Project/Unit Description The Embedded Systems Vulnerability Division (ESVD) within CIPHER leverages extensive expertise in hardware, software, network, and RF communications to identify and evaluate cyber vulnerabilities in military assets, industrial control systems, and critical infrastructure systems. The Division specializes in wireless and embedded devices such as radios, modems, routers and embedded controllers comprising various military and ICS networks. Red and Blue team activities focus on vulnerability discovery and the development and demonstration of multi-domain techniques to gain unauthorized access to and/or exploit information networks. These efforts identify weaknesses and help ensure that mitigations are effective. CIPHER researchers participate in Government working groups on topics relating to cyber vulnerability assessments and collaborate with Georgia Tech faculty on the security of embedded systems.
Job Purpose The Cyber Security Software Engineer designs, develops, and tests cybersecurity software in languages such as Java, C, and C++. The Cyber Security Software Engineer requires extensive knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems in order to apply engineering principles to software creation. The necessary skill areas for the Cyber Security Software Engineer include programming and coding, fundamentals of computer science, design and architecture, algorithms and data structures, information analysis, debugging software, and testing software. The Cyber Security Software Engineer also creates novel cyber security technology components and software to ensure that critical systems and information are resilient to cyber exploits and attacks. The researcher also performs attendant vulnerability assessments, analysis, and software engineering and design. The Cyber Security Software Engineer also develops hardware and software prototypes, and tests those prototypes in realistic environments.
Key Responsibilities - Perform software development, software testing/debugging, software modification/enhancement, and software documentation
- Develop and maintain kernel and user-level software and scripts
- Contribute to technical reports and presentations
- Assist with performing software assurance scans with tools approved by stakeholders
Additional Responsibilities - Assist in static and dynamic analysis of software/firmware components of embedded system
- Assist in development of software analysis tools to assist in the reverse engineering process, implementing methods to help in determining software functionality
- Assist in development and use of virtual and emulation environments for executing software under test
- Assist in data protocol analysis (network, RF, etc)
- Perform digital forensics on computer and embedded equipment
- Participate in designing and/or testing of embedded circuit boards
Required Minimum Qualifications - Experience with firmware/software reverse engineering
- Experience with disassemblers such as Ghidra and IdaPro
- Experience with 1 or more programming languages (e.g. Python, C/C++, Rust)
Preferred Qualifications - Active Secret Clearance
- Experience interacting with software test environments to include virtualized and emulative environments capable of executing the software under test (e.g. VMware, VirtualBox, QEMU, Unicorn)
- Experience developing plugins for disassemblers
- Experience with capture the flag events
- Experience with hardware reverse engineering
- Experience developing embedded systems
- Experience with PCB level communication buses (SPI, I2C, Etc)
- Experience with software defined radios
- Experience with debuggers
- Experience with dynamic/static analysis and fuzzing
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
Travel RequirementsEducation and Length of Experience This position vacancy is an open-rank announcement.The final job offerwill be dependent on candidate qualifications in alignment with Research Faculty Extension Professional ranks as outlined in section 3.2.1 of the Georgia Tech Faculty Handbook
- 0 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree inElectrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related engineering/scientific
field
Please refer to our Research Faculty Technical Level Guidelines for minimum requirements at the higher levels.
U.S. Citizenship Requirements Due to our research contracts with the U.S. federal government, candidates for this position must be U.S. Citizens.
Clearance Type Required Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain an active security clearance.
Benefits at GTRI Comprehensive information on currently offered GTRI benefits, including Health & Welfare, Retirement Plans, Tuition Reimbursement, Time Off, and Professional Development, can be found through this link: https://benefits.hr.gatech.edu/.
