Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) Looking for Software Analyst – Communication Systems-CIPHER-OPEN RANK at Smyrna, GA  Full Time

GTRI is searching for a Software Analyst to work on the Assessments team within the Embedded System Vulnerability Division (ESVD) in the Cybersecurity, Information Protection, and Hardware Evaluation Research (CIPHER) Lab. The Software Analyst will join an established team of experts in the reverse engineering and characterization of battlefield electronic systems. The software analyst will support assessment of software and/or firmware of embedded electronic systems that make up various subcomponents of Communications, Electronic Warfare, Avionics, and Radar Systems.

Job Purpose

Technical personnel to be part of an established team of experts in the assessment of battlefield electronic systems. A highly motivated individual to support assessment of software and/or firmware of embedded communications systems. The candidate will perform analysis of software/firmware from embedded and PC-based systems for identification of system technical capabilities and potential vulnerabilities. The following skills/experience are highly desired: experience with a variety of microprocessor architectures and programmable logic devices, software reverse engineering, knowledge of typical encryption and authentication schemes used in wireless communications, digital communication theory, networking protocols, embedded operating systems , and embedded system programming.

Key Responsibilities

• Static and dynamic analysis of software/firmware components of communication systems
• Development of software analysis tools to assist in the reverse engineering process
• Research communication theory concepts (such as modulation, spread spectrum, error correction coding, synchronization, etc.) and implementation methods to help in determining software functionality
• Development and use of virtual and emulation environments for executing software under test
• Primary author of technical reports/presentations for projects of low/moderate complexity. Compile report input from other researchers and prepare final report deliverable.

Additional Responsibilities

• Assist in networking protocol analysis
• Perform digital forensics on computer equipment
• Participate in designing and/or testing of embedded circuit boards

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Test and instrumentation experience including soldering, use of spectrum analyzers, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, or JTAG debugging tools, etc.
• Experience with hardware debugging or reverse engineering, particularly of embedded devices
• Experience programming embedded devices including one or more of the following: micro controllers, digital signal processors, and programmable logic devices including FPGAs.
• Experience with programming languages like Python, C#, C/C++
• Experience with common disassemblers/decompilers and reverse engineering tools (IDA, Ghidra, Binary Ninja)
• Interest in solving puzzles and a curiosity to determine how things work
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret Clearance
• Experience with design and/or performance testing of frequency hop communications systems
• Experience working with a variety of communication systems such as HF, VHF, microwave, SATCOM, etc. Experience with military systems is preferred.
• Background in digital communication theory to include modulation/demodulation, error correction coding, synchronization methods, and/or network management strategies
• Knowledge of networking protocols
• Experience with on-board communication interfaces such JTAG, SPI, UART, and SWD
• Familiarity with security features of wireless communications systems
• Experience using protocol analyzers such as Wireshark
• Experience with design and/or testing of embedded circuit boards, particularly for communications systems
• Experience developing and building custom interfaces to support electronics testing
• Analysis of multi-layer printed circuit boards (PCBs) using computerized tomography (CT) X-ray scans
• Experience interacting with software test environments to include virtualized and emulative environments capable of executing the software under test (e.g. VMware, VirtualBox, QEMU, Unicorn)
• Experience with embedded operating systems including identifying and configuring bootloaders, kernels, program code and both static and dynamic drivers.
• Experience with developing programs running on an embedded real-time operating system such as VxWorks, QNX, C/OS, etc.
• Experience leading or contributing to vulnerability analysis of the communications protocols and/or software associated with wireless communications systems
• Familiarity with IDAPro, Binary Ninja API, or Ghidra scripting
• Experience with digital forensics tools (e.g. Autopsy, Sleuthkit, FTKImager)
• Active U.S. Security Clearance
• Experience working with the US government, including the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community

Travel Requirements

Education and Length of Experience

This position vacancy is an open-rank announcement. The final job offer will be dependent on candidate qualifications in alignment with Research Faculty Extension Professional ranks as outlined in section of the Georgia Tech Faculty Handbook

• 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• 3 years of related experience with a Masters’ degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• 0 years of related experience with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.

U.S. Citizenship Requirements

Due to our research contracts with the U.S. federal government, candidates for this position must be U.S. Citizens.

Clearance Type Required

Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain an active security clearance.

Benefits at GTRI

Comprehensive information on currently offered GTRI benefits, including Health & Welfare, Retirement Plans, Tuition Reimbursement, Time Off, and Professional Development, can be found through this link:

Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) at Georgia Tech Research Institute aims to enhance the Institute’s mission of solving the world’s most complex technical problems by creating a workforce with a shared appreciation for diversity, raising awareness around inclusiveness, and fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation for all members of our community.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Georgia Tech Research Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans and actively seeks diversity among its employees. Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law.