External Job Posting Title Senior Software Reverse Engineer

Peraton; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 112,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

Peraton in Huntsville is seeking a Senior Software Reverse Engineer to join the SCAR Team. You will perform in-depth analysis of software, firmware, and hardware to uncover functionality, vulnerabilities, and mission relevance.

Use Ghidra, GDB, and static/dynamic techniques to expose hidden capabilities while collaborating on CONOPS and exploitation priorities. You will mentor junior engineers, work with VMware/KVM/QEMU environments, and apply forensic methods to extract actionable artifacts for

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years of experience, or Master’s with 6+ years, or PhD with 4+ years.
• TS/SCI with polygraph eligibility.
• 3+ years in software reverse engineering, preferably malware or vulnerability research.
• Experience with virtualization for dynamic analysis and emulation.
• Experience in forensic disk image analysis with Autopsy or guestfish.
• Proficient SWRE toolchain: Ghidra, GDB, Wireshark, NMAP, MobaXterm, binutils.
• Experience with network analysis and baseline system behavior.
• Linux/Unix environments administration and tooling.
• Live debugging with GDB; memory inspection and state analysis.
• Strong C/C++, Assembly knowledge and Python scripting.
• Understanding OS internals, x86/x64, CPU architecture, security practices.

Responsibilities

• System Analysis: analyze compiled software and binaries, extract artifacts.
• Dynamic System & Environment Analysis in virtualization/sandboxing.
• Live Debugging and Analysis using GDB and on-system tricks.
• Static Reverse Engineering with Ghidra to reveal hidden logic.
• CONOPS and Document Exploitation to prioritize exploitation efforts.
• Vulnerability and Capability Research, develop PoCs and assess impact.
• Tool Chain Mastery across disk imagers, VM managers, scanners, debuggers.
• Mentorship of junior engineers in SWRE methodologies.

Skills

Reverse engineering

C/C++

x86/x64 assembly

Python scripting

Ghidra

GDB

Wireshark

Linux/Unix

Network analysis

Forensics

VMware/KVM/QEMU

Document exploitation

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

PhD

Tools

Ghidra

GDB

Wireshark

MobaXterm

NMAP

Autopsy

Guestfish

VMware

KVM/QEMU

Job description

Responsibilities

Overview:We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Software Reverse Engineer to join our SCAR Team. In this role, you will perform indepth analysis of software, firmware, and hardware systems to uncover their true functionality, identify vulnerabilities, and understand theiroperational context. This position requires a holistic approach, combining dynamic system analysis, static binary reverse engineering, anddocument exploitation to reveal not just what a system does, but why and how it supports its mission objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

• System Analysis: Conduct comprehensive analysis of compiled software and binaries. Employ forensic techniques to extract criticalartifacts, understand system architecture, and identify key software components.
• Dynamic System & Environment Analysis: Utilize virtualization and sandboxing environments (VMware, KVM/QEMU) to run andobserve software in its native operating environment. Perform system call tracing, network monitoring, and file system analysis toreveal real-time behaviors and interactions.
• Live Debugging and Analysis: Perform live, on-system debugging using tools like the GNU Debugger (GDB) to step through codeexecution in real-time. Correlate dynamic findings directly with static analysis from Ghidra to validate assumptions, understandcomplex logic, and uncover obfuscated functionality.
• Static Reverse Engineering: Use advanced reverse engineering tools, with a focus on Ghidra, to decompile and disassemblesoftware. Analyze code paths, extract indicators, and uncover hidden or malicious logic that is not apparent through dynamicanalysis alone.
• CONOPS and Document Exploitation (DOCEX): Collaborate with analysts to integrate findings from system and operationaldocuments. Use this context to understand the system's Concept of Operations (CONOPS), providing significance and priority toexploitation efforts.
• Vulnerability and Capability Research: Investigate and identify vulnerabilities, undocumented features, and novel capabilities withinthe target system. Develop proof-of-concept exploits and assess their potential impact on operational dependencies. Model andSimulate specific features and functions to understand how the software was developed, compiled, and deployed.
• Tool Chain Mastery: Employ a specialized toolchain for analysis, including disk imagers, virtual machine managers, networkscanners, and debuggers to perform end-to-end exploitation.
• Mentorship: Mentor junior engineers in specific SWRE methodologies, tools, and techniques.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years of relevant experience; OR Masters’s degree with 6+ years of relevant experience; OR PhD with 4+ years of relevant experience; an additional 4 years of relevant experience considered in lieu of a degree
• TS/SCI with ability to obtain a poly
• 3+ years of relevant experience in software reverse engineering, with a preference for experience in material exploitation, malware analysis, or vulnerability research.
• Experience with virtualization platforms (VMware Workstation, KVM/QEMU) for dynamic analysis, sandboxing, and systememulation.
• Experience with forensic disk image analysis using tools like Autopsy or guestfish to mount, modify, and extract artifactsfrom raw disk images.
• Experience in the SWRE toolchain, including Ghidra, GDB, Wireshark, MobaXterm, NMAP, or the Linux binutils suite (e.g., readelf,strace, ltrace, ldd).
• Experience with network analysis (Wireshark, nmap) to baseline system behavior and identify communication protocols.
• Experience in Linux/Unix environments, including system administration, network configuration, SSH key management (sshkeygen, virt-customize), or advanced command-line tools.
• Demonstrated ability to perform live debugging of complex applications using GDB, including setting breakpoints, inspecting memory, and analyzing program state to support reverse engineering efforts.
• Knowledge of low-level programming (C, C++, Assembly) and experience with scripting languages like Python.
• Understanding of operating system internals, x86/x64 assembly, and CPU architecture.
• A solid understanding of common security practices and the ability to identify security flaws in software architecture.

Peraton Overview

Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world’s leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace. The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees do the can’t be done by solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers. Visit peraton.com to learn how we’re keeping people around the world safe and secure.

Target Salary Range

$112,000 - $179,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position. Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the individual’s experience, education, knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as geographic location and business and contract considerations. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.

EEO

EEO: Equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veterans, or other characteristics protected by law.