Senior​/Principal R&D Cybersecurity - Artificial Intelligence, Onsite

Senior/Principal R&D Cybersecurity - Artificial Intelligence, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation. This role seeks experienced AI cybersecurity researchers to develop protective technologies, conduct threat assessments, and analyze government, military, and civilian systems that employ AI.

As a member of our multidisciplinary team, you will engage with systems ranging from embedded, mobile, desktop, and enterprise to cloud environments, including globally connected networks that employ AI at the edge.

• Develop state‑of‑the‑art approaches for analyzing the security and robustness of AI systems.
• Apply these approaches to understand vulnerabilities in AI systems and how attackers adapt to exploit them.
• Reverse engineer malicious code in support of high‑impact customers.
• Conduct low‑level firmware research.
• Analyze device software, hardware, and communications protocols.
• Design and develop new analysis methods and tools.
• Identify and address emerging and complex threats to AI systems and engage with the broader security community.
• Influence the AI security and vulnerability disclosure ecosystems.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of tools, techniques, and processes developed by the AI security research community.
• Uncover and shape fundamental assumptions underlying current AI security best practice.
• Develop thought models, tools, and datasets that characterize threats to and vulnerabilities in AI systems.
• Identify opportunities to apply AI to improve existing cybersecurity research.

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform independent research and development.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q and SCI clearance, which may require a polygraph test.

• Graduate degree in Computer Science/Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Information Systems, Computer Forensics, Mathematics, or a related field with an independent research project.
• Experience in reverse engineering, software vulnerability assessment, web application assessment, computer networking, computer architecture, compilers, or similar security topics.
• Proficiency in scripting or high‑level programming.
• Familiarity with secure‑system design principles and information assurance principles.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to present technical ideas concisely.
• Five or more years of experience in AI/ML and cybersecurity.
• Experience with adversarial machine learning, ML vulnerabilities, and attack vectors.
• Practical experience applying cybersecurity knowledge toward vulnerability research, analysis, and mitigation.
• Familiarity with common AI/ML software packages (e.g., Numpy, PyTorch, Tensor Flow).
• Experience with large language models (LLMs) and agentic models.
• Experience implementing and engineering AI systems.
• Knowledge of the AI state of the art and a desire to keep it up to date.
• Proficiency in Python, C/C++, and related programming.
• Familiarity with reverse engineering tools such as Ghidra or IDA Pro.
• Experience developing frameworks, methodologies, or assessments to evaluate effectiveness and robustness of technologies.
• Active DOE Q or DOD TS security clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain an SCI.

Some travel is required. The selected candidate must work onsite.

$117,500 – $235,700 (salary will be determined based on experience and qualifications).

This posting will be open for at least three (3) calendar days.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected class under state or federal law.

If you have a medical portable electronic device (MedPED) such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug‑releasing pump, hearing aid, or diagnostic equipment, and you are selected for an onsite interview at Sandia National Laboratories, additional steps may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview.