Join Northrop Grumman – Cincinnati (aka Xetron), part of Mission Systems sector, focused on the development of new capabilities for our military and intelligence customers around the globe. Our Northrop Grumman Cincinnati, Ohio small business culture operates collaboratively within a larger corporation providing the benefits of both. This unique relationship offers employees the ability to know everyone at the site while working on technologies and products that are beyond state-of-the-art. You and your team will wrestle with the next big problems in an atmosphere of collaboration and cooperation, sharing your expertise while learning from the expert next to you. Remember when you were excited about getting to work because the challenge of the problem, the importance of the solution and the fun you had with your team? It's that kind of place! But don’t take my word for it. See for yourself! See why we receive comments on our YouTube Videos like “This company is insanely advanced” and “Wow. This is mind blowing.” See some of our recent Awards and Recognition and read about some of the reasons to live in Cincinnati.
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems (NGMS) is seeking a senior level Vulnerability Research Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals at our Cincinnati, Ohio location. The NGMS Cincinnati team solves complex problems developing cyber hardware and software solutions with learning opportunities in Offensive Cyber Operations (OCO).
Essential Functions:
Research vulnerabilities and perform reverse engineering on embedded systems.
Plan and Conduct vulnerability analysis on user and kernel mode drivers and interfaces.
Develop, design, and implement proof of concepts on based research findings and documents.
Basic Qualification for Sr. Staff Cyber Software Engineer:
B.S. degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related field and 14 years of programming experience OR M.S. degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related field and 12 years of programming experience OR Ph.D. and 9 years of of programming experience.
Experience with a disassembler for vulnerability research (IDA Pro, Ghidra, BinaryNinja, radare2, etc.).
Experience programming in C or C++.
Experience with fuzzing research techniques (AFL++, taint analysis, PIN, Dynamic Memory Instrumentation, etc.).
US Citizenship is required
The ability to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret clearance to start.
Preferred Qualification:
Active Top-Secret clearance.
Experience finding and developing exploits
Experience with one or more assembly languages (x86, x64, ARM, MIPS, etc.).
Development of disassembler extensions for tools such as IDA pro or Ghidra.
Low level debug tools such as gdb, WinDbg, or OllyDbg.
Experience with vulnerability research on one or more operating systems (Android, IOS, Windows, Linux, etc.).
Experience with emulation (Renode, QEMU, etc.)
Reverse engineering hardware and software such as embedded systems (IoT), mobile devices/phones.
Development of software to run in user mode or kernel mode.
Apply creativity and vision for the future that require integration of related disciplines.
Certified Reverse Engineering Analyst (CREA).
Northrop Grumman has 401k matching and personal growth opportunities. In addition, we offer a flexible work arrangement and the option of a 9/80 or 4/10 work schedule. The 9/80 schedule allows employees who work nine-hour days Monday through Thursday to take every other Friday off. The 4/10 schedule allows employees to work four ten-hour days Monday through Thursday and take off every Friday.
Primary Level Salary Range: $192,800.00 - $289,200.00The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.Skills Required
- B.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related field and 14 years programming experience OR M.S. and 12 years OR Ph.D. and 9 years of programming experience.
- Experience with a disassembler for vulnerability research (IDA Pro, Ghidra, BinaryNinja, radare2, etc.).
- Experience programming in C or C++.
- Experience with fuzzing research techniques (AFL++, taint analysis, PIN, Dynamic Memory Instrumentation, etc.).
- US Citizenship is required.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret clearance to start.
- Experience researching vulnerabilities and reverse engineering embedded systems and drivers.
Northrop Grumman Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northrop Grumman and has not been reviewed or approved by Northrop Grumman.
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Retirement Support — 401(k) matching is considered strong, with additional defined-benefit coverage for certain cohorts and options like catch-up contributions. Retirement programs are repeatedly highlighted as a core strength of the total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — PTO, company-paid holidays, and compressed work schedules (such as 9/80) provide meaningful time away and flexibility. These scheduling options are cited as a major quality-of-life benefit across many locations.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave alongside caregiver leave, adoption assistance, and back-up care supports a range of family needs. These programs have been expanded recently, signaling continued investment in family support.
Northrop Grumman Insights
What We Do
We are a close-knit community of big thinkers collaborating to keep the world safe. Our passion, creativity and expertise bring next-level technology solutions to life in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, space, and logistics and modernization for our customers around the globe. On the Northrop Grumman team, you’ll join our pursuit of excellence immersed in a dynamic culture of innovation and respect. Your unique perspective will help achieve our shared vision for the future of global security. Every step of the way, you'll be supported by world-class training, employee resource groups and a comprehensive benefits package that enables greater health and happiness for you and your family. Worldwide and across disciplines, we’re challenging what’s possible for technology to protect people and places from undersea to outer space and into cyberspace. And we see the impact of our performance every day. We are Northrop Grumman, and we work on what matters—now, you too can make a difference. Explore opportunities in engineering, IT, manufacturing, business management, cybersecurity and more with us. Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
