Principal Vulnerability Researcher (Embedded Systems)

Location: Herndon, Virginia, United States; onsite

Salary: $180,779–$289,014 USD annually

Company

hirify.global builds and deploys innovative products and advanced security solutions for complex challenges and national security missions.

What you will do

• Conduct vulnerability research on complex embedded systems.
• Develop tools and techniques to automate tasks that traditionally require extensive manual reverse engineering.
• Create proof-of-concept exploits and support follow-on product development or handoff to development teams.
• Lead novel research projects, provide technical direction, and present findings to clients and key stakeholders.
• Mentor junior engineers and researchers through knowledge sharing, code reviews, and hands-on guidance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical discipline; equivalent practical experience may substitute.
• Extensive C/C++ and Python development, debugging, and scripting experience in Linux command-line environments, including low-level programming, memory management, and system interaction.
• Experience with reverse engineering and vulnerability research using IDA Pro, Binary Ninja, or Ghidra.
• Expertise in one or more areas including firmware analysis, ARM/MIPS/PowerPC/RTOS, QEMU-based firmware rehosting, fuzzing, exploit development, binary obfuscation, wireless protocols, file-system forensics, or fault injection.
• Experience leading engineers and researchers.
• Active Top Secret clearance and eligibility or willingness to obtain Top Secret/SCI clearance required; active TS/SCI with Poly preferred.

Nice to have

• Client-facing technical experience.
• Reverse engineering binary and data payloads across multiple architectures and custom file formats.
• Hardware analysis involving PCB and component identification, hardware manipulation, JTAG, UART, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers.

Culture & Benefits

• Collaborative work with vulnerability researchers, CNO developers, and hardware engineers.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life and disability insurance and retirement benefits.
• Paid leave, tuition assistance, and professional development support.