Senior Computer and Information Research Scientist

Position

Software Reverse Engineer

Client II LCAT

Senior Computer and Information Research Scientist, 113

Location

NDOC, Bethesda, MD (full-time on-site)

Clearance Requirement: Active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph

Education Requirement

Bachelor's degree with 8+ years of relevant experience, or Master's degree with 6+ years of relevant experience, or PhD with 3+ years of relevant experience. A degree within one of the following fields is highly desired: Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, or Software Engineering. However, in lieu of a Bachelor's degree an additional 4 years of relevant experience or specialized training may be considered.

Summary

Seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Software Reverse Engineer to join our team in Bethesda, MD. In this role, you will perform in-depth analysis of software, firmware, and hardware systems to uncover its true functionality, identify vulnerabilities, and understand their operational context. This position requires a holistic approach, combining dynamic system analysis, static binary reverse engineering, and document exploitation to reveal not just what a system does, but why and how it supports its mission objectives.

Key Responsibilities

-System Analysis

Conduct comprehensive analysis of compiled software and binaries. Employ forensic techniques to extract critical artifacts, understand system architecture, and identify key software components.

-Dynamic System & Environment Analysis

Utilize virtualization and sandboxing environments (VMware, KVM/QEMU) to run and observe software in its native operating environment. Perform system call tracing, network monitoring, and file system analysis to reveal real-time behaviors and interactions.

-Live Debugging and Analysis

Perform live, on-system debugging to step through code execution in real-time. Correlate dynamic findings with static analysis from Ghidra/IDA Pro to validate assumptions, understand complex logic, and uncover obfuscated functionality.

-Static Reverse Engineering

Use advanced reverse engineering tools, with a focus on Ghidra and IDA Pro, to decompile and disassemble software. Analyze code paths, extract indicators, and uncover hidden or malicious logic not apparent through dynamic analysis alone.

-Vulnerability and Capability Research

Investigate and identify vulnerabilities, undocumented features, and Client capabilities within target systems. Develop proof-of-concept exploits and assess their potential operational impact. Model and simulate specific features and functions to understand how software was developed, compiled, and deployed.

-Tool Chain Mastery

Employ a specialized toolchain for analysis, including disk imagers, virtual machine managers, network scanners, and debuggers to perform end-to-end exploitation.

-Mentorship

Mentor junior engineers in SWRE methodologies, tools, and techniques.

Required Qualifications

-3+ years of demonstrated experience in software reverse engineering, with a preference for backgrounds in material exploitation, malware analysis, or vulnerability research.

-Understanding of Windows and Linux operating system internals, x86/x64 and ARM assembly, and CPU architecture.

-Experience with static analysis tools such as IDA Pro, Ghidra, and Binary Ninja.

-Experience with debugging tools such as WinDbg, GDB, and similar platforms.

-Experience with virtualization, sandboxing, and emulation tools such as VMware, KVM, QEMU, and others.

-Experience with the SWRE toolchain, including network analysis tools (Wireshark, nmap) and Linux command-line proficiency.

-Experience with forensic disk image analysis to mount, modify, and extract artifacts from raw disk images.

-Ability to unpack, de-obfuscate, and analyze highly complex malicious applications.

-Experience in Linux/Unix environments, including advanced command-line operations and system-level administration.

-Knowledge of low-level programming languages (C, C++, Assembly) and scripting languages such as Python, Java, or .NET.

-A solid understanding of common security practices and the ability to identify security flaws in software architecture.

Desired Qualifications

-Active DoD 8570, IAT Level II Certification.

-Knowledge of advanced firmware analysis techniques and methodologies.

-Knowledge of secure boot processes.

-Familiarity with hardware-level attack techniques such as side-channel analysis or fault injection.

-Experience with Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) development.

-Experience monitoring hardware-level buses and interfaces such as i2C, USB, or JTAG.

-Familiarity with risk assessment and mitigation strategies for firmware vulnerabilities.

-Strong documentation skills to maintain detailed records of analysis processes and findings.