Hardware Ethical Hacker

Packetlabs Ltd. • Remote (Texas), TX

6d • $80,000 - $120,000 • Remote

About The Position

Packetlabs is seeking a specialized technical role, the Ethical Hacker - Hardware, to lead security assessments of embedded and IoT devices. This role focuses on vulnerabilities residing in silicon, firmware, and board layout, rather than in web requests. The position involves hands-on interaction with devices, including opening them up to demonstrate potential attacker capabilities with physical or local access. The ideal candidate possesses a rare blend of offensive security instincts and genuine hardware fundamentals. You will collaborate directly with clients to understand their devices and deliver actionable findings to enhance their security posture.

Requirements

• A graduate of an Information Security, Computer Science, or Computer/Electrical Engineering degree program (or equivalent hands-on experience)
• Strong electronics fundamentals. Able to read schematics and datasheets and reason about a board from them
• Hands-on soldering ability, including surface-mount (SMD) rework and basic chip removal
• Demonstrated experience accessing debug interfaces (JTAG, SWD, UART) and extracting firmware from real devices
• Comfort with core bench instruments: logic analyzer, oscilloscope, and multimeter
• Firmware reverse-engineering skills and scripting proficiency in Python, plus enough C to read embedded code
• Familiarity with common embedded architectures (ARM/Cortex-M, MIPS, AVR, RISC-V) and RTOS/bare-metal concepts
• Clear written and verbal communication.

Nice To Haves

• Side-channel / fault-injection experience (e.g., ChipWhisperer)
• RF and wireless work: SDR, BLE, sub-GHz, Wi-Fi
• Knowledge of secure boot chains, TEEs, secure elements, and HSMs
• PCB design familiarity (KiCad / Altium) for understanding target boards
• Published CVEs, conference talks, CTF placements, or open-source tooling
• Relevant certifications (e.g., OSCP for breadth, or hardware-focused training)

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute end-to-end hardware penetration tests on embedded and IoT devices, against a defined scope and rules of engagement
• Identify, access, and exploit on-board debug interfaces: JTAG, SWD, UART, and similar, to gain code execution or memory access
• Extract firmware via debug ports, in-circuit flash reads (SPI / I2C / NAND), or chip-off when required, and analyze it for vulnerabilities
• Intercept and analyze data on common embedded buses (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, USB) using logic analyzers and protocol decoders
• Where in scope, perform side-channel analysis and fault injection (power analysis, voltage/clock glitching) to bypass secure boot, readout protection, or authentication
• Reverse engineer firmware and embedded binaries (Ghidra, IDA, Binwalk, etc.) to find logic flaws, hardcoded secrets, and exploitable conditions
• Assess physical attack surface, tamper resistance, and key/secret storage
• Distinguish between theoretical and operationally relevant risk to keep findings actionable
• Write high-quality technical reports and present findings to client stakeholders, both technical and non-technical
• Advise on practical, prioritized remediation that clients can act on
• Build client confidence through credibility, clear communication, and proven impact
• Build and maintain lab tooling, test rigs, and internal methodology
• Contribute to research, responsible disclosure, and internal knowledge-sharing
• Stay current on hardware attack techniques, embedded architectures, and defensive controls
• Help raise the standard of hardware security work across the firm

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and growth opportunity
• Flexible work environment that empowers employees to do their best work
• Immediate and ongoing offensive security training, mentorship, and professional development to advance your technical capabilities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree