Vulnerability Researcher

KBR • Beavercreek Township, OH

17h

About The Position

KBR is seeking a Vulnerability Researcher to support vulnerability discovery and validation efforts against embedded systems and firmware. In this role, you will focus on hands‑on vulnerability research, including building emulation‑backed test environments, developing fuzzing workflows, performing crash triage and root‑cause analysis, and assisting with proof‑of‑concept exploit development in a controlled lab setting. The Vulnerability Researcher works closely with reverse engineers and senior vulnerability researchers to deliver reproducible findings and high-quality technical documentation for government customers while continuing to deepen technical proficiency across mission‑relevant domains.

Requirements

• Security Clearance: Must have an active U.S. government Secret security clearance, which is something only a U.S. citizen can obtain
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
• 4–9 years of experience in vulnerability research, reverse engineering, or exploit development
• Strong understanding of embedded systems, firmware, operating systems, and low‑level software behavior
• Proficiency in C/C++, Python, and assembly for vulnerability research, harness development, and automation
• Experience with embedded emulation environments
• Experience with coverage‑guided fuzzing, fuzz harness development, and crash triage workflows

Nice To Haves

• Experience developing proof‑of‑concept exploits for vulnerability validation
• Exposure to analysis techniques such as symbolic execution, concolic execution, or taint analysis
• Experience with hardware‑focused vulnerability research or embedded security testing
• Demonstrated ability to communicate technical findings clearly in written reports

Responsibilities

• Conduct vulnerability research on embedded targets using asset‑safe approaches such as emulation, virtualization, and controlled experimentation
• Develop and execute fuzzing campaigns, including target setup, fuzz harness development, seed/corpus management, and coverage‑driven testing
• Perform crash triage and root‑cause analysis to identify and characterize security vulnerabilities
• Assist in the development of proof‑of‑concept exploits to validate vulnerability impact in controlled laboratory environments
• Create and maintain test harnesses and supporting infrastructure to exercise payload delivery and validate behavior repeatably
• Reverse engineer firmware and binaries as needed to understand vulnerable code paths and exploitation constraints
• Collaborate with vulnerability researchers, reverse engineers, and developers support mission objectives
• Document findings and produce technical reports and artifacts suitable for release
• Research and apply new vulnerability research tools and techniques under senior technical guidance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level