Anti-Tamper Engineer & Subject Matter Expert (AT SME)

TECHFORGE Solutions•Dayton, OH

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

TECHFORGE Solutions is seeking an experienced Anti-Tamper (AT) and Trusted/Secure Export Subject Matter Expert (SME) for their Dayton, OH office. This role involves end-to-end ownership of technical interactions with commercial clients, USG program offices, and weapon/sensor system manufacturers. The SME will lead system analysis, conduct vulnerability assessments, and develop/review Program Protection Plans, Science and Technology Protection Plans, and Anti-Tamper plans. Responsibilities include evaluating protection methodologies, participating in verification testing, and developing skills to circumvent AT protection techniques to enhance customer system hardening. The ideal candidate is self-motivated, passionate about protecting customer systems, and explores prototyping to validate architectures and solutions.

Requirements

U.S. Citizen
Pass a background check
Active (or recently inactive) Secret clearance to start
Ability to obtain a Top Secret security clearance
Ability to travel up to 10% (CONUS) as needed
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Ability to work in a remote, collaborative, team environment
Experience with remote collaboration tools (e.g., Teams, WebEx, Meet, Zoom, etc.)
Capability to organize plans and programs specifying the nature and sequence of actions to be accomplished in a specific project
3+ years of professional experience in Systems integration/systems level engineering experience with DOD weapons or sensor systems, including electronic design, analysis or system test or system integration
Familiar with electronic components found in modern systems, including Integrated Circuit, FPGAs and ASIC technologies
Knowledgeable of protection features and devices
Familiarity with DOD 5000 series, DOD 5200 series, Defense Acquisition policy, and Horizontal Protection of DoD Critical Program Information
Knowledgeable of system development processes and system level testing
Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and techniques
Experience recommending and implementing changes that enhance product security, reliability, efficiency, and performance
Experience identifying areas for improvement and optimization of designs based on test results
Experience engaging groups across the government microelectronics space and anti-tamper organizations to support technical roadmaps for technology trade space and selection
Willing to learn the associated tools for tasking, planning, researching and data routing as applied within the scope of the program
Experience supporting the development of Program Protection Plans, Science and Technology Protection Plans, and Anti-Tamper plans and annexes, and other project documentation
Excellent analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Excellent verbal communication skills, comfortable interacting with technical peers and the ability to work as part of a team
Ability to communicate technical issues clearly and effectively and execute assignments with little supervision and actively participate in a collaborative team environment
Proficient technical writing skills and the ability to produce reports and presentations
Ability to generate and evaluate technical documents and reports
Ability to create technical briefings and materials and effectively present technical material to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Willing to travel to CONUS and/or OCONUS work locations 2-4 times per year

Nice To Haves

Knowledgeable of system development processes and system level testing a plus
Microelectronics/Embedded Systems security experience such as Defensive Cyber or Anti-Tamper
Experience in FPGA or ASIC development including requirements definition, design, simulation, implementation, tape out, and testing
Proficient in Hardware Description Languages (HDL) such as VHDL or Verilog and associated software tools
Proficient in embedded software development, debug, and testing
Experience with 3D Modeling, Computer-Aided Design
Experience with MATLAB, Octave, SIMULINK, SolidWorks, and/or other modeling tools
Experience working in a classified research environment
Prior experience implementing systems engineering tools and techniques
Strong interest in in learning new tools, languages, workflows, and philosophies

Responsibilities

Serve as the senior consultant working directly with the client's team of hardware and software subject matter experts (SME), the program Technical Lead, and the client Program Manager to support various project-specific research scope and deliverables providing value to our customers.
Contribute to the growth of both our government customer and internal R&D capability to help advance Anti-Tamper and Trusted / Secure Export technologies.
Analyze systems design documents and develop recommendations to improve the security of electro-mechanical systems and integrated electrical components within mechanical systems.
Lead the analysis of systems and export programs, conduct vulnerability analyses of system level implementations and architectures.
Develop and review Program Protection Plans, Science and Technology Protection Plans, and Anti-Tamper plans and annexes to provide technical written feedback, evaluations, and guidance to USG programs and commercial clients.
Evaluate protection methodologies and devices used to prevent exploitation of US system technology alone or with a team of engineers.
Participate in the verification testing of anti-tamper protection treatments and implementations.
Produce test reports on protected systems of interest and apply your skills in circumventing AT protection techniques to better harden customer systems.
Ensure designs meet security specifications, industry standards, and internal customer requirements.
Analyze prototypes of electro-mechanical systems and conduct thorough security testing to ensure functionality, reliability, and performance.
Identify areas for improvement and optimize designs based on test results.
Work closely with electrical engineers and mechanical engineers to ensure smooth integration of security recommendations for electrical and mechanical components, ensuring compatibility and optimal performance.
Provide support for troubleshooting and resolving technical issues that arise during the manufacturing or testing phase.
Identify opportunities to improve product designs and manufacturing processes to improve systems security.
Recommend and implement changes that enhance product security, reliability, efficiency, and performance.
Prepare detailed engineering documentation, including schematics, wiring diagrams, specifications, and user manuals related to anti-tamper implementation.
Create reports to communicate findings and design progress to management and clients.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including production, quality assurance, and product management, to ensure the successful development and manufacturing of electro-mechanical systems security.
Ensure that designs comply with relevant industry standards, codes, and safety regulations.
Provide technical support and guidance to the production team during the assembly, testing, and installation of electro-mechanical systems.
Offer training and troubleshooting assistance when needed.
Work alone or on a team within an AGILE system / product development life cycle, supporting activities which include requirements creation, sprint planning, and grooming, etc. to collaborate across time zones via MS Teams collaboration tools, and frequent video conferences.
Handle multiple priorities and the demands of a fast-paced environment.