Senior Research Scientist, AI-Enabled Secure Systems

NVIDIA Corporation; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 224,000 - 431,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

NVIDIA Corporation in Santa Clara, CA is seeking a Senior Research Scientist to lead AI-enabled research on secure computer systems spanning hardware, firmware, OS, runtimes, compilers, and software.

The role focuses on designing verifiable security from the outset, developing AI-driven methods for requirements, threat modeling, and proof construction, and translating advances into practical capabilities with cross-disciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in related field with 6+ years research experience.
• Proven track record through publications, patents, or collaborations.
• Deep expertise in formal methods, program analysis, or AI for code.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary research projects and mentoring.

Responsibilities

• Define a high-impact research agenda and lead AI-enabled secure system design projects.
• Develop models, agents, and tools for security requirements and threat modeling.
• Combine AI with analysis and formal verification to produce reliable results.
• Build end-to-end prototypes and evaluate on realistic hardware/software systems.
• Collaborate across hardware, software, AI, research, and product teams; publish research.

Skills

AI for code

Formal methods

Program analysis

Software security

Computer architecture

Compilers

C/C++

Python

Automated reasoning

Mentorship

Education

PhD or equivalent

Job description

We are looking for a Senior Research Scientist to lead research on using AI to design, analyze, implement, and verify secure computer systems. The work spans hardware architectures, firmware, operating systems, runtimes, compilers, libraries, and applications, combining advances in generative AI and agents with program analysis, formal methods, synthesis, computer architecture, and software engineering.

The goal is to make security a property that can be designed and verified from the outset rather than added after deployment. You will create AI-enabled techniques that help researchers and engineers express security requirements, explore designs, identify flaws, generate secure implementations, construct or check proofs, and produce trustworthy hardware and software artifacts at practical scale. NVIDIA is a leader in accelerated computing and AI systems. This role offers the opportunity to set research direction, influence future platforms, and translate foundational advances into practical capabilities in collaboration with research, product, and engineering teams.

What you’ll be doing:

• Define a high-impact research agenda and lead projects in AI-enabled secure system design, implementation, analysis, and verification.
• Develop models, agents, and tools for security requirements and specification, threat modeling, architecture exploration, secure code and hardware generation, program analysis, synthesis, and proof construction.
• Combine AI techniques with static and dynamic analysis, formal verification, symbolic reasoning, testing, and domain-specific security knowledge to produce reliable and machine-checkable results.
• Build end-to-end prototypes and evaluate them on realistic hardware and software systems, measuring security, correctness, scalability, performance, and human productivity.
• Collaborate across hardware, software, AI, research, and product teams; publish original research; mentor researchers and interns; and translate advances into practical developer and design capabilities.

What we need to see:

• A Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent research experience.
• 6+ years of relevant experience, with an established record of research excellence demonstrated through influential publications, open-source systems, patents, technology transfer, or substantial research collaborations.
• Deep expertise in one or more relevant areas such as formal methods, program analysis, programming languages, software or hardware security, computer architecture, compilers, AI for code, or automated reasoning and synthesis.
• Experience defining and leading ambiguous, multi-disciplinary research projects and providing technical mentorship.
• Strong implementation and experimental skills in C, C++, Python, hardware description languages, theorem provers, analysis frameworks, or relevant AI/ML tooling.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to connect foundational research with real engineering and product needs.

We are looking for a creative, collaborative, and self-directed researcher who wants to use AI to change how secure computer systems are conceived, built, and verified.

Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 224,000 USD - 356,500 USD for Level 5, and 272,000 USD - 431,250 USD for Level 6.

You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.

Applications for this job will be accepted at least until October 26, 2026.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.

NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.