Principal Senior CNO Developer (Onsite)

Nightwing; Maryland; On-site; USD 122,000 - 253,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive healthcare benefits

401(k) plan

Paid time off (PTO)

Holidays and additional insurance options

Job summary

Nightwing is seeking a candidate for a role in cyber operations to lead the design, development, and testing of advanced CNO capabilities. The ideal candidate must have extensive programming experience and be capable of mentoring junior members while ensuring operational success of tools.

A Bachelor's or Master's degree with relevant experience is required. The salary range is $122,000 to $253,000 depending on qualifications. Benefits include comprehensive healthcare and retirement plans.

Qualifications

• Minimum eight years of experience programming in Assembly, C, C++, Java, Perl, and/or Python.
• Minimum five years of experience programming CNO tools for the US Government.
• Experience with project management best practices such as Scrum and Kanban.

Responsibilities

• Designing, developing, testing, and maintaining advanced CNO capabilities.
• Providing mentorship to junior team members.
• Ensuring tools are ready for operational success.

Skills

Programming in Assembly

Programming in C, C++, Java, Perl, Python

Windows applications using Visual Studio or .NET

UNIX applications using make files

CNO tools and techniques

Network sockets programming

Expertise in exploitation techniques

Understanding of network protocols and sockets

Education

Bachelor’s Degree with 12 years or Master’s with 10 years of experience

Tools

Visual Studio

IDA Pro

Ghidra

OllyDbg

Git

Job description

Nightwing provides technically advanced full‑spectr​e cyber, data operations, systems integration and intelligence mission support services to meet our customers’ most demanding challenges.

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

We offer a total rewards package that includes compensation; healthcare, wellness, retirement and work‑life benefits; career development and recognition programs.

Salary & Benefits

The salary for 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. Additional benefits include medical, vision and dental insurance, a 401(k) plan, PTO, holidays, and additional insurance options.

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.