About the Opportunity
About the Khoury College of Computer Sciences
Khoury College is committed to building a community of belonging among students, faculty and staff. We strongly encourage applicants from individuals with disabilities, veterans, and those with varied experiences and backgrounds. We invite you to join a fast-moving, ambitious college with an underlying mission that is driven by our motto of “CS for Everyone.”
About the Opportunity
The Security and Privacy Heterogeneous Environment for Reproducible Experimentation (SPHERE) is a newly funded National Science Foundation (NSF) mid-scale research infrastructure being built by the University of Southern California Information Sciences Institute and Northeastern University’s Khoury College of Computer Sciences. This research infrastructure will offer access to an unprecedented variety of hardware, software, and other resources relevant to cybersecurity and privacy research. These resources will be connected by a user-configurable network substrate and protected by security policies uniquely aligned with cybersecurity and privacy research needs.
The Research Engineer will help build this innovative cyberinfrastructure. The portion of SPHERE being developed at Northeastern University will focus on Internet of Things (IoT) device experimentation. The primary goal is to create the world’s largest remotely accessible IoT testbed, composed of dozens of samples of IoT devices across several categories and manufacturers, including smart speakers, smart televisions, and smart cameras.
In addition to hosting IoT devices, the SPHERE IoT testbed will provide programming interfaces for interacting with devices through all available modalities, including physical access, companion application access, and voice access. These interfaces will be remotely accessible, allowing users worldwide to interact with devices and conduct experiments without purchasing devices or building their own infrastructure. The IoT testbed will be complemented by tools for capturing network traffic produced by the devices, securely storing data, integrating with the broader SPHERE research infrastructure, and streamlining automated and repeatable experiments at scale.
This is a unique opportunity to join a vibrant team and conduct groundbreaking research supporting scalable, large-scale virtual access to diverse IoT hardware. This is a research position and is on-site at the Boston campus.
Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education, and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern University provides a comprehensive benefits package for benefits-eligible employees, including medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness and life benefits, retirement benefits, and commuting and transportation benefits. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.
Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities
- Software Development Activities (70%): Design, implement, test, document, and maintain SPHERE software
- Support Activities (20%): Prepare project documentation and periodic reports, coordinate with project partners, and prepare and present testing demonstrations
- Learning (10%): Acquire and broaden knowledge of the technologies and development tools used by SPHERE
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a closely related area; this requirement may be waived based on relevant software development work experience
- Fluency in at least one programming language
- Experience with Linux and software development tools, such as Git
- Resourcefulness, initiative, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team
Preferred
- Experience or interest in system or network administration, the Internet of Things, and/or cybersecurity
Required Documents
- Resume
- Cover Letter
Position Type
ResearchAdditional Information
Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.
Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Compensation Grade/Pay Type:
109SExpected Hiring Range:
$67,855.00 - $95,845.00With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a closely related field, or equivalent relevant software development experience
- Fluency in at least one programming language
- Experience with Linux
- Experience with software development tools such as Git
- Resourcefulness and initiative
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team
- Experience or interest in system or network administration, Internet of Things, and/or cybersecurity
Northeastern University Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northeastern University and has not been reviewed or approved by Northeastern University.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off is described as extensive, including 22–26 vacation days, 12 sick days, 13 holidays, and paid parental leave for birth/adoption. Additional paid leave is also outlined, including up to 26 weeks of paid medical leave and up to 12 weeks of paid family leave for eligible employees.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support is positioned as a standout, with an employer contribution described as 10% when an employee contributes 5%, alongside immediate vesting once eligible. This is presented as unusually generous relative to typical employer retirement offerings.
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Parental & Family Support — Family-oriented benefits are emphasized through tuition assistance for employees and dependents and access to backup childcare and family-care resources. Tuition remission/discount structures are highlighted as a major value driver, especially for employees with children and for long-tenured staff.
Northeastern University Insights
What We Do
Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university with a distinctive, experience-driven approach to education and discovery. The university is a leader in experiential learning, powered by the world’s most far-reaching cooperative education program. We integrate classroom study with opportunities for professional work, research, service, and global learning in more than 100 countries. The same spirit of collaboration guides a use-inspired research enterprise focused on solving global challenges in health, security, and sustainability. Northeastern offers a comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools, and select graduate programs at campuses in Boston, Charlotte, N.C., San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Toronto. Campuses in Burlington, MA, and Nahant, MA, are home to research institutes for homeland security and coastal sustainability, respectively
