Systems Engineer IV - Electrical Engineer (Hardware Forensics Lead)

Argo Cyber Systems; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Argo Cyber Systems seeks an experienced Electrical Engineer / Hardware Forensics Lead to establish and operate a government Chip-Off Forensics Laboratory in support of DHS missions. You will direct advanced hardware forensic investigations on embedded devices, ICS, and IoT architectures, working with incident responders and reverse engineers.

This senior role requires active TS/SCI clearance, U.S. citizenship, and a track record building laboratories, defining procedures, and delivering

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship with Active TS/SCI clearance.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related STEM; 10+ years hardware experience.
• Experience establishing or operating hardware laboratories.
• Strong soldering, desoldering, and micro-rework skills.
• Experience recovering data from flash memory technologies.
• Experience using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and related equipment.
• Experience analyzing embedded systems and proprietary hardware.

Responsibilities

• Lead establishment of Chip-Off Forensics Laboratory from design to readiness.
• Perform chip-off extraction from flash memory and other storage tech.
• Analyze embedded processors, MCUs, FPGAs, and SoC architectures.
• Develop repeatable forensic workflows and documentation.
• Collaborate with DHS engineers and incident response teams.

Skills

Chip-Off Forensics

Hardware Reverse Engineering

Embedded Systems

Digital Forensics

PCB Analysis

NAND Flash Recovery

Firmware Analysis

JTAG/I2C/SWD

Oscilloscopes & Test Equipment

SoC Architecture

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related STEM

Master's or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science

Professional Engineer (PE) License

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Logic Analyzers

Multimeters

JTAG

SPI

UART

I2C

Job description

Job Description

Job DescriptionSystems Engineer IV – Electrical Engineer (Hardware Forensics Lead)Location: Government Facility (Onsite)Security Clearance: Active TS/SCI RequiredCustomer: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)Employment Type: Full-Time

About Argo Cyber

Argo Cyber Systems is a veteran-owned cybersecurity company delivering advanced cyber operations, incident response, digital forensics, cloud security, and engineering services to the U.S. Government and critical infrastructure organizations. Our professionals support some of the Nation's most complex cybersecurity missions by combining technical expertise with operational excellence.

We are seeking an experienced Electrical Engineer / Hardware Forensics Lead to establish and lead a next-generation Chip-Off Forensics Laboratory supporting a high-priority DHS mission. This position is ideal for an engineer with deep expertise in embedded electronics, hardware reverse engineering, and forensic data extraction who enjoys solving technically challenging problems involving sophisticated cyber threats.

Position Overview

The Systems Engineer IV serves as the senior technical authority responsible for designing, establishing, and operating a government Chip-Off Forensics Laboratory supporting cyber incident response operations.

You will lead hardware forensic investigations involving compromised embedded devices, network appliances, IoT systems, industrial control systems (ICS), and proprietary electronics where traditional forensic methods cannot recover evidence.

Working alongside incident responders, malware analysts, digital forensic specialists, and reverse engineers, you will develop advanced hardware forensic capabilities that directly support national cybersecurity operations.

Primary Responsibilities

Hardware Forensics LeadershipLead establishment of a government Chip-Off Forensics Laboratory from initial design through operational readiness.Develop laboratory architecture, workflows, equipment standards, and technical operating procedures.Serve as the technical authority for hardware forensic investigations.Evaluate and recommend advanced laboratory equipment and forensic technologies.Manage laboratory capability growth and future technology roadmap.Hardware AnalysisPerform chip-off forensic extraction from flash memory, NAND, NOR, EEPROM, eMMC, UFS, and other storage technologies.Conduct PCB analysis and reverse engineering.Analyze embedded processors, microcontrollers, FPGAs, and System-on-Chip (SoC) architectures.Recover digital evidence from damaged, encrypted, or inaccessible storage devices.Analyze hardware targeted by sophisticated threat actors.Embedded Systems SecurityConduct forensic analysis of embedded devices.Analyze firmware and bootloaders.Investigate hardware-assisted persistence techniques.Identify hardware modifications used to evade detection.Support investigations involving malware embedded within firmware or hardware components.Laboratory OperationsSpecify, procure, install, and maintain laboratory equipment.Develop repeatable forensic methodologies.Create laboratory documentation and technical procedures.Ensure chain-of-custody requirements are maintained.Support quality assurance and continuous process improvement.Technical CollaborationPartner with Nightwing SMEs, DHS engineers, and incident response teams.Provide technical consultation during active cyber investigations.Deliver reach-back engineering support for complex forensic cases.Participate in technology demonstrations and customer briefings.Train government analysts on advanced chip-off forensic techniques.

Required Qualifications

U.S. CitizenshipActive Top Secret / SCI ClearanceAbility to obtain DHS SuitabilityBachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related STEM discipline10+ years of professional experience in electrical engineering, embedded hardware design, digital electronics, or hardware securityDemonstrated experience establishing or operating hardware laboratoriesExpert understanding of digital electronics and PCB architectureStrong soldering, desoldering, and micro-rework experienceExperience recovering data from flash memory technologiesExperience using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, and related laboratory equipmentExperience analyzing embedded systems and proprietary hardwareStrong technical writing and documentation skills

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer ScienceProfessional Engineer (PE) LicenseDoD 8140 IAT Level III CertificationPMP CertificationExperience supporting DHS, DoD, FBI, NSA, or other Federal cyber programsExperience supporting incident response operationsExperience performing firmware reverse engineeringKnowledge of JTAG, SPI, UART, SWD, and I²C interfacesExperience with IoT,ICS, or Operational Technology devicesExperience with NAND reconstruction and advanced flash recoveryFamiliarity with secure boot technologies and Trusted Platform Modules (TPM)

Desired Technical Skills

Chip-Off ForensicsHardware Reverse EngineeringEmbedded SystemsDigital ForensicsPCB AnalysisNAND Flash RecoveryFirmware AnalysisJTAGSPIUARTI²CSWDLogic AnalyzersOscilloscopeseMMCUFSEEPROMSoC ArchitectureEmbedded LinuxARM ProcessorsHardware SecurityMalware AnalysisDigital Evidence RecoveryICS/OT Security

What Success Looks Like

Within your first year you will:Successfully establish a fully operational Chip-Off Forensics Laboratory.Develop repeatable forensic workflows and standard operating procedures.Train government analysts on advanced hardware forensic techniques.Enable forensic recovery from devices that cannot be analyzed using conventional methods.Expand the customer's hardware forensic capabilities to support advanced cyber investigations.

Why Join Argo Cyber?

Mission-focused work supporting national cybersecurityHigh-impact engineering challengesOpportunity to build a first-of-its-kind government capabilityCollaboration with nationally recognized cyber expertsAccess to cutting-edge forensic technologiesProfessional development and technical trainingCompetitive compensation and comprehensive benefits

Background & Drug Screening Disclaimer

© Argo Cyber Systems, LLC - All Rights ReservedArgo Cyber Systems, LLC is committed to maintaining a safe, secure, and trusted workplace for all employees and our federal clients. Employment with Argo Cyber Systems is contingent upon successful completion of all required background investigations and pre-employment screenings, which may include, but are not limited to:Criminal background checks (federal, state, and local)Employment and education verificationReference checksDrug screening (in compliance with federal and state law)Security clearance verification (as applicable for classified positions)Candidates selected for employment in positions requiring access to sensitive or classified information may also be subject to additional U.S. Government background investigations and security adjudication processes, including DHS Entry on Duty (EOD) suitability or equivalent federal clearance requirements.Argo Cyber Systems reserves the right to disqualify or rescind an offer of employment based on the results of any background or screening process that, in the company's judgment, may impact an individual's ability to perform essential job functions or meet contractual obligations.All background investigations and screenings are conducted in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Candidates will be notified of their rights and provided an opportunity to review and dispute any adverse findings before final employment determinations are made.