Energy Cybersecurity Research Leader - Adversarial & Simulation

Adversarial Cybersecurity Researcher – NLR – Golden, CO

Researcher IV (Senior Researcher, Team/Project Leadership) or Researcher III – full‑time, regular 40‑hour week. Remote work not indicated.

NLR is the nation’s primary laboratory for energy systems research. We conduct applied research at the intersection of cybersecurity, energy systems, and national resilience, developing tools and methods to secure the evolving energy infrastructure. The CRC (Cybersecurity Research Center) leverages the ARIES Cyber Range and large‑scale experimentation to advance adversarial science. The role requires a mid‑career researcher with strong offensive and defensive cybersecurity expertise and a proven record of translating experimental results into models, tools, and research insights.

• Lead adversarial research initiatives targeting energy sector systems, including threat emulation, cyber‑range experimentation, and model‑based simulation.
• Design, execute, and evaluate complex adversary–defender studies—multi‑stage attack‑chain modeling, vulnerability exploration, and defense validation—to ensure reproducible outcomes.
• Develop and validate cybersecurity research tools, simulation frameworks, and automation scripts, integrating them with laboratory initiatives.
• Extend threat‑modeling methodologies (e.g., MITRE ATT&CK, ATT&CK for IC) for large‑scale experimental design and system‑level defense evaluation.
• Integrate research outcomes into system‑level risk, resilience models, and quantitative performance metrics, influencing laboratory strategy.
• Conduct advanced adversarial analysis and vulnerability assessments of IT, OT, and hybrid energy systems to inform architecture improvement.
• Prepare research proposals, technical publications, and conference presentations, shaping research directions.
• Drive interdisciplinary collaboration across power systems, controls, and modeling teams, bridging cyber‑physical domains.
• Support and expand NLR’s adversarial research infrastructure—cyber ranges, digital twins, and orchestration frameworks—through mentorship and leadership.

• PhD + 4 years of experience, or Master’s + 7 years, or Bachelor’s + 9 years, in a relevant field.
• In‑depth knowledge of laws, regulations, principles, and practices related to cybersecurity in the energy sector.
• Excellent leadership, communication, problem‑solving, and project‑management skills.
• Proficiency in using computer software and scripting languages.
• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment.

• PhD, or Master’s + 3 years, or Bachelor’s + 5 years, in a related discipline.
• Broad understanding of engineering principles, theories, and concepts in cybersecurity.
• Experience leading projects and managing teams.
• Strong writing, interpersonal, and communication skills.

• Must obtain and maintain a DOE security clearance at the Q/TS/SCI level.
• Understanding of project‑management principles and standards.
• Ability to travel up to 25%.

• Proven leadership in offensive cybersecurity research and experimental planning.
• Deep expertise in cyber modeling, simulation, digital twins, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop testbeds.
• Advanced proficiency in Python, Power Shell, C/C++, or other languages.
• Expert knowledge of IC, OT, and energy sector systems.
• Ability to lead reproducible cyber experiments with scientific rigor.
• Record of publications, reports, and funded proposals.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Independent project leads, mentorship, and laboratory‑wide capability development.

• Experience in offensive cybersecurity research: penetration testing, exploit development, threat emulation.
• Knowledge of cyber modeling and simulation for energy systems.
• Proficiency in Python, Power Shell, C/C++, or scripting languages.
• Understanding of IC, OT, and energy sector architectures.
• Design and execution of reproducible cyber experiments.
• Contributions to peer‑reviewed publications and sponsored proposals.
• Strong technical writing and presentation…