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Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.
POSITION SPECIFICS
We are searching for a self-motivated Vulnerability Researcher to join our Cyberspace Operations Research Department in Reston, VA of the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State University. The Cyberspace Operations Research Department provides technical expertise in adversarial tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to support system evaluation and provide security hardening support to various sponsors.
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
Research cutting edge techniques and technologies for system exploitation
Leverage expertise in reverse engineering, vulnerability research, and software development to address established needs and investigate solutions to emerging requirements
Apply software engineering best practices to create proof-of-concept tools and configure test environments to perform demonstrations to sponsors and partners
Assist the Cyberspace Operations Research Department Head in maintaining relationships with sponsors through on-site technical discussions, preparation and presentation of technical materials, and project-related correspondence
Provide process enhancement for technical functionality evaluation, vulnerability analyses, cyberspace operations engineering, and penetration testing projects
Apply project management principles and methods to the leadership of tasks or projects
Provide guidance to lower-level engineers to foster professional growth
Additional responsibilities for higher level position includes:
Understand broad strategic objectives and contribute to them; nurture and maintain relationships with major customers/grantors of external research and development grant funding
Identify grant/project follow-on work and persuade customers/grantors to fund; impact customer decisions and strategies
Initiate new project concepts and seek funding; develop technical proposals and make presentations to customers/grant sponsors
Mentor department staff in the development technical, project, and business development skills
Required skills/experience areas include:
Documented application of reverse engineering and vulnerability testing tools (e.g. Ghidra/IDA, Kali Linux, Angr/AFL++, QEMU/Unicorn, etc)
Reverse engineering, vulnerability research, malware analysis, and/or CNO tool development
Computer networking fundamentals, Windows and *NIX operating systems, X86(64) and ARM or MIPS architectures
Cyber operations architecture and software engineering practices
Software programming, programming languages, and development environments (to include at a minimum C, Java, or Python)
Ability to express technical information clearly and concisely in documents and presentations for senior leaders to successfully comprehend and leverage for decision making
Active government security clearance at TS/SCI level with eligibility for special accesses
Preferred skills/experience areas include:
Cybersecurity exploit development and test environment configuration
Cybersecurity penetration testing / cybersecurity Red Team testing / white hat hacking
Military cyberspace operations or computer network operations
Demonstrated history of successful project initiation efforts
Agile software development methodology and tools
Atlassian products (e.g., JIRA, Confluence)
Your working location will be fully on-site located in Reston, VA, but options exist for occasional hybrid of on-site/work from home based on project-dependent ability. This position will require periodic travel to remote locations in support of testing as part of a small team of researchers, engineers, and technologists.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
If filled as Research and Development Engineer - Cyber Security (ARL) - Senior Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science 14+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None If filled as Research and Development Engineer - Cyber Security (ARL) - Advanced Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science 5+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None If filled as Research and Development Engineer - Cyber Security (ARL) - Intermediate Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree - Engineering or Science 2+ years of relevant experience Required Certifications: None
ARL at Penn State is an integral part of one of the leading research universities in the nation and serves as a University center of excellence in defense science, systems, and technologies with a focus in naval missions and related areas.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our web site at www.arl.psu.edu.
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL): Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance, participate in the ARL drug testing program, and comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors. ARL operates in a secure information environment involving Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted from certain areas. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
SALARY & BENEFITS
The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $127,080.00 - $277,200.00. This salary range includes an adjustment based on required geographic work location.
Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.
EEO IS THE LAW
Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.
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Skills Required
- Documented use of reverse engineering and vulnerability testing tools (e.g., Ghidra, IDA, Kali Linux, Angr, AFL++, QEMU, Unicorn)
- Experience in reverse engineering, vulnerability research, malware analysis, or computer network operations tool development
- Knowledge of computer networking fundamentals and experience with Windows and *NIX operating systems
- Experience with x86_64 and ARM or MIPS architectures
- Familiarity with cyber operations architecture and software engineering practices
- Programming experience in C, Java, or Python (at minimum) and software development environments
- Ability to clearly document and present technical information to senior leaders
- Active government security clearance at TS/SCI level with eligibility for special accesses
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Science
- Minimum relevant experience (varies by level): at least 2+ years (Intermediate) up to 14+ years for Senior Professional
- U.S. citizenship (must be a U.S. citizen to apply)
- On-site work in Reston, VA with periodic travel for testing
- Background check and participation in ARL drug testing and monitoring program
- Experience with exploit development, penetration testing or Red Team activities
- Experience with Agile methodologies and Atlassian tools (JIRA, Confluence)
- Military cyberspace operations or computer network operations experience
- Demonstrated history of successful project initiation and business development
Penn State University Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Penn State University and has not been reviewed or approved by Penn State University.
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Retirement Support — Employer contributions to SERS and the TIAA Alternate Plan are described as significant, with supplemental retirement options available. Feedback suggests these choices and contributions create strong long‑term value.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Full‑time employees accrue over 24 sick and vacation days annually, with additional university holidays and a winter break. Feedback suggests this depth of leave supports work–life balance.
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Inclusive Benefits Coverage — A 75% tuition discount extends to employees, spouses, and dependent children up to age 26 across resident instruction, World Campus, and Penn College courses. Feedback suggests this broad eligibility meaningfully enhances total rewards, especially for families.
Penn State University Insights
What We Do
There’s a reason Penn State consistently ranks among the top one percent of the world’s universities. Across 24 campuses, our nearly 88,000 students and 17,000 faculty and staff know the real measure of success goes beyond the classroom—it’s the positive impact made on communities across the world. From access to state-of-the-art resources to interdisciplinary pursuits in collaborative atmospheres, a Penn State degree is more than an education. The experiences and knowledge gained here will form the foundation for the lives our students build. Their contributions to the world begin with a Penn State degree. We Are Penn State.
