Subject Matter Expert II Job Arlington area,Virginia USA,Engineering

ARSIEM is looking for a Subject Matter Expert Hardware Reverse Engineer to provide specialized expertise in hardware reverse engineering focused on operational technology (OT) and industrial control systems. This position requires deep technical knowledge of proprietary hardware systems, exploitation methodologies, and defensive strategies to support forensic investigations of compromised edge devices and systems where threat actors have embedded malware deeply within hardware components.

This position focuses on the analytical and investigative aspects of hardware forensics, with particular emphasis on operational technology and industrial control systems. The ideal candidates will have strong reverse engineering skills and deep understanding of threat actor methodologies targeting critical infrastructure. This position will support one of our Government clients in Arlington, VA.

Responsibilities

Conduct comprehensive hardware reverse engineering of OT and ICs devices
Analyze network‑edge devices and embedded systems compromised by advanced threats
Perform deep‑dive analysis of proprietary hardware targeted by adversaries
Conduct reverse engineering, failure analysis, vulnerability analysis, and other research techniques to understand complex hardware systems, assess the functionality of components, and identify exploitation risks
Identify and extract deeply embedded malware from hardware components
Reverse engineer firmware and low‑level software on embedded devices
Collaborate with Nightwing research teams to leverage cutting‑edge analytical capabilities
Utilize and enhance KI2 system emulation capabilities for hardware analysis
Document exploitation methodologies and defensive countermeasures
Develop standard operating procedures for hardware forensics workflows
Train CSD analysts on hardware reverse engineering techniques
Provide expert consultation on edge device security and vulnerabilities
Support forensic investigations in environments lacking EDR visibility
Analyze proprietary communication protocols and embedded systems functions
Identify hardware backdoors, implants, and malicious modifications
Collaborate with electrical engineers on chip‑off forensics procedures
Provide reach‑back support to operational analysts during active investigations
Contribute to research initiatives on emerging hardware threats
Document technical findings and intelligence for stakeholder dissemination

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or related discipline;
Master’s degree or PhD preferred
10+ years of experience in hardware reverse engineering or embedded systems analysis
Deep expertise in OT/ICS hardware platforms and vulnerabilities
Ability to analyze novel or proprietary systems with limited documentation
Strong communication skills for explaining complex technical findings
Experience working collaboratively in research‑oriented environments
Strong experience with firmware reverse engineering and analysis
Proficiency with reverse engineering tools (IDA Pro, Ghidra, Binary Ninja)
Deep understanding of ARM, MIPS, PowerPC, and other embedded processor architectures
Experience analyzing network‑edge devices (routers, switches, firewalls, IoT devices)
Knowledge of hardware debugging interfaces (JTAG, SWD, UART)
Strong programming and scripting skills (Python, C, Assembly)
Understanding of exploitation techniques targeting embedded systems
Experience with malware analysis in hardware/firmware contexts
Excellent analytical and problem‑solving abilities

Preferred Qualifications

Experience supporting federal cybersecurity or critical infrastructure protection programs
Experience performing inspection, imaging, decapsulation, deprocessing, and other activities related to hardware reverse engineering and exploitation in a state‑of‑the‑art microelectronics exploitation laboratory
Background in offensive security or penetration testing of OT environments
Advanced certifications in reverse engineering (GREM, GXPN, or similar)
Experience with SCADA, PLC, RTU, and other industrial control components
Knowledge of critical infrastructure sector technologies (energy, utilities, manufacturing)
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