CACI International

Senior Vulnerability Researcher (Cloud & Containers)

CACI International$113K — $237K *
Information Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7+ years of experience in vulnerability research or low-level engineering.
  • Proven ability to find vulnerabilities in distributed systems or container runtimes.
  • Experience with Kubernetes security architecture and service mesh technologies.
  • Understanding of Linux kernel internals, namespaces, and cgroups.
  • Strong Python skills for scripting and automation.
  • Knowledge of cloud provider security (AWS, Azure, GCP).
  • Must be a US Citizen able to maintain a security clearance.

Responsibilities

  • Investigate edge-case behaviors in containerized environments to find hidden attack surfaces.
  • Conduct deep-dive research into OCI runtimes and Linux kernel primitives for security analysis.
  • Develop tools and scripts in Python3 for automating research workflows and memory analysis.
  • Perform static and dynamic analysis on binaries using tools like IDA Pro and Ghidra.
  • Build and maintain custom fuzzing harnesses to test gRPC interfaces and microservices.
  • Utilize concolic execution tools to uncover complex execution paths and bypass checks.
  • Document findings and report technical complexities to security and engineering teams.

Benefits

  • Healthcare and wellness programs.
  • Financial and retirement plans.
  • Family support benefits.
  • Ongoing learning and development opportunities.
  • Flexible work-life balance options.
Full Job Description
Job Title: Senior Vulnerability Researcher (Cloud & Containers)

Job Category: Engineering

Time Type: Full time

Minimum Clearance Required to Start: None

Employee Type: Regular

Percentage of Travel Required: Up to 10%

Type of Travel: Continental US

* * *

The Opportunity:
We are seeking a Senior Vulnerability Researcher with deep expertise in cloud-native architecture, container runtimes, and advanced binary analysis/reverse engineering. This role is ideal for a low-level expert who thrives on technical ambiguity and enjoys hunting for vulnerabilities within the "DNA of the cloud." You will use automated reasoning and manual deep-dives to uncover escapes and logic flaws in Kubernetes infrastructure, playing a key role in evaluating the security of critical distributed systems and contributing directly to national cybersecurity efforts.

Responsibilities:

  • Investigate edge-case behaviors in containerized environments and low-level system initialization logic to reveal hidden attack surfaces.
  • Conduct deep-dive research into OCI runtimes (runc, crun) and Linux kernel primitives (namespaces, cgroups, eBPF) to identify breakout and privilege escalation paths.
  • Develop custom tools and scripts (primarily in Python3) to automate research workflows, protocol decoding, and memory analysis.
  • Perform static and dynamic analysis on compiled binaries (Go, Rust, C++) using IDA Pro, Ghidra, or Binary Ninja to map undocumented logic and potential security issues.
  • Build and maintain custom fuzzing harnesses (e.g., AFL++, libFuzzer) to stress-test gRPC interfaces, service mesh components, and microservices.
  • Utilize concolic execution tools (e.g., Angr, Manticore) to automate the discovery of complex execution paths and bypass security checks.
  • Document findings clearly and translate technical complexity into actionable reports for security and engineering teams.


Qualifications:
Required: 

  • 7+ years of professional experience in vulnerability research, software exploitation, or low-level engineering.
  • Proven track record of finding vulnerabilities in distributed systems, virtualization layers, or container runtimes.
  • Experience with Kubernetes security architecture and service mesh implementations (Istio, Linkerd).
  • Detailed understanding of Linux kernel internals, specifically namespaces, cgroups, and the container execution model.
  • Strong command of Python for scripting and automation of research tasks.
  • Background in cloud provider security (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and underlying hypervisor technology.
  • Must be a US Citizen and able to obtain/maintain a security clearance


Desired:

  • An active TS SCI clearance is highly desired.
  • Expert-level proficiency in software development (Python, Go, Rust, and C/C++).
  • Hands-on experience with disassembly and decompilation tools (e.g., IDA Pro, Ghidra, Binary Ninja) and debugging tools (GDB).
  • Deep understanding of x86/ARM assembly and memory corruption primitives.
  • Familiarity with hardware-assisted isolation technologies and TEEs (Trusted Execution Environments).
  • Experience with automated bug-hunting techniques, including fuzzing and symbolic/concolic execution.
  • Ability to build scalable security tooling and infrastructure to support analysis workflows in a team setting.

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What You Can Expect:

 A culture of integrity.

Pay Range:

There are a host of factors that can influence final salary including, but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories and contract wage rates, relevant prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education, and certifications. Our employees value the flexibility at CACI that allows them to balance quality work and their personal lives. We offer competitive compensation, benefits and learning and development opportunities. Our broad and competitive mix of benefits options is designed to support and protect employees and their families. At CACI, you will receive comprehensive benefits such as; healthcare, wellness, financial, retirement, family support, continuing education, and time off benefits.

The proposed salary range for this position is:

$113,200 - $237,800

About CACI International

CACI International Inc is a multinational professional services and information technology company. It provides services to many branches of the federal government including defense, homeland security, intelligence, and healthcare. CACI has approximately 23,000 employees worldwide. The company's mission is to provide enterprise and mission technology services and solutions that best fit the needs of its customers. CACI has been named a Fortune World's Most Admired Company, a Washington Post Top Workplace, and a Forbes Best Employer for Diversity.
Learn more about CACI International
Size
22,000 employees
Market Cap
$7.1 billion
Industry
Net Income
$374.4 million
Founded
1962
5 Year Trend
+7.3%
Revenue
$5.8 billion
NASDAQ

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