Security Researcher

Red Balloon Security, Inc.; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k

Flexible vacation

Health & dental plans

Equity

Job summary

Red Balloon Security is seeking a full-time security researcher to protect embedded devices. You will reverse engineer firmware, analyze boot chains, and contribute to the OFRAK framework, advancing defensive and offensive research across ARM, MIPS, x86, and RISC-V targets.

This in-office role in Midtown West, NYC offers bonuses and equity, with a full benefits package and flexible vacation policy. Remote work is allowed as part of a hybrid arrangement.

Qualifications

• BA/BS in computer science, computer or electrical engineering or a related major
• Proficiency in hardware and software reverse engineering
• Familiarity with fuzzing, static analysis, and RE
• Experience with low-level software design and implementation
• Understanding of modern software design and engineering practices
• Knowledge of AI tooling and familiarity with frontier models
• Ability to work effectively in a hands-on research and lab environment
• Strong self-initiative and self-motivation
• Experience with RE tools such as Ghidra, IDA, Binary Ninja, OFRAK

Responsibilities

• Research security vulnerabilities to protect embedded devices from firmware, hardware, and platform-level threats
• Design and implement host-based defense software for black-box embedded devices
• Analyze firmware images, boot chains, update mechanisms, device interfaces, and embedded operating systems
• Design and implement automated HW / SW testing infrastructure
• Conduct offensive and defensive research on embedded HW / SW
• Contribute to the OFRAK (Open Firmware Reverse Analysis Konsole) framework
• Perform HW / SW reverse engineering on embedded devices
• Automate vulnerability identification for embedded software
• Use AI tooling, agents, MCP servers, and test harnesses to accelerate security research and vulnerability analysis

Skills

HW reverse engineering

Software reverse engineering

Fuzzing

Static analysis

RE tools

Ghidra

IDA

Binary Ninja

OFRAK

ARM asm

MIPS asm

x86 asm

RISC-V asm

OS design

Education

BA/BS in CS/EE

MA/MS in CS

Tools

Ghidra

IDA

Binary Ninja

OFRAK

Job description

Red Balloon Security (RBS) is a leading embedded security provider and research firm committed to securing embedded devices across a range of critical industries and shaping the future of the embedded security industry. For more than 15 years, Red Balloon Security has built mission-grade firmware and embedded security for the most sensitive defense, intelligence, and critical infrastructure systems. Our customers include the DoW, Air Force, Navy, Space Force, Homeland Security, large defense contractors, and several Fortune 500 companies. Additionally, our R&D team consists of world-class academic researchers and developers, who consistently publish seminal research papers in the field of embedded security and perform high-profile research programs funded by the U.S. Government, including DARPA, Air Force, Space Force, Navy, and the Department of Homeland Security.

Job Description

• Research security vulnerabilities to protect embedded devices from firmware, hardware, and platform-level threats
• Design and implement host-based defense software for black-box embedded devices
• Analyze firmware images, boot chains, update mechanisms, device interfaces, and embedded operating systems
• Design and implement automated HW / SW testing infrastructure
• Conduct offensive and defensive research on embedded HW / SW
• Contribute to the OFRAK (Open Firmware Reverse Analysis Konsole) framework
• Perform HW / SW reverse engineering on embedded devices
• Automate vulnerability identification for embedded software
• Use AI tooling, agents, MCP servers, and test harnesses to accelerate security research and vulnerability analysis

Required Skills and Qualifications

• BA/BS in computer science, computer or electrical engineering or a related major
• Proficiency in hardware and software reverse engineering
• Familiarity with fuzzing, static analysis, and RE
• Experience with low-level software design and implementation
• Understanding of modern software design and engineering practices
• Knowledge of AI tooling and familiarity with frontier models
• Ability to work effectively in a hands-on research and lab environment
• Strong self-initiative and self-motivation
• Experience with RE tools such as Ghidra, IDA, Binary Ninja, OFRAK

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

• MA/MS in Computer Science or related field
• Experience with ARM, MIPS, PowerPC, x86, or RISC-V assembly
• Strong understanding of OS design and implementation
• Knowledge of vulnerability discovery methods and practical exploitation techniques
• Familiarity with embedded interfaces and protocols such as UART, JTAG, SWD, SPI, I2C, USB, Ethernet, CAN, or similar technologies
• Knowledge of logic analyzers, HW debuggers, RF analyzers, oscilloscopes
• Existing security clearance or ability to obtain clearance

Our Work

Recent work from our team includes RASPUTIN, our human-on-the-loop hardware reversing robot; OFRAK, our open-source binary analysis and modification platform for firmware (ofrak.com); and a controlled lab replay of the public Copy Fail Linux kernel exploit (CVE-2026-31431) on an embedded Linux target configured with Symbiote, our runtime protection. Our published research, including Thrangrycat and the Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 protected-boot bypass, is at redballoonsecurity.com/research.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full time, in office position with Remote.

NY Salary Range: $100k-150k

Full-time employees are also eligible for discretionary bonuses and equity in the company.

Red Balloon Security offers a full benefits package, 401k, flexible vacation policy, and paid health and dental plans. The Company is located in Midtown West in New York City. Red Balloon Security is an Equal Opportunity Employer.