Vulnerability Research Engineer

Overview

i3 is seeking a Vulnerability Research Engineer to support the Naval Research Laboratory’s Tactical Electronic Warfare Division. You will reverse engineer and analyze software and build purpose-driven tools that help teams test, characterize, and understand real-world systems. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys deep technical problem solving, from disassembly and debugging to building automation and instrumentation that turns analysis into action.

 

Pay Range $115,000 - $181,000

The pay range for this position is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, geographic location, and any applicable laws.

Responsibilities

• Reverse engineer compiled software and firmware to understand behavior, interfaces, and system-level implementation.
• Use static and dynamic analysis (disassembly, debugging, tracing, emulation) to map control flow, data structures, protocols, and algorithms.
• Develop and maintain custom tools/scripts (primarily Python and C/C++) to automate analysis, extract parameters, and validate hypotheses.
• Design and implement lightweight test & instrumentation software to control assets, collect telemetry, and support test and evaluation events.
• Document findings in clear technical reports, including diagrams, evidence, limitations, and recommended next steps.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary engineers (EW, RF/DSP, embedded, test) to translate reverse-engineering results into actionable engineering decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience in reverse engineering, binary analysis, malware analysis, or low-level software/firmware analysis.
• Hands-on experience with disassemblers and debuggers (e.g., IDA Pro, Ghidra, Binary Ninja; WinDbg/gdb/lldb).
• Proficiency in C/C++ and Python; working knowledge of assembly (x86/x64, ARM, or similar).
• Experience with embedded systems and common interfaces (e.g., UART/JTAG/SWD; SPI/I2C) and interpreting logs/telemetry.
• Ability to communicate technical findings effectively in writing and in technical reviews.

Nice to have

• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent advanced experience.
• Experience with EW systems, RF/DSP concepts, or signal-processing-driven software.
• Experience with FPGA/DSP-adjacent development, hardware/software integration, or test automation for lab/field systems.
• Experience producing customer-facing reports and briefings.

Security requirements

• Active U.S. Government Secret clearance is required; TS/SCI preferred.

• U.S. citizenship is required.