support packages, bootloaders, device drivers, or low-level debugging.

Hands-on development with NVIDIA Jetson platforms, , AMD/Xilinx SoCs, or comparable ARM-based embedded computing platforms.

Implementation of secure boot, trusted execution environments, storage encryption, or secure provisioning and update mechanisms.

Design and implementation of key management architectures, including key provisioning, storage, and lifecycle management.

Systems engineering experience, particularly security architecture development and embedded system integration and test.

Familiarity with applicable NIST guidance, FIPS standards, and CNSA requirements.

Development or evaluation of anti-tamper solutions for Department of War customers.

FPGA development or hardware/software integration experience, including AMD/Xilinx tools and third-party IP integration.

You do not need experience in every preferred area to be a strong candidate. A solid embedded development background, sound engineering judgment, and an interest in understanding how systems can be attacked and protected are a strong foundation for this role.

Why Join Us

We’re a fast-moving startup team, not a large defense contractor. That means your contributions will matter, your ideas will be heard, and you’ll see the results of your work. You’ll have opportunities to work alongside an awesome team, venture into new technical areas, and grow your career.

We want to work with people who are motivated by solving hard problems, aren't afraid to think outside the box, and have a non-stop desire to keep learning. We are proud to offer some of the best benefits in the industry to attract and retain top talent.