Senior Embedded Hardware Security Engineer

Mitre Corporation

Aberdeen (MD)

On-site

USD 127,000 - 190,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

MITRE’s Electronic Systems Security team seeks engineers focused on hardware reverse engineering of embedded systems to support national significance projects. Senior engineers will lead in security assessments, prototype development, and sophisticated lab experiments, while mentoring juniors and collaborating across disciplines.

Roles require C/C++, Python, and strong understanding of secure boot, tamper sensing, and memory protection.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree plus 5 years of related experience or Master’s/PhD with 3+ years.
Experience with embedded tear-down, board-level reverse engineering, vulnerability analysis.
Board- and component-level instrumentation, measurement, and protocol analysis.
PCB design, layout, and understanding component packaging.
Software development in C/C++ and Python.
Knowledge of protections against physical attacks and secure storage.
Ability to work independently in collaborative environments; strong communication.
U.S. citizen and ability to obtain DoD SECRET clearance; on-site work 4 days/wk.

Responsibilities

Perform hands-on security assessments of embedded systems.
Design and build prototypes to measure interfaces on boards and components.
Develop software to orchestrate lab experiments and data collection.
Research countermeasures for emerging threats to embedded systems.
Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams on hardware security research.
Mentor junior engineers and document approaches for sponsors.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Embedded systems

Vulnerability analysis

Reverse engineering

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering or Computer Science

Master’s or PhD in related field

Tools

X-ray imaging

PCB prototyping

Solder/chip-off techniques

Instrumentation & measurement tools

Job description

At MITRE, your passion fuels work that impacts our nation and improves lives. This is where your skills strengthen national security, cybersecurity, health, transportation, and citizen services. We’re a nonprofit engineering, applied research, and advanced technology organization working in the public interest. With objectivity and integrity at our core, we lead federally funded research and development centers for U.S. government agencies – collaborating with industry and academia to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions that advance our nation’s health, security, and prosperity. Our people tackle the toughest technical challenges, supported by competitive benefits, meaningful career development, and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. Choose MITRE for a career with purpose — and help shape the future.

MITRE’s Electronic Systems Security department is seeking to hire talented and creative engineers with a focus on hardware reverse engineering of embedded systems to support advanced research and development projects of national significance.

Qualified candidates will join a department with deep technical expertise across many embedded security disciplines including software vulnerability research and reverse engineering, hardware reverse engineering, secure computing, implementation security, and wireless security. Our diverse set of sponsors and research objectives provide a wide variety of opportunities to advance the state‑of‑the‑art in embedded security.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Senior engineers in the embedded hardware reverse engineering team will develop and apply their technical expertise to:

Perform hands‑on security assessments of embedded systems
Design and build prototypes to demonstrate advanced capabilities for measuring and instrumenting board‑and‑component‑level interfaces
Develop software for orchestrating complex lab experiments, instrumenting hardware and lab equipment for data collection, measurement, and analysis
Research and develop new approaches and countermeasures for emerging threats to embedded systems
Shape creative and innovative ideas through internal research programs to advance the state‑of‑the‑art in hardware security
Track, adapt, and apply academic and industry advances in hardware security analysis and protection techniques to secure our sponsors’ systems
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams conducting embedded security research, vulnerability assessment, and hardware/software co‑design.
Work as part of a multi‑disciplinary team, while leading tasks and/or teams of engineers
Communicate and document technical approaches, risks, and results to sponsors and stakeholders
Provide technical mentorship to junior engineers

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field and 5 years of related experience; or Master’s degree/PhD in a similar field and 3 years of related experience
Experience with embedded system tear‑down, board‑level reverse engineering, vulnerability analysis, and circuit/component modifications
Experience with board‑and‑component‑level instrumentation, measurement, and protocol analysis
Experience with printed circuit board design, layout, and understanding of component packaging
Experience with software development (e.g., C/C++, Python)
Understanding of protections against physical attacks including secure boot, tamper sensing, secure key storage, memory encryption/authentication, and debug interface disablement
Ability to independently execute complex technical work in collaborative environments
Effective oral and written communication skills
Applicants selected for this position will be subject to a US government security investigation and must be able to obtain a Department of Defense SECRET clearance
Per the U.S. Government’s eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on‑site

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree or PhD in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
Active security clearance, especially Top Secret or TS/SCI.
Experience with netlist recreation of printed circuit boards using X‑ray or destructive imaging
Experience with prototyping printed circuit boards for probing or injecting high‑speed signals
Experience with solder rework/chip‑off techniques and non‑volatile memory extraction
Experience with anti‑tamper design, implementation, evaluation, and/or research
Experience developing embedded software in C/C++
Demonstrated technical leadership and mentoring experience
Experience with one or more, and familiarity with all, of the following technical areas:
Application of side‑channel analysis and/or fault injection to black‑box systems
Analysis of cryptographic algorithms and protocols
Analysis of RF protocols
Analysis of security architectures of modern commercial processors and SoCs
Embedded firmware reverse engineering
FPGA and/or system‑on‑chip (SoC) development
Signal processing

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):

None

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):

Secret

Salary compensation range and midpoint:

$126,800 - $158,500 - $190,200 Annual

Work Location Type:

Onsite

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Commitment to Non‑Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.

MITRE intends to maintain a website that is fully accessible to all individuals. If you are unable to search or apply for jobs and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of MITRE’s employment process, please email recruitinghelp@mitre.org for general support and collegerecruiting@mitre.org for intern positions. This service is for individuals requiring reasonable accommodation requests. Please note that vendor solicitations will not receive a reply.

Benefits information may be found here (https://careers.mitre.org/us/en/benefits) .

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