Senior Principal Cyber Engineer

Nightwing; Sterling (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Signing bonus may be available

Employee referral award eligibility

Job summary

A leading cybersecurity firm in Sterling, Virginia, seeks a Sr. Principal Cyber Engineer to tackle real-time challenges on-site. This role requires significant experience in C/C++ development on Unix/Linux, mobile platform knowledge, and current TS/SCI clearance. Join a team focused on high-impact native applications with mentorship opportunities. Candidates should have a technical degree and familiarity with disassemblers. Competitive compensation and a signing bonus may be offered.

Qualifications

• Requires a degree in a technical discipline.
• Experience with CNE techniques and methodologies on Android and Linux.
• Team or task leadership experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Solve real-time cyber challenges on site with end users.
• Join a team of developers building high-impact native applications.
• Integrate reverse engineering results into development products.

Skills

Current TS/SCI clearance

Experience developing for Android or another mobile platform

At least 10 years of experience with C/C++ on Unix/Linux

Familiarity with static decompilers & disassemblers

Experience with large open-source projects

Education

Degree in a technical discipline

Tools

HexRays

Ghidra

git

Atlassian products

Job description

Nightwing provides technically advanced full-spectrum cyber, data operations, systems integration, and intelligence mission support services to meet our customers’ most demanding challenges. Our capabilities include cyber space operations, cyber defense and resiliency, vulnerability research, ubiquitous technical surveillance, data intelligence, lifecycle mission enablement, and software modernization. Nightwing brings disruptive technologies, agility, and competitive offerings to customers in the intelligence community, defense, civil, and commercial markets.

Sr. Principal Cyber Engineer

CODEX Overview

Nightwing’s CODEX (Cyber Offense and Defense Experts) division brings together an elite team of mission‑focused industry experts who are well known for their ability to overcome the most advanced technical challenges. The team comprises engineers of multiple disciplines, including vulnerability research, reverse engineering, CNO/CNE development, hardware emulation, system engineering, and data analytics. Our engineers do more than just work with cutting‑edge technology—they ensure missions succeed for our customers. CODEX offices span the nation and offer its engineers the ability to advance their careers through mentorship, training, and an expansive technical portfolio that covers every side of cyber.

Principal Cyber Engineer

CODEX is seeking a cyber engineer to join our team to solve real‑time cyber challenges, working on site with our end users in their spaces. Applicants will join a team of developers building high‑impact native applications for mobile devices, with continuous and meaningful feedback from users. Applicants are expected to integrate reverse engineering results into development products and expand their knowledge of the mobile platform to meet development objectives and customer requirements.

The place of performance for this work is at a Nightwing site in Sterling, Virginia.

Technical Requirements

• Current TS/SCI clearance is required
• Experience developing for Android or another mobile platform
• At least 10 years of experience with C/C++ on Unix/Linux platforms using Make/CMake build systems
• Familiarity with static decompilers (e.g., HexRays) & disassemblers (e.g., Ghidra)
• Experience developing against or working with large open‑source projects (e.g., AOSP)

Desired Experience

• Team or task leadership experience
• Understanding of CNE techniques and methodologies on Android and Linux
• Experience with the ARM64/ARM32 architecture or other similar platforms
• Familiarity with Atlassian products (Bitbucket, Bamboo, JIRA, etc.)
• Familiarity with version control software such as git
• Reverse engineering ARM binaries
• Developing proof‑of‑concept exploit software

Education Requirements

Requires a degree in a technical discipline.

This position is not relocation eligible, but a signing bonus may be an option for the sufficiently qualified candidate.

ERIN Eligibility

This requisition is eligible for an employee referral award. All eligibility requirements must be met to receive the referral award.

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, veteran status, age, or any other federally protected class.

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.