Principal Senior CNO Developer (Onsite)

Nightwing; Corridor North (MD); On-site; USD 122,000 - 253,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

401k plan

PTO

Job summary

Nightwing is seeking a senior-level engineer to design, develop, test, and maintain advanced CNO capabilities supporting high-priority missions.

You will mentor junior team members, lead multi-disciplinary efforts, and ensure tools are ready for operational success across govt programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s with senior-level experience in software development.
• Proven programming experience across C/C++, Java, Python and scripting.
• Experience building Windows and UNIX applications in professional settings.
• Experience leading government cyber/ CNO teams and projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, testing, and maintenance of CNO capabilities.
• Mentor junior engineers and supervise teams in government programs.
• Deliver operational-ready tools and capabilities for mission success.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to meet high-priority requirements.

Skills

Programming in Assembly/C/C++/Java

Python

Scripting (Bash/PowerShell)

Team leadership

CNO tooling & techniques

Reverse engineering concepts

Network sockets programming

Exploitation techniques (DEP/ASLR)

Kernel-level programming

Education

Bachelor’s Degree + 12 years experience

Master’s Degree + 10 years experience

Tools

Visual Studio/.NET

UNIX makefiles

IDA Pro / Ghidra / OllyDbg

Git

Job description

Position Overview:

The candidate will take a leading role in designing, developing, testing, and maintaining advanced CNO capabilities to fulfill high-priority mission requirements. They will contribute technical expertise, provide mentorship to junior team members, and ensure tools are ready for operational success.

Clearance:

TS/SCI + FSP + CI Poly Preferred

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree and (12) years of experience OR Master’s degree with (10) years of experience
• Minimum eight (8) years of experience programming in Assembly, C, C++, Java, Perl, and/or Python
• Minimum seven (7) years of experience developing in one (1) or more of the following: Windows applications using Visual Studio or .NET environments; UNIX applications using make files or comparable build environments
• Minimum six (6) years of experience with programming CNO tools and techniques
• Minimum five (5) years of experience managing and supervising teams in support of Government CNO capability development
• Minimum five (5) years of experience programming CNO tools for the US Government
• Minimum four (4) years of experience programming techniques to evade host and/or network-based IDS
• Minimum four (4) years’ experience in network sockets programming and application-level protocols

Specialized Qualifications:

• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C/C++, and/or Assembly, along with scripting languages (e.g., Bash, PowerShell)
• Deep understanding of operating systems internals and kernel-level programming
• Expertise in exploitation techniques, including buffer overflows, heap spraying, privilege escalation, and more
• Knowledge of modern encryption protocols, defense evasion strategies, and network interception
• Understanding of network protocols and sockets, common CNO techniques, exploitation mitigations such as DEP and ASLR, and modern software engineering concepts
• Experience with reverse engineering frameworks (e.g., IDA Pro, Ghidra, OllyDbg) and disassemblers/debuggers
• Experience with project management best practices such as Scrum and Kanban methodologies
• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) along with understanding of basic configuration management principles

What We Offer:

Whether you’re just starting out on your career journey or are an experienced professional, we offer a total rewards package that goes above and beyond with compensation; healthcare, wellness, retirement and work/life benefits; career development and recognition programs.

Previously part of a leading Fortune 100 company and headquartered in Dulles, VA; Nightwing became independent in 2024 but continues to support the nation’s most mission impactful initiatives.

When we formed Nightwing, we brought a deep set of credentials and an unfaltering commitment to the mission. For over four decades, our team has been providing some of the world’s most technically advanced full-spectrum cyber, data operations, systems integration and intelligence support services to the U.S. government on its most important missions.

At Nightwing, we value collaboration and teamwork. You’ll have the opportunity to work alongside talented individuals who are passionate about what they do. Together, we’ll leverage our collective expertise to drive innovation, solve complex problems, and deliver exceptional results for our clients.

Thank you for considering joining us as we embark on this new journey and shape the future of cybersecurity and intelligence together as part of the Nightwing team.

Nightwing offers medical, vision and dental insurance coverage in addition to a 401k plan, PTO, Holidays and additional insurances.

Salary & Benefits

The salary associated with this position ($122,000-$253,000) is commensurate with the selected candidate’s qualifications, years of relevant experience, and demonstrated level of expertise. Compensation will be determined based on these factors to ensure alignment with skills, responsibilities, and market standards.

Nightwing offers medical, vision and dental insurance coverage in addition to a 401k plan, PTO, Holidays, and additional insurances.

Nightwing is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.