Media Malware Analyst, Senior

Koitecc Solutions; Odenton (MD); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a highly experienced malware analyst to support USCYBERCOM in threat identification and vulnerability assessment. The role involves leading forensic analysis, reverse engineering, and malware investigations, and delivering technical reports and leadership briefings.

You will develop and maintain hash repositories, analyze threat patterns, and work with cross-functional teams to improve situational awareness and defense capabilities. A TS/SCI with polygraph is required.

Qualifications

• Eight or more years of malware analysis, incident handling, and reverse engineering.
• Experience with IDA Pro, Ghidra, Wireshark, Volatility, and sandbox environments.
• Strong knowledge of network protocols and OS internals (Windows/Linux/UNIX).
• Familiarity with Blue-space Cyber capabilities and Defensive/Offensive Cyberspace Operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide timely, accurate support to USCYBERCOM in threat identification and vulnerability assessment.
• Lead forensic analysis and malware analysis including reverse engineering.
• Create technical reports and deliver threat briefs and leadership presentations.
• Develop and maintain validated MD5 hash lists for signature repositories.
• Collaborate with USCYBERCOM teams to enhance situational awareness and threat response.

Skills

Malware analysis

Incident handling

Reverse engineering

Network protocols

OS internals

Threat analysis

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

IDA Pro

Ghidra

Wireshark

Volatility

Sandbox environments

Job description

What you’ll be doing:

• Provide timely, accurate, relevant support in manner that best supports USCYBERCOM in identifying and assessing emerging threats and vulnerabilities in the Cyberspace domain.
• Lead forensic analysis of vulnerable or compromised systems and media and identify and analyze adversary TTPs and intrusion artifacts, and lead static and dynamic malware analysis, including reverse engineering and extracting malicious files from digital media and conduct detailed file analysis, as appropriate.
• Create technical analysis reports with actionable intelligence findings, delivering timely, accurate, relevant threat briefs and analysis updates that meet explicit and implied requirements, and deliver presentations to leadership in appropriate formats.
• Identify unique indicators for signature and heuristic development.
• Oversee drafting, release, and implementation of security incident response policies.
• Analyze operational reporting to correlate attack trends and shared tradecraft and support development and improvement of enterprise malware analysis tools.
• Conduct log/system analysis (routers, Windows, UNIX) for threat detection and update DoD situational awareness mechanisms (e.g., USCYBERCOM portals).
• Research open-source intel to inform threat assessments and signature creation.
• Develop and maintain validated MD5 hash lists for signature repositories.
• Analyze and evaluate All-Source finished intelligence, single-source intelligence, and technical data from various sources to identify Cyber threat patterns and anomalies.
• Conduct and publish in-depth risk assessments to evaluate and categorize the risk posture of detected cyber threats while supporting development and refinement of risk assessment methodologies and tools used for threat categorization.
• Collaborate with operational, technical, and intelligence elements across USCYBERCOM to enhance situational awareness and threat response capabilities.
• Maintain a current understanding of advanced persistent threats (APTs), threat actor tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), and cyber threat trends affecting national security.
• Maintain situational awareness of, and execute on demand, CO crisis plans.
• Provide situational awareness to range of projects, Crisis Action Teams, and current operations activities supporting Operational Planning Teams (OPTs).
• Execute resource allocation decisions aligned with organization objectives.
• Apply knowledge of cyber threats and attack methods and techniques emanating from state and non-state adversaries and tiered vulnerabilities within Blue Space as focus of threats.
• Review, approve, prioritize, and submit operational requirements for research, development, and/or acquisition of Cyber capabilities.
• Interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies, and guidance relevant to daily activities.
• Communicate complex information, concepts, or ideas in a confident and well‑organized manner through verbal, written, and/or visual means.

What does Leidos need from me?

• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility and Polygraph required.
• BA/BS degree or higher within Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Digital Forensics, or related field, or ability to complete degree within one year of hire. Can substitute formal education with extended experience and technical certifications.
• Eight plus years’ demonstrated proficiency in malware analysis (static/dynamic), incident handling, and reverse engineering.
• Working experience with tools such as IDA Pro, Ghidra, Wireshark, Volatility, and sandbox environments.
• Strong familiarity with network protocols, OS internals (Windows/Linux/UNIX), and cyber threat analysis.
• Broad knowledge of Blue‑space Cyber capabilities and demonstrate understanding of available Cyber infrastructure or platforms to conduct Defensive (DCO) and Offensive Cyberspace Operations (OCO).
• Knowledge of computer networking fundamentals as well as concepts, terminology, and operations of a wide range of communications media (computer and telephone networks, satellite, fiber, wireless).
• Ability to support timely, accurate, relevant analytical production, to include documents, summaries, issue papers, talking points, and briefings.
• Demonstrated proficiency working in a fast‑paced collaborative environment, ability to proactively multi‑task and meet short deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal, critical thinking, and communication skills, including the ability to clearly convey complex and technical data to non‑technical consumers.

Favorable if you have:

• Masters’ Degree or higher within Cybersecurity, Information Security, or related fields.
• Experience developing detection signatures and writing technical reports for leadership.
• Deep understanding of USCYBERCOM organizational structure and mission.
• Prior experience supporting Joint operations across multiple warfighting domains.
• Demonstrated experience incorporating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning into operations at any level to increase efficiency and effectiveness of operational outcomes.
• Experience with Space‑enabled CO.
• Formal training within field of Cyber Warfare and Joint Operations.
• Familiar with art of Data Science and applicability to CO.
• Familiar with Microsoft Power BI data visualization software.
• Desired Certifications (not all inclusive, no expectations for candidate to hold all certifications):
  • GIAC Reverse Engineering Malware (GREM)
  • Certified Reverse Engineering Analyst (CREA)
  • Certified Malware Analyst (CMA)
  • Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR)
  • GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA)
  • GIAC Cyber Threat Intelligence (GCTI)

Commitment to Non‑Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.