Senior Software Engineer

pqshield; United States; Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Share options

Home office budget

Health insurance

25 days annual leave

Gym discount

Job summary

pqshield is seeking a senior engineer to design and implement cryptographic software for next-generation embedded platforms, blending classical and post-quantum cryptography with low-level systems programming.

You will work on RISC-V based subsystems, optimize performance, harden against side-channel threats, and ensure compliance with standards while collaborating across teams.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in CS or mathematics with cryptography focus.
• Proficiency in C and Assembly for bare-metal environments.
• Knowledge of classical and PQC algorithms and relevant standards.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and test classical and post-quantum cryptographic primitives.
• Develop cryptographic solutions on hardware platforms (FPGAs, coprocessors) for ARM/RISC-V.
• Harden implementations against side-channel and fault-injection attacks.
• Integrate cryptographic APIs and drivers following standards like NIST/FIPS.
• Participate in performance benchmarking, code reviews, and security analyses.
• Support security standards compliance, threat modeling, and risk assessments.

Skills

C programming

Assembly

Cryptography

PQC familiarity

Problem solving

Education

Master's degree

PhD preferred

Job description

A senior engineering role focused on designing and implementing cryptographic software for next-generation secure embedded platforms. The position sits at the intersection of classical and post-quantum cryptography, low-level systems programming, and hardware-aware security engineering, contributing to a RISC-V-based subsystem IP with advanced cryptographic algorithm support.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and test classical and post-quantum cryptographic primitives, with emphasis on functional correctness, interoperability, and optimized performance across software environments.
• Develop and integrate cryptographic solutions on hardware platforms such as FPGAs and hardware cryptographic coprocessors, focusing on acceleration and secure implementation on ARM and RISC-V architectures.
• Harden implementations against side-channel analysis, fault injection attacks, and other physical or logical threats through constant-time design and related countermeasures.
• Integrate with cryptographic system and application APIs, including standards such as GlobalPlatform, ARM Platform Security Architecture, and Linux kernel drivers.
• Contribute to performance benchmarking, code and design review meetings, and security-focused reviews including static, dynamic, and formal-method-based analysis.
• Support compliance with relevant security standards and participate in threat modeling and risk assessments related to cryptographic software.

Requirements

• Master's or PhD degree in computer science, mathematics, or a related field, with a strong background in cryptography or computer security.
• Proficiency in C and Assembly, with a focus on resource-constrained, bare-metal environments.
• Familiarity with classical and post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, including NIST PQC candidates, and a solid understanding of NIST and FIPS publications and compliance requirements.
• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills, with the ability to translate cryptographic research into production-grade implementations.

Nice to have

• Experience with Rust and with secure coding practices for embedded targets.
• Hands-on familiarity with side-channel attack vectors (timing, power, EM) and corresponding mitigation strategies.
• Working knowledge of security certification frameworks such as FIPS 140-3, SESIP, PSA Certified, or Common Criteria.
• Ability to read and implement specifications directly from cryptographic research papers.

Benefits and work setup

• Competitive compensation including a share option scheme.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements, plus a working-from-home budget.
• Private health insurance covering the employee and their family.
• 25 days of annual leave in addition to bank holidays and two wellness weeks.
• 50% gym membership discount.

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