Principal Vulnerability Researcher

At Two Six Technologies, we build, deploy, and implement innovative products that solve the world’s most complex challenges today. Through unrivaled collaboration and unwavering trust, we push the boundaries of what’s possible to empower our team and support our customers in building a safer global future. Overview of Opportunity Join the Trusted Electronics & Effects team of Two Six Technologies, a team of dedicated hackers in Herndon, Virginia, where you’ll immerse yourself in cutting-edge vulnerability research on a wide range of unique embedded systems. Working side by side with top-tier CNO developers and hardware engineers, you’ll discover vulnerabilities and create proof of concepts on embedded systems. Our fast-growing roster of government customers relies on us to deliver advanced security solutions, and we’re looking for a Principal Vulnerability Researcher to help us continue pushing boundaries. If you’re passionate about building tools that make a tangible impact on national security, we want you on our team. Responsibilities Include Perform vulnerability research on complex embedded systems Take on complex technical problems for which there is often no known answer Develop tools and techniques to assist/automate tasks that traditionally require significant manual reverse engineering effort Follow-on development to productize results/PoCs or handoff to developers for productization Provide technical leadership and direction on novel research projects, and interface directly with clients/key stakeholders to present findings and determine program direction Mentor and develop junior team members through knowledge-sharing, code reviews, and hands-on guidance, fostering their growth Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Equivalent practical experience in security research, reverse engineering, vulnerability research, or exploit development may substitute for a degree Extensive experience developing, debugging, and scripting in C/C++ and Python within Linux command-line environments, with a strong emphasis on low-level programming, memory management, and system interaction for reverse engineering and vulnerability research Experience with reverse engineering and vulnerability research, using tools such as IDA Pro, Binary Ninja, or Ghidra Expertise in one or more of the following: Firmware analysis (ARM, MIPS, PowerPC, RTOS) Firmware rehosting using emulation tools such as QEMU Fuzzing and exploit development Binary obfuscation and anti-analysis techniques Wireless protocols and radio signal analysis File system forensics and fault injection frameworks. Experience leading a team of engineers and researchers Nice If You Have Experience in a client-facing technical role Experience reverse engineering binary payloads from multiple architectures (ARM, MIPS, TI, x86, x64) Experience reverse engineering data payloads at rest (custom file formats) and in flight (live data captures) Experience with invasive and non-invasive hardware analysis, including PCB/component identification and hardware manipulation Hands-on experience debugging embedded systems using JTAG, UART, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers Clearance Requirements: Active Top Secret clearance with eligibility/willingness to obtain a Top Secret/SCI clearance. Prefer active TS/SCI with Poly #LI-JK1 #LI-ONSITE Two Six Technologies is committed to providing competitive and comprehensive compensation packages that reflect the value we place on our employees and their contributions. We believe in rewarding skills, experience, and performance. Our offerings include but are not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, retirement benefits, paid leave, tuition assistance and professional development. The projected salary range listed for this position is annualized. This is a general guideline and not a guarantee of salary. Salary i…