Engineer/Developer - Software, Hardware, Research (Capabilities Development Specialist) - Mid to Experienced Level (MD, TX, CO)

National Security Agency; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 105,000 - 193,000; Full time

Job summary

If you are passionate about cutting-edge technology and solving unsolvable problems, the National Security Agency needs your expertise. We seek 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 groundbreaking research and build tools to defend the nation.

Qualifications

• Degree must be in Computer Science (CS), Mathematics, Engineering, or a related field.
• Degrees in Information Technology, Information Systems, Information Security, Networking, Information Assurance, or Cybersecurity may be considered relevant if foundational CS areas are covered.
• Relevant experience includes engineering hardware or software lifecycle, programming, vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, forensics, or systems engineering.

Responsibilities

• Developing exploitation capabilities and analytics for foreign target network collection.
• Designing hardware components and systems to support signals intelligence missions.
• Analyzing sophisticated malware and performing reverse engineering as needed.
• Maintaining and applying expertise in software/hardware design and testing for national security purposes.

Skills

C

C++

Assembly

ARM

Reverse engineering

Hardware design

Ghidra

gdb

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

Master's degree

Doctoral degree

Tools

Ghidra

OllyDbg

gdb

JTAG

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.

• 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.

**Please upload a copy of your transcripts from all schools attended, prior to applying for this position. Unofficial transcripts are fine at this stage. The minimum qualifications for this position may require a degree that demonstrates a concentration of Computer Science (CS) courses in foundational CS areas.**

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.

**Please upload a copy of your transcripts from all schools attended, prior to applying for this position. Unofficial transcripts are fine at this stage. The minimum qualifications for this position may require a degree that demonstrates a concentration of Computer Science (CS) courses in foundational CS areas.**

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.

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 - $192,764 (Full Performance, Senior) 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 veterans' preference-eligible employee, in which case you are required to serve a one-year trial period. This trial period runs concurrently with your commitment to the position, if applicable. Before finalizing your appointment at the conclusion of your trial period, NSA will determine whether your continued employment advances the public interest. This decision will be based on factors such as your performance and conduct; the Agency's needs and interests; whether your continued employment would advance the Agency's organizational goals; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. If you do not receive certification for continued employment, you should receive written notice prior to the end of your trial period that your employment will be terminated and the effective date of such termination.

DCIPS Disclaimer

• VETERANS AND TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS** Thank you for your service! The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions at NSA are in the Excepted Service under Title 10, United States Codes (U.S.C.), Section 1601 appointment authority. Veterans' Preference In accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, "DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System Employment and Placement," NSA applies veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5, U.S.C., to eligible candidates. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you are required to provide acceptable documentation of your preference eligibility upon application. Acceptable documentation includes: - DD-214: "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions (Copy 4); OR - Certification of Service: A written document on letterhead from the appropriate branch of the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed. The certification should include the military service dates, including the expected discharge or release date; AND - Standard Form 15 (SF-15) Application for 10-point Veteran Preference (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf). If you are claiming a service-connected disability of 30 percent or more, the documentation you provide must specifically demonstrate this level of disability; AND - VA Letter of Disability (for 10pt and Sole Survivorship rating) You may obtain a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs reflecting your level of disability for preference eligibility by visiting a VA Regional Office, contacting a VA call center, or online (https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/). **Failure to provide sufficient documentation of veterans' preference eligibility may preclude NSA from identifying you as a preference eligible candidate during the hiring selection process.

Skills

• 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

NSA is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations.

U.S. Citizenship is required for all applicants.

All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph.

NSA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities during the application and hiring process.