Engineer/Developer - Software, Hardware, Research (Capabilities Development Specialist) - Mid t[...]

CNSS • National Security Systems; Silver Spring (MD); On-site; USD 105,000 - 197,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

NSA needs professionals with strong software or hardware design, development, testing or reverse engineering skills for a Capabilities Development Specialist role at Fort Meade, MD. You will work on offensive and defensive capabilities, tackling challenging adversarial networks and delivering tools for national decision makers.

Candidates should have CS or engineering backgrounds, plus hands-on experience in malware analysis, vulnerability assessment, and kernel/driver development.

Qualifications

• The position requires a CS/Engineering degree with strong fundamentals.
• Experience in engineering hardware or software over lifecycle is required.
• Proven ability in vulnerability analysis or penetration testing is valued.
• Military training such as JCAC counts towards experience; relevant certifications help.
• Entry to Expert levels based on education and years of experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop exploitation capabilities and analytics for network collection.
• Design hardware components to support signals intelligence missions.
• Analyze sophisticated malware and conduct reverse engineering.

Skills

C

C++

Assembly

ARM

Malware analysis

Reverse engineering

Kernel development

Device driver development

CISSP

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

Tools

Ghidra

OllyDbg

gdb

JTAG

Oscilloscopes

Job description

Responsibilities

As a CDS, you will develop custom high-priority offensive and defensive capabilities targeting the hardest-to-reach adversarial networks in the world. You will apply and grow your expertise to create new ways to get critical information to national decision makers as part of the world's most advanced team of computer science and engineering professionals. Responsibilities may include:

• Developing exploitation capabilities and analytics to enable foreign target network collection
• Designing hardware components and systems to further signals intelligence missions
• Analyzing sophisticated malware

Competencies

If you have interests, skills, or experience in one or more of the following areas, we'd like to hear from you:

• Software Specialties: Strong software development skills (C, C++, Assembly, ARM); software RE/interactive debugging tools); software application vulnerability analysis and exploitation; operating system internals; mobile platform development and analysis; algorithmic analysis; prototyping.
• Malware Reverse Engineering: Advanced malware analysis/reverse engineering of specialized malware/complex files.
• Hardware Specialties: Hardware RE, design, development, or testing and debugging.

Fort George G. Meade Complex, MD

Pay Plan: GG, Grade: 11/1 to 15/10

Open: 2026-08-10, Close: 2026-08-23

Responsibilities

As a CDS, you will develop custom high-priority offensive and defensive capabilities targeting the hardest-to-reach adversarial networks in the world. You will apply and grow your expertise to create new ways to get critical information to national decision makers as part of the world's most advanced team of computer science and engineering professionals. Responsibilities may include:

• Developing exploitation capabilities and analytics to enable foreign target network collection
• Designing hardware components and systems to further signals intelligence missions
• Analyzing sophisticated malware

Competencies

If you have interests, skills, or experience in one or more of the following areas, we'd like to hear from you:

• Software Specialties: Strong software development skills (C, C++, Assembly, ARM); software RE/interactive debugging tools); software application vulnerability analysis and exploitation; operating system internals; mobile platform development and analysis; algorithmic analysis; prototyping.
• Malware Reverse Engineering: Advanced malware analysis/reverse engineering of specialized malware/complex files.
• Hardware Specialties: Hardware RE, design, development, or testing and debugging.

Job Summary

If you are passionate about using cutting-edge technology and developing groundbreaking solutions for seemingly unsolvable problems, NSA needs your expertise. We're looking for computer science or computer/electrical engineering professionals with strong software or hardware design, development, testing or reverse engineering skills to join our team as a Capabilities Development Specialist (CDS). We conduct innovative research and produce hardware and software tools unlike anything in the world to defend the nation.

Qualifications

The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position. Degree must be in Computer Science (CS), Mathematics, Engineering, or a related field. Degrees in Information Technology, Information Systems, Information Security, Networking (Systems Administration), Information Assurance, or Cybersecurity may be considered relevant if the programs contain, at minimum, a concentration of courses in the following foundational CS areas: algorithms; computer architecture (not network architecture); programming methodologies and languages; data structures; logic and computation; and upper-level mathematics (for example, calculus, discrete mathematics). Relevant experience must be in one or more of the following: engineering hardware or software over their lifecycle (i.e., requirements analysis, design, development, implementation, testing, integration, deployment/installation, and maintenance), programming, vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, computer forensics, or systems engineering. Completion of military training in a relevant area such as JCAC (Joint Cyber Analysis course) will be considered towards the relevant experience requirement (i.e., 24-week JCAC course will count as 6 months of experience). FULL PERFORMANCE Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree and no experience. An Associate's degree plus 5 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position. SENIOR Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 6 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 4 years of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree plus 2 years of relevant experience. An Associate's degree plus 8 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position. EXPERT Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 9 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 7 years of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree plus 5 years of relevant experience. An Associate's degree plus 11 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position.

Competencies

We're looking for candidates with knowledge, skills, and experience in one or more of the following:

• Programming in languages such as C, C++ and Java, especially in kernel development and device driver development; network/socket programming and embedded systems development
• CISSP, CEH, GREM or GPEN certification.
• Assembly language(s)
• Hardware design (e.g., FPGA, VHDL, Verilog, PCB)
• Hardware Reverse Engineering
• RF system design (e.g., DSP, SDR)
• Embedded systems development
• Software reverse engineering/interactive debugging tools (e.g., Ghidra, OllyDbg, gdb)
• Hardware analysis tools (e.g., JTAG, Oscilloscopes)
• Software vulnerability analysis and exploitation

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

Pay: Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position. Salary Range: $105,262 - $197,200 (Full Performance, Senior, Expert) Salary range varies by location, work level, and relevant experience to the position. Training will be provided based on the selectee's needs and experience. Benefits: NSA offers a comprehensive benefits package. Work Schedule: This is a full-time position, Monday - Friday, with basic 8hr/day work requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible). DCIPS Trial Period: If selected for this position, you will be required to serve a two-year DCIPS trial period, unless you are a