Vulnerability Researcher

About the role

We are searching for a self-motivated Vulnerability Researcher to join our Cyberspace Operations Research Department in Reston, VA of the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State University.

Responsibilities

• Research cutting edge techniques and technologies for system exploitation
• Leverage expertise in reverse engineering, vulnerability research, and software development to address established needs and investigate solutions to emerging requirements
• Apply software engineering best practices to create proof-of-concept tools and configure test environments to perform demonstrations to sponsors and partners
• Afford assistance to the Cyberspace Operations Research Department Head in maintaining relationships with sponsors through on-site technical discussions, preparation and presentation of technical materials, and project-related correspondence
• Provide process enhancement for technical functionality evaluation, vulnerability analyses, cyberspace operations engineering, and penetration testing projects
• Apply project management principles and methods to the leadership of tasks or projects
• Provide guidance to lower-level engineers to foster professional growth

Required skills/experience areas

• Documented application of reverse engineering and vulnerability testing tools (e.g. Ghidra/IDA, Kali Linux, Angr/AFL++, QEMU/Unicorn, etc)
• Reverse engineering, vulnerability research, malware analysis, and/or CNO tool development
• Computer networking fundamentals, Windows and *NIX operating systems, X86(64) and ARM or MIPS architectures
• Cyber operations architecture and software engineering practices
• Software programming, programming languages, and development environments (to include at a minimum C, Java, or Python)
• Ability to express technical information clearly and concisely in documents and presentations for senior leaders to successfully comprehend and leverage for decision making
• Active government security clearance at TS/SCI level with eligibility for special accesses

Preferred skills/experience areas

• Cybersecurity exploit development and test environment configuration
• Cybersecurity penetration testing / cybersecurity Red Team testing / white hat hacking
• Military cyberspace operations or computer network operations
• Demonstrated history of successful project initiation efforts
• Agile software development methodology and tools
• Atlassian products (e.g., JIRA, Confluence)

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science
• 14+ years of relevant experience for Research and Development Engineer - Cyber Security (ARL) - Senior Professional
• 5+ years of relevant experience for Research and Development Engineer - Cyber Security (ARL) - Advanced Professional
• 2+ years of relevant experience for Research and Development Engineer - Cyber Security (ARL) - Intermediate Professional

Benefits

• Salary range: $127,080.00 - $277,200.00
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Robust retirement plans
• Substantial paid time off including holidays, vacation, and sick time
• 75% tuition discount for employees, spouses, and children

Pay

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $127,080.00 - $277,200.00. This salary range includes an adjustment based on required geographic work location.

Schedule

Your working location will be fully on-site located in Reston, VA, but options exist for occasional hybrid of on-site/work from home based on project-dependent ability. This position will require periodic travel to remote locations in support of testing as part of a small team of researchers, engineers, and technologists.

Application Instructions

Please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants. Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.