CNO Tactical Developer

Bitwise • Columbia, MD

5h

About The Position

As a CNO Tactical Developer (Offensive Cyber Software Engineer) , you will design, develop, and support software capabilities used in offensive cyber operations. You will work closely with operators and analysts to build tools that function in complex, constrained, and high-stakes environments. This role focuses on developing mission-ready capabilities across operating systems, networks, and embedded platforms. You may contribute to exploit development, capability enhancement, tool integration, or low-level systems engineering. Success in this role requires strong software engineering fundamentals, comfort working at the systems layer, and the ability to translate operational needs into reliable, performant code. Depending on experience level, you may lead technical efforts, mentor other developers, and help shape development standards across programs.

Requirements

• Active TS/SCI with Polygraph.
• Strong experience in systems-level software development
• Proficiency in one or more systems programming languages (C/C++, Rust, etc.)
• Familiarity with Linux and/or Windows internals
• Understanding of networking fundamentals and system communications
• Experience working in Linux-based development environments
• Familiarity with Git-based workflows
• Ability to analyze complex technical problems and deliver mission-ready solutions
• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting offensive cyber or CNO capabilities
• Familiarity with reverse engineering tools and techniques
• Experience with vulnerability research or exploit development
• Knowledge of low-level operating system concepts (memory management, process injection, IPC)
• Experience developing tooling for constrained or embedded environments
• Familiarity with scripting languages to support rapid prototyping
• Experience supporting production CNO capabilities and operations
• Knowledge of end-to-end SIGINT collection and analysis systems
• Familiarity with Atlassian tools (Jira, Confluence)

Responsibilities

• Maintain an active TS/SCI with Polygraph. Candidates without a current clearance will not be considered.
• Design and develop CNO capabilities for mission environments
• Enhance and maintain existing operational toolsets
• Develop software in C, C++, Python, Rust, or similar languages
• Analyze system behavior and adapt capabilities to meet operational constraints
• Support testing, validation, and deployment of developed tools
• Collaborate directly with operators to refine technical requirements
• Troubleshoot and debug complex issues across Linux, Windows, or embedded systems
• Contribute to documentation, code reviews, and secure development practices
• Identify and implement performance and reliability improvements

Benefits

• Top salaries because we're top performers
• Pick your PTO – Everyone values time and money differently, so we give you the flexibility to choose between 3 and 5 weeks of PTO with a corresponding adjustment to your pay. Your choice, your balance.
• All 11 federal holidays, paid!
• Up to 2 snow days, paid!
• We’ll quadruple (4x!) the first 6% you contribute to your 401(k), giving you up to a 24% company match. Contributing less than 6%? Unclaimed matches come right back to you as extra income, giving you a guaranteed 24% that goes to your retirement, to your paycheck, or both. C’mon now! 🚀
• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurances. That’s a lot. Already covered on health insurance? No problem – we’ll trade you this benefit for a boost to your salary instead.
• $5,250 annual education assistance for training, certifications, tuition, and even student loan repayments.
• Spot bonuses for obtained certifications, customer recognition, and just about anything else that makes us go "Hot damn!". We hope to say that many times about you. 🔥

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed