Telecom / ISP Exploitation Engineer APPLIED AI RE VR ERICSSON HUAWEI NOKIA ZTE New York, NY / On Site →

Zealot Labs, Inc.; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Zealot Labs, Inc. seeks engineers to build AI systems that identify and exploit vulnerabilities in telecom and ISP infrastructure. You will reverse engineer firmware and management planes from leading vendors to train models that generalize across platforms.

You will target subscriber-edge components (BRAS/BNG, RADIUS/DIAMETER stacks) and develop AI tools to map attack paths through SS7, GTP, and DIAMETER at scale. Strong telecom security experience is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience in telecom or ISP infrastructure security.
• Familiarity with carrier-grade platforms and protocols.
• Reverse engineering firmware or network operating systems is a plus.
• Strong C/C++ or Python for tooling and exploit development.

Responsibilities

• Build AI systems to find and exploit vulnerabilities in carrier-grade telecom and ISP infrastructure.
• Reverse engineer firmware and management planes on equipment from major vendors to train generalized models.
• Target subscriber-edge infrastructure where authentication, session control, and policy enforcement converge.
• Develop AI-driven tooling that discovers attack paths through SS7, GTP, DIAMETER, and carrier routing at scale.
• Turn deep telecom domain knowledge into data and systems that let machines operate at backbone scale.
• Show strong experience with telecom or ISP infrastructure security and carrier-grade platforms.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Job description

Zealot is deploying AI systems at the center of western cyber operations , backed by tier-1 US VCs and industry leaders. Our team includes alumni of Anthropic, xAI, and Anduril. Soon live with close U.S. allies abroad.

APPLIED AI RE VR ERICSSON HUAWEI NOKIA ZTE

Compensation 100K-195K + skin in the game equity

Location New York, NY On Site

Stage Early-stage startup backed by tier 1 investors. Small, growing team with exceptionally high ownership.

• + Build AI systems that find and exploit vulnerabilities in carrier-grade telecom and ISP infrastructure: core routers, BRAS/BNG, GPON/EPON, DSLAM, CMTS, and mobile packet core.
• + Reverse engineer firmware and management planes on equipment from Nokia, Ericsson, Huawei, ZTE, Calix, and similar vendors to train models that generalize across platforms.
• + Target subscriber-edge infrastructure (BRAS, BNG, AAA systems, and RADIUS/DIAMETER stacks) where authentication, session control, and policy enforcement converge.
• + Develop AI-driven tooling that discovers attack paths through SS7, GTP, DIAMETER, and carrier routing infrastructure at scale.
• + Turn deep telecom domain knowledge into the systems and data that let machines operate at the backbone level.
• + Strong experience with telecom or ISP infrastructure security: core networks, access networks, or carrier routing.
• + Familiarity with carrier-grade platforms: Cisco IOS-XR, Juniper Junos, Nokia SR OS, Huawei VRP, or similar.
• + Understanding of telecom protocols: SS7/SIGTRAN, GTP, DIAMETER, RADIUS, MPLS, BGP at carrier scale, GPON/EPON.
• + Experience reverse engineering network equipment firmware or proprietary network operating systems.
• + Strong C/C++ or Python skills for tooling and exploit development.

Nice to Have

• + Experience with mobile core network elements (MME, SGW, PGW, HSS, or 5G equivalents).
• + Familiarity with BRAS/BNG, DSLAM, CMTS, OLT, or other access and subscriber-edge network equipment.
• + Published CVEs or advisories against telecom or ISP equipment vendors.
• + Experience with TR-069/CWMP, NETCONF/YANG, RADIUS/DIAMETER AAA, or carrier management protocols.
• + Experience building with LLMs and AI agents.
• + Background in CNO, SIGINT, or government telecom operations.
• + Clearly interested in stepping away from purely manual research and moving toward the development of AI systems.
• + Building something massive matters more to you than comfort, titles, or predictability.
• + You want to be early at a company that will change an industry, and you're ready to do what that actually takes.

Note to recruiting firms: Telecom or ISP infrastructure security experience is the core requirement. Carrier-grade routing, mobile core, or access network experience is essential. Candidates from telco vendor security teams, CNO backgrounds, or ISP engineering are ideal.

Ready?