Job Description
As a Hardware Security Engineer, you will leverage your deep understanding of hardware security, cryptography, and reverse engineering to contribute to the research, development, and deployment of secure hardware platforms. You will play a crucial role in the analysis and mitigation of vulnerabilities in hardware designs, development of innovative security solutions for hardware platforms, and defining security architectures for critical hardware systems.
Responsibilities:
Provide expert technical guidance in the research, design, and implementation of secure hardware platforms, with a focus on mitigating vulnerabilities and ensuring the development of robust, resilient, and trustworthy hardware solutions
Guide comprehensive security assessments of hardware designs, including SoC designs, reviewing schematics, informing penetration testing on prototypes, and identifying potential backdoors or vulnerabilities using reverse engineering techniques
Inform the design and implementation of cutting-edge solutions to enhance hardware platform security, including secure boot processes for FPGA-based systems, hardware-based encryption and authentication mechanisms, and countermeasures against side-channel attacks and fault injection techniques
Contribute to the development of technical requirements and specifications for secure hardware design, ensuring alignment with industry best practices, government regulations, and certification standards
Collaborate with researchers, engineers, and stakeholders to transition research prototypes into practical, deployable solutions
Proactively identify and mitigate emerging threats, vulnerabilities, and attack vectors targeting hardware platforms
Requirements:
Demonstrated expertise in a combination of hardware design, cybersecurity, and reverse engineering
Demonstrated experience in applying hardware security principles, such as attack methodologies, network encryption protocols (e.g., AES, RSA, IPsec, SSL/TLS), and hardware description languages (HDLs) such as VHDL or Verilog
Experience with hardware security analysis techniques, such as side-channel analysis (SCA) and bitstream manipulation
Experience with computer-based systems development, such as JTAG debugging, fault injection frameworks, and reverse engineering software like IDA Pro or Ghidra
Proven ability to think critically, operate independently, and communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Preferred Qualifications:
Extensive experience supporting DoD research and development programs
Knowledge of embedded security architectures and trusted execution environments
Experience developing high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) hardware platforms
Familiarity with secure hardware design principles including anti-tamper techniques
Industry-recognized cybersecurity certification (e.g., Security+, CISSP, CEH, CASP+) is desired
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, computer engineering, electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or mathematics with a concentration in computer science; or equivalent experience
Clearance:
Active TS/SCI clearance
Strategic Analysis, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer and is committed to non-discrimination in employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religions, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, disability (physical or mental), age (40 or older), protected veteran status, genetic information (including family medical history) or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy includes but is not limited to the following employment actions: recruitment, hiring, firing, promotion, demotion, compensation, fringe benefits, training, mentoring and sponsorship programs.
Company Description
ABOUT SA
Strategic Analysis, Inc. (SA) is an industry-leading government professional services firm that excels in providing innovative solutions to the problems of today and tomorrow. Founded in 1986, SA is a small business headquartered in Arlington, VA that employs approximately 200 professionals who provide all of the skills, tools, and creative ideas necessary to address the technical, operational, programmatic, and policy aspects of national defense and homeland security issues.
At SA, operational excellence and client satisfaction is our ultimate goal. Through our unique core competencies, we strive to provide leading-edge innovative solutions to meet clients’ needs, and our employees have a constant commitment to quality and delivering results. SA's core competencies and list of clients have also greatly expanded and diversified as new demands have been placed on the professional services industry and as the world environment has changed.
To meet these new demands, SA continues its efforts to build a talented and results-driven workforce. We recognize that the key to our business success directly comes from the diverse ideas, experiences, and backgrounds of our employees, as well as the ethical business practices embedded in our culture. Additionally, SA’s “extended family” approach to its cultural environment fosters collaboration and teamwork among its employees, and greatly enhances our performance and efficiency.
ABOUT SA Strategic Analysis, Inc. (SA) is an industry-leading government professional services firm that excels in providing innovative solutions to the problems of today and tomorrow. Founded in 1986, SA is a small business headquartered in Arlington, VA that employs approximately 200 professionals who provide all of the skills, tools, and creative ideas necessary to address the technical, operational, programmatic, and policy aspects of national defense and homeland security issues. At SA, operational excellence and client satisfaction is our ultimate goal. Through our unique core competencies, we strive to provide leading-edge innovative solutions to meet clients’ needs, and our employees have a constant commitment to quality and delivering results. SA's core competencies and list of clients have also greatly expanded and diversified as new demands have been placed on the professional services industry and as the world environment has changed. To meet these new demands, SA continues its efforts to build a talented and results-driven workforce. We recognize that the key to our business success directly comes from the diverse ideas, experiences, and backgrounds of our employees, as well as the ethical business practices embedded in our culture. Additionally, SA’s “extended family” approach to its cultural environment fosters collaboration and teamwork among its employees, and greatly enhances our performance and efficiency.