Security Engineer, Hardware Security

Saronic · Defense · Austin, TX · Software

Senior Security Engineer focused on hardware, embedded systems, and firmware security for autonomous maritime platforms. Responsibilities include hardware security assessments, hardening physical interfaces, evaluating supply chain risks, developing security testing capabilities, designing secure boot chains and firmware update mechanisms, managing cryptographic keys, hardening embedded Linux, securing operational technology protocols, defining security boundaries, and driving threat modeling. Requires extensive experience in hardware hacking techniques, secure boot design, third-party hardware assessment, and embedded Linux security.

What you'd actually do

  1. Conduct hardware security assessments including fault injection, side-channel analysis, interface evaluation, and bus protocol analysis across Saronic-built and third-party hardware including sensors, radios, navigation systems, propulsion controllers, and communication modules
  2. Evaluate and harden physical interfaces, debug ports, maintenance access points, and removable media interfaces on vessel hardware
  3. Evaluate supply chain security risks for hardware components and recommend provenance validation, anti-tamper, and attestation controls
  4. Develop and maintain a hardware security testing capability including tooling, methodology, and repeatable test procedures
  5. Design and implement secure boot chains establishing hardware root of trust from power-on through application launch, integrating TPM, secure elements, and HSMs for device identity, key storage, measured boot, and remote attestation

Skills

Required

  • 6+ years of hands-on experience in hardware security, embedded systems security, firmware security, or a closely related security engineering role
  • Deep expertise in hardware hacking techniques including fault injection, side-channel attacks, JTAG/SWD exploitation, bus sniffing/injection, and physical security assessments
  • Demonstrated experience designing and implementing secure boot chains, hardware root of trust, and secure firmware update mechanisms in production systems
  • Strong experience assessing third-party hardware integrations and evaluating supply chain security risks
  • Deep knowledge of embedded Linux security hardening, kernel security, and mandatory access control frameworks
  • Experience with operational technology security, industrial protocols, or control system security
  • Proficiency in C, C++, Python, or Rust in the context of firmware, embedded, or systems-level security work, and with hardware security testing tools
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

Nice to have

  • Experience in defense, aerospace, robotics, autonomy, maritime, or other high-assurance environments
  • Experience with autonomous systems, unmanned vehicles, or safety-critical embedded platforms
  • Experience with RTOS, microcontroller security, or resource-constrained device environments
  • Knowledge of CAN bus, NMEA protocols, maritime communication systems, RF/GPS/GNSS security, or ICS security standards
  • Familiarity with defense or safety-critical compliance frameworks (NIST SP 800-53, IEC 62443, Common Criteria, or equivalent)
  • Relevant certifications such as OSEE, GXPN, GSE, or hardware-focused credentials

What the JD emphasized

  • hardware security
  • embedded systems security
  • firmware security
  • hardware hacking techniques
  • fault injection
  • side-channel attacks
  • secure boot chains
  • hardware root of trust
  • secure firmware update mechanisms
  • supply chain security risks
  • embedded Linux security hardening
  • operational technology protocols
  • security clearance