Penetration Tester - Hardware

Packetlabs is building out its hardware security practice and is hiring a Penetration Tester - Hardware for remote work across Texas/Florida
. In this role, you will lead end-to-end security assessments for embedded and IoT devices
, combining bench testing with firmware reverse engineering to surface vulnerabilities clients can fix.

• Plan and execute end-to-end hardware penetration tests on embedded and IoT devices within a defined scope and rules of engagement
• Identify, access, and exploit on-board debug interfaces such as JTAG
  , SWD
  , UART
  , and similar paths to reach code execution or memory access
• Extract firmware through debug ports,
  in-circuit flash reads (SPI/I2C/NAND), or chip-off when needed, then analyze for vulnerabilities
• Intercept and analyze data on embedded buses including SPI
  , I2C
  , UART
  , CAN
  , and USB using logic analyzers and protocol decoders
• When in scope, perform side-channel analysis and fault injection such as power analysis and voltage/clock glitching to bypass secure boot
  , readout protection, or authentication
• Reverse engineer firmware and embedded binaries using tools like Ghidra
  , IDA
  , and Binwalk to uncover logic flaws, hardcoded secrets, and exploitable conditions
• Assess physical attack surface,
  tamper resistance
  , and key or secret storage
• Separate theoretical risk from operationally relevant findings to keep results actionable
• Produce clear technical reports and present findings to client stakeholders, supporting both technical and non-technical audiences
• Advise on practical, prioritized remediation clients can implement
• Build and maintain lab tooling, test rigs, and internal methodology
• Contribute to research,
  responsible disclosure
  , and internal knowledge-sharing
• Stay current on hardware attack techniques, embedded architectures, and defensive controls
• Help raise the standard of hardware security work across the firm

• Graduate of an Information Security
  , Computer Science
  , or Computer/Electrical Engineering degree program (or equivalent hands-on experience)
• Strong electronics fundamentals
  , including the ability to read schematics and datasheets and reason about boards
• Hands-on soldering skills, including SMD rework and basic chip removal
• Demonstrated experience accessing debug interfaces (
  JTAG
  , SWD
  , UART
  ) and extracting firmware from real devices
• Comfort with core bench instruments:
  logic analyzer
  , oscilloscope
  , and multimeter
• Firmware reverse engineering with scripting in Python
  , plus enough C to understand embedded code
• Familiarity with embedded architectures including ARM/Cortex-M,
  MIPS
  , AVR
  , and RISC-V, along with RTOS and bare-metal concepts
• Clear written and verbal communication
• Must be located in Texas or Florida

• Debug and interfaces:
  JTAG
  , SWD
  , UART
  , SPI
  , I2C
  , NAND
  , CAN
  , USB
• Bench instruments and analysis:
  logic analyzer
  , oscilloscope
  , multimeter
  , protocol decoders
• Reverse engineering and scripting:
  Ghidra
  , IDA
  , Binwalk
  , Python
  , C
• Embedded platforms and concepts:
  ARM/Cortex-M,
  MIPS
  , AVR
  , RISC-V,
  RTOS
  , bare-metal
• Security and research tooling:
  Chip Whisperer
  , secure boot chains
• Additional platforms noted:
  TEEs
  , secure elements
  , HSMs
  , SDR
  , BLE
  , Wi‑Fi
  , Ki Cad ,
  Altium
• Certs and related areas:
  OSCP

• Side-channel and fault-injection experience such as Chip Whisperer
• RF and wireless work including SDR
  , BLE
  , sub-GHz, and Wi‑Fi
• Knowledge of secure boot chains
  , TEEs
  , secure elements
  , and HSMs
• PCB design familiarity with Ki Cad or Altium
• Published CVEs
  , conference talks, CTF placements, or open-source tooling
• Relevant certifications, for example OSCP or hardware-focused training

The salary range for this role is USD 80, per year (remote within Texas or Florida
). Packetlabs also provides offensive security…