Principal Firmware Reverse Engineer (AI-Assisted)

Bigbear.ai; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

BigBear.ai is seeking a Principal Firmware Reverse Engineer in Columbia, MD to advance AI-assisted tooling for firmware, embedded systems, and application analysis. You will design and implement tooling enhancements, prototype autonomous workflow agents, and extend Ghidra/IDA Pro capabilities while leading junior engineers.

The role requires 12+ years of experience or a technical degree with 4+ years in reverse engineering, plus a TS/SCI w/ Poly clearance and strong low-level software knowledge.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of relevant experience or a Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline plus 4+ years of experience.
• Clearance: TS/SCI w/ Poly
• Hands-on experience with reverse engineering tools such as Ghidra or IDA Pro
• Strong understanding of low-level software concepts (assembly, binaries, memory, calling conventions)
• Experience developing software tools, scripts, or plugins to support analysis workflows
• Proficiency in at least one scripting or programming language commonly used in reverse engineering workflows
• Ability to prototype, evaluate, and refine experimental tooling
• AI/LLM curiosity and readiness to learn on-the-job; familiarity with AI/LLM technologies and interest in advancing your skills to the next level

Responsibilities

• Design and implement tooling enhancements to support reverse engineering workflows for firmware, embedded systems, and application software
• Experiment with autonomous or semi-autonomous agents to assist with development and analysis workflows
• Extend or integrate reverse engineering tools such as Ghidra to enhance team capabilities
• Develop automation for common reverse engineering tasks, including analysis and documentation
• Apply AI-assisted techniques to binary analysis, annotation, and pattern identification
• Collaborate with customers and teammates to gather feedback and iterate on solutions
• Measure and document the effectiveness of tooling improvements
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers on the team

Skills

Reverse engineering

Python scripting

Analytical thinking

Leadership

AI/LLM curiosity

Education

Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline

Tools

Ghidra

IDA Pro

Job description

Overview

BigBear.ai is seeking a Principal Firmware Reverse Engineer focused on advancing reverse engineering capabilities through AI-assisted tooling and automation. You will design and implement tooling enhancements that empower reverse engineers to work more efficiently on firmware, embedded systems, and application software. This role bridges deep reverse engineering expertise with emerging AI/LLM technologies to create next‑generation analysis workflows.

What you will do

• Design and implement tooling enhancements to support reverse engineering workflows for firmware, embedded systems, and application software
• Experiment with autonomous or semi‑autonomous agents to assist with development and analysis workflows
• Extend or integrate reverse engineering tools such as Ghidra to enhance team capabilities
• Develop automation for common reverse engineering tasks, including analysis and documentation
• Apply AI-assisted techniques to binary analysis, annotation, and pattern identification
• Collaborate with customers and teammates to gather feedback and iterate on solutions
• Measure and document the effectiveness of tooling improvements
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers on the team

What you need to have

• 12+ years of relevant experience, or Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline + 4+ years of experience
• Clearance:TS/SCI w/Poly
• Hands‑on experience with reverse engineering tools such as Ghidra or IDA Pro
• Strong understanding of low‑level software concepts (assembly, binaries, memory, calling conventions)
• Experience developing software tools, scripts, or plugins to support analysis workflows
• Proficiency in at least one scripting or programming language commonly used in reverse engineering workflows
• Ability to prototype, evaluate, and refine experimental tooling
• AI/LLM curiosity and readiness to learn on‑the‑job; familiarity with AI/LLM technologies and interest in advancing your skills to the next level

What we’d like you to have

• Experience reverse engineering Linux-based network devices or embedded systems
• Experience reverse engineering network traffic and web applications
• Familiarity with firmware analysis, bootloaders, and networking protocols
• Experience applying automation or AI techniques to reverse engineering tasks
• Knowledge of Python or similar scripting languages used in reverse engineering tooling
• Knowledge of agentic AI frameworks or orchestration systems

About BigBear.ai

BigBear.ai is a leading provider of AI-powered decision intelligence solutions for national security, supply chain management, and digital identity. Customers and partners rely on BigBear.ai’s predictive analytics capabilities in highly complex, distributed, mission-based operating environments. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, BigBear.ai is a public company traded on the NYSE under the symbol BBAI. For more information, visit https://bigbear.ai/ and follow BigBear.ai on LinkedIn: @BigBear.ai and X: @BigBearai.

BigBear.ai is an equal opportunity employer for all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.