Senior/Principal R&D Cybersecurity - Artificial Intelligence, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 118,000 - 236,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Relocation assistance

Amenities for work-life balance

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories seeks an AI cybersecurity researcher to analyze the security and robustness of AI systems and to develop protective technologies for national security. You will explore vulnerabilities, reverse engineer code, and evaluate AI software across embedded, mobile, desktop, and cloud environments.

Requires five+ years in AI/ML and cybersecurity, strong programming skills (Python/C/C++), and ability to obtain DOE Q and SCI clearance. Onsite work and travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five years of directly relevant experience or equivalent education/experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q and SCI clearance, which may require a polygraph.
• Experience in AI/ML cybersecurity, vulnerability assessment, and related areas.

Responsibilities

• Develop state-of-the-art approaches for analyzing AI security and robustness.
• Study vulnerabilities in AI systems and how attackers exploit them.
• Reverse engineering and analysis of malicious code for high-impact customers.
• Research firmware and analyze device software and protocols.
• Create new analysis methods, tools, and threat models for AI security.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Strong communication

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Creative thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

Graduate degree preferred

Tools

Python

C/C++

Ghidra/IDA Pro

PyTorch/TensorFlow

Scripting

Job description

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide


• Extraordinary co-workers


• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world


• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities


• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)


• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

• These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like

Are you a AI cybersecurity researcher who enjoys a challenge? Are you passionate about understanding AI/ML and whether it is securely deployed? Research dedicated to keeping AI systems safe and thwarting cyber intrusions? Are you dreaming of a chance to develop protective technologies, conduct threat assessments, and analyze government, military, and civilian systems that make use of AI? If so, this is the opportunity for you to join Sandia's unique multidisciplinary team committed to solving the Artificial Intelligence security challenges facing our nation. As part of our team, you will engage in work across the technology spectrum including embedded, mobile, desktop, enterprise, and cloud systems, as well as globally connected networks of networks that make use of AI at the edge with a focus on how to protect these technologies from cyber-attack.

• Developing state of the art approaches for analyzing the security and robustness of AI systems.


• Applying these approaches to understanding vulnerabilities in AI systems and how attackers adapt their tradecraft to exploit those vulnerabilities.


• Reverse engineering malicious code in support of high-impact customers.


• Low-level research in multiple levels of firmware.


• Analyzing device software, hardware, and communications protocols.


• Designing and developing new analysis methods and tools.


• Working to identify and address emerging and complex threats to AI systems and effectively participating in the broader security community.


• Influencing the AI security and vulnerability disclosure ecosystems.


• Evaluating the effectiveness of tools, techniques and processes developed by the AI security research government community.


• Uncovering and shaping some of the fundamental assumptions underlying current best practice in AI security.


• Developing thought models, tools and data sets that can be used to characterize the threats to, and vulnerabilities in, AI systems.


• Identifying opportunities to apply AI to improve existing cybersecurity research.

Applicants on this requisition may be interviewed by multiple organizations at Sandia National Laboratories.

Some travel is required.

Due to the nature of the job, the selected candidate must be able to work onsite.

Salary Range

$117,500 - $235,700

• Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications We Require

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.


• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q and SCI clearance which may require a polygraph test.

Qualifications We Desire

The ideal R&D Cybersecurity candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Computer Science/Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Information Systems, Computer Forensics, Mathematics or a directly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).


• Experience in one or more of the following: reverse engineering, software vulnerability assessment, web application assessment, computer networking, computer architecture, compilers, or similar computer security topics.


• Proficiency in scripting or high-level programming.


• Familiarity with secure-system design principles and information assurance principles.


• Excellent communication skills and a demonstrated ability to develop technical ideas and results and present them in oral and written form in a concise manner.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• Five or more years of experience in AI/ML and cybersecurity


• A deep interest in AI/ML and cybersecurity with natural intellectual curiosity and a desire to make broad impact throughout the United Stated Government.


• Experience with adversarial machine learning, ML vulnerabilities, and attack vectors


• Practical experience with applying cybersecurity knowledge toward vulnerability research, analysis, and mitigation.


• You have familiarity with common AI/ML software packages and tools (e.g., Numpy, Pytorch, Tensorflow, etc.)


• Using LLM's and agentic models.


• Implementing and engineering AI systems.


• Knowledge of the AI state of the art and proven desire to keep that knowledge up to date.


• Proficiency in scripting, Python, C/C++, high and/or low-level programming.


• Familiarity with reverse engineering tools such as Ghidra or IDA Pro.


• Experience developing frameworks, methodologies, or assessments to evaluate effectiveness and robustness of technologies.


• Active DOE Q or DOD TS security clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain an SCI.


• Excellent communication skills and a demonstrated ability to develop technical ideas and results and present them in oral and written form in a concise manner.

About Our Team

As a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), Sandia National Laboratories is continually asked to help address the country's most pressing national security needs. In the Threat Intelligence Center, the mission of the Information Operations Program is to assess, design, implement and influence the development of national security-related information systems and technologies in support of Defense and Intelligence customers and their national security missions.

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance and SCI access, both of which require US citizenship. SCI access may also require a polygraph examination. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain these levels of access may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by the DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

Eeo

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements For MedPEDs

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.