Sr Applied Scientist, Amazon Cryptographic Libraries

Socket.dev; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 167,000 - 226,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Amazon’s ACL team, which owns AWS-LC, seeks a highly skilled researcher to develop machine-checked proofs of cryptographic correctness. You will write formal specifications, implement proofs in interactive provers, and verify algorithms across production-grade code.

You will work with HOL Light, CBMC, Verus, and Lean to verify low-level cryptographic code and contribute to security-critical software deployed at scale. A PhD or equivalent research experience is required.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent research experience.
• Experience in mathematical logic, formal verification, satisfiability solving, mechanical theorem proving, model checking, or program analysis.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain machine-checked proofs of correctness for cryptographic implementations.
• Specify the functional behavior of low-level cryptographic code in formal notation and verify it using provers.
• Apply formal methods and rigorous testing to raise assurance for a security-critical codebase.
• Contribute to cryptographic algorithm implementation and optimization for production use.
• Mentor others and contribute to the community on advanced technical issues.
• Publish patents and peer-reviewed articles and present research publicly.

Skills

Mathematical logic

Formal verification

Satisfiability solving

Mechanical theorem proving

Model checking

Program analysis

Rust

C

Assembly

Education

PhD or equivalent research experience

Tools

HOL Light

CBMC

Verus

Lean

Job description

Key job responsibilities

• Develop and maintain machine-checked proofs of correctness for cryptographic implementations in AWS-LC.
• Specify the functional behavior of low-level cryptographic code (Rust, C, assembly) in formal notation and verify it using both automatic and interactive provers, such as HOL-Light, Verus and CBMC.
• Apply formal methods, program analysis, and rigorous testing to raise the assurance bar of a security-critical, widely deployed codebase.
• Contribute to the implementation and optimization of cryptographic algorithms, including post-quantum algorithms (ML-KEM, ML-DSA, SLH-DSA) for production use.
• Assist in the career development of others, actively mentoring individuals and the community on advanced technical issues.
• Publish patents and peer-reviewed articles and present your research both internally and externally

A day in the life

You take a cryptographic algorithm that needs to be provably correct and write the formal specification of its behavior, the code and the proof of correctness. You develop the proof in an interactive theorem prover, assisted by state-of-the-art AI models and iterate until the machine checks it end to end. Some days you are debugging a proof obligation; other days you are reading a paper on a new verification technique or helping refine an algorithm implementation, so it is both fast and amenable to proof. Your proofs back code that is validated for FIPS and deployed across AWS.

About the team

ACL owns AWS-LC (Amazon's FIPS-validated cryptographic library) and manages third-party cryptographic libraries. We build the cryptographic foundation under nearly every AWS service and a growing set of external open-source projects. Applied Scientists on the team own algorithm-level and assembly performance work and partner deeply with AWS's Automated Reasoning Group on formal verification.

Basic Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent research experience
• Experience in any of the following areas: mathematical logic, formal verification, satisfiability solving (eg SAT/SMT), mechanical theorem proving, model checking, or program analysis

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with automatic or interactive program verification tools, such as HOL Light, CBMC, Verus, or Lean.
• Experience specifying or verifying low-level software (machine code or assembly)
• Familiarity with cryptographic primitives and their implementation
• Low-level or systems programming experience in Rust, C or assembly
• Familiarity with post-quantum cryptography (lattice-based, code-based, or hash-based schemes)

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location.

• sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs)
• health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage)
• 401(k) matching
• paid time off
• parental leave

USA, WA, Seattle - 167,100.00 - 226,100.00 USD annually