Research Scientist - Security Engineering

The Secure and Resilient Systems group seeks a research scientist to support research and development of cutting-edge software security technologies. The research scientist will support a team that invents, prototypes, and evaluates new security approaches throughout the security engineering stack.

Some topics of interest to a good candidate may include: secure input handling (e.g., parsers, buffer overflow protections), Model Based Systems Engineering (e.g., Cameo), Open Architectures, secure data formats and protocols (e.g., rearchitecting existant protocols to fix flaws) and/or security integration (e.g., fixing bugs and insecurities in legacy operational platforms).

Secure and Resilient Systems research scientists need a strong background in computer science fundamentals (e.g., algorithms, data structures, program languages), experience with software development practices for large projects (e.g., version control, debugging techniques), an understanding of the system software stack and the software/hardware interface (e.g., at least one ISA, assembly code), and propensity for the research process (e.g., breaking big problems down, designing experiments, analyzing data).

If you have taken software security, MBSE, and/or software integration courses, you should apply for this position. If you have written a parser, a secure networking stack, or a system-of-systems diagram, you definitely should apply for this position. If you know why why vulnerabilities such as Heartbleed can be classified as parser vulnerabilities, how to develop plugins for Cameo, or why customers may be interested in leveraging open architecture standards, then you need to apply for this position!

Help the group design innovative parser and data protocol capabilities
• Assist in utilizing created and existing tools for DoD use cases
• Build new tools and/or capabilities in languages like C/C++, Python, etc.
• Contribute to whitepapers and/or publish papers that document innovative work performed
• Collaborate with team members on debugging programs, designing systems, reviewing papers, etc.
• Participate in relevant internal and customer meetings

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Cybersecurity
• A deep technical understanding of cybersecurity problems and solutions
• Proficiency in programming languages C/C++ and Python
• Experience with version control (Git)
• An interest in exploring what makes a secure data format
• Interest in networking protocols
• Self-driven, strong analytic, inferencing, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving skills
• Willing to travel to support customer/collaborator meetings
• Must be eligible to obtain a Top Secret security clearance

Desired Qualifications

• MS degree in related technical field or Bachelor's and 2 years experience
• Experience with parser design/development
• Experience with MBSE tooling
• Healthy balance between technical orientation and business acumen
• Strong grasp of the research process (e.g., reading & writing academic papers, ideation for inventing solutions to hard problems)
• Ability to operate independently with limited supervision and feedback, and establish a solid working relationship with technical staff and peers in the group and across Riverside Research
• Superior written and verbal communications skills