New

Cyber Systems Exploitation Researcher

MIT Lincoln Laboratory
tuition reimbursement, 401(k)
United States, Massachusetts, Lexington
244 Wood Street (Show on map)
Nov 09, 2026
Select how often (in days) to receive an alert: JOIN OUR TALENT NETWORK Cyber Systems Exploitation Researcher Apply now Date: Nov 9, 2026 Location: Lexington, MA, US Company: MIT Lincoln Laboratory The Cyber System Assessments Group performs software and hardware reverse engineering, vulnerability research and discovery, and system exploitation. We develop and prototype cutting-edge capabilities for our operational partners in the U.S. government. We look for, find, and demonstrate cyber vulnerabilities so that vulnerabilities in U.S. systems can be corrected, and so that vulnerabilities in other systems are better understood. Top U.S. Government leadership relies on us for our expert guidance, and our technical role with our U.S. Government sponsors is considered essential to the success of their missions. Job Overview MIT Lincoln Laboratory Level 5 Technical Staff provide critical multi-domain or new domain innovative research to the Laboratory's national security mission. They prototype solutions for state-of-the art technology and engage across the program lifecycle, leading projects or major technical workstreams in partnership with project and team leaders. As a successful Level 5 Technical Staff candidate, you will lead projects or major technical workstreams requiring deep expertise and sound judgment, with the ability to successfully navigate technical complexity. You will perform independent research to solve complex problems, manage programs and/or lead teams on extraordinary technology prototype efforts, and develop creative new ideas and approaches that support critical mission needs. As a successful Level 5 Technical Staff, you will have deep technical expertise, sound judgment, and the ability to lead through ambiguity. You will, with ease, effectively connect your technical depth with the Laboratory's broader program objectives. Working across multi-disciplinary teams and sponsor-driven efforts, you will efficiently help develop and execute programs, create briefings and reports, and often interface with sponsors. In this role, you are a technical leader, mentoring others, and continuously improving practices within an applicable Group or mission area. You will also guide and mentor Associate Technical Staff, Assistant Technical Staff, and other technical support personnel. Additional Job Overview Details When you join our team as a Cyber System Exploitation Researcher, you'll be leading the development of cyber security tools and techniques. You'll be reverse engineering and exploiting software and hardware systems important to U.S. government operations and critical to the defense of our nation. Your main areas of research will include cyber tool prototyping and technical analysis of offensive or defensive cyber tools and systems, automated vulnerability discovery, reverse engineering, software protection mechanisms, static analysis, and dynamic instrumentation. Once you're on our team, you will communicate your research to non-domain experts through your writing, public presentations, and hand-on training sessions. Job Duties & Responsibilities Leads projects or major workstreams involving multi-disciplinary design, development, data analysis, programming, prototyping, integration, testing, or transition activities. Applies extensive technical expertise to solve significantly complex problems while effectively evaluating alternative approaches, trade-offs, risks, and mission-driven implications. Within assigned projects or mission areas, consistently influences the technical approach towards mission research, systems/ subsystems, architecture design and integration. Structures and manages execution of ambiguous work, concisely translating project objectives into actionable technical plans based on nuanced policies and procedures. Mentors others within the Group by consistently reviewing work and providing constructive feedback, offering technical guidance, and helping them to develop and hone their judgment and problem-solving skills. Proactively identifies opportunities to improve tools, processes, methods, documentation, or execution practices within the Group. Substantively contributes to engineering or scientific papers, technical reports, presentations, and, where applicable, proposal or grant materials. Additional Job Duties & Responsibilities Reverse engineer and exploit software and hardware systems important to U.S. government operations and critical to the defense of our nation. Conduct research in cyber tool prototyping and technical analysis of offensive or defensive cyber tools and systems, automated vulnerability discovery, reverse engineering, software protection mechanisms, static analysis, and dynamic instrumentation. Communicate research to non-domain experts through writing, public presentations, and hands-on training sessions. Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 6+ years of relevant experience; or Master's degree and typically 4+ years of relevant experience; or PhD and typically equivalent combination of education and experience. Diverse technical expertise with demonstrated ability to adapt that expertise to unfamiliar or emerging disciplines, systems, mission areas, or methods. Established educational, skill, and experience levels that demonstrate an ability to apply significant technical judgment to solve broad technical challenges that require integration across related systems or methods. Demonstrated ability to lead projects or major workstreams and deliver complex technical outcomes. Experience evaluating trade-offs, recommending paths forward, and adapting technical approaches to evolving project needs. Demonstrated mentorship, collaboration, and ability to communicate recommendations, risks, and technical findings to varied audiences. Experience contributing to technical reports, papers, presentations, proposals, or other formal technical deliverables. Additional Minimum Qualifications Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain a Secret level DoD security clearance. Additionally, must be eligible and willing to apply for a Top Secret SCI level DoD security clearance and be able to maintain this clearance level once obtained. Preferred Qualifications Familiarity with all, and expertise in some, of the following: Version control systems (Git) Disassemblers/decompilers (Ghidra, IDA Pro) Debuggers (WinDbg, GDB) Programming languages (C/C++, Python) Infrastructure/container provisioning and orchestration (Ansible, Kubernetes, Docker) Network protocol analysis (Wireshark, tcpdump) Emulation/virtualization (VMware, QEMU) Operating system internals Reverse engineering of embedded systems firmware, malicious code, mobile applications, and more Vulnerability assessment Statistics and metrics SAT/SMT solvers Symbolic execution Data-flow analysis for compiled binaries Binary intermediate representations Binary translation Compiler construction Anti-debugging/anti-instrumentation techniques Network and host security products Competencies Communication Skills Technical Staff 5 Hiring Range:$140,000 - $187,000 Disclaimer: MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides a typical hiring range as a good faith estimate of what we reasonably expect to offer for this position at the time of posting. The final salary offered to a selected candidate will depend on various factors, including-but not limited to-the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate's experience, skills and education/training, internal equity considerations and applicable legal requirements. This range reflects base salary only and does not include additional forms of compensation or benefits. At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, our exceptional career opportunities include many outstanding benefits to help you stay healthy, feel supported, and enjoy a fulfilling work-life balance. Benefits offered to employees include: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans MIT-funded pension Matching 401K Paid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.) Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs Mentorship programs A range of work-life balance options ... and much more! Please visit our Benefits pagefor more information. As an employee of MIT, you can also take advantage ofother voluntary benefits, discounts and perks. Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance. MIT Lincoln Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information; U.S. citizenship is required. Requisition ID:43598 Nearest Major Market: Boston Job Segment: Security Clearance, Laboratory, Cyber Security, Embedded, Instrumentation, Government, Science, Security, Technology, Engineering Apply now Find similar jobs: Cyber Security and Information Sciences