Shift5 is seeking an experienced and passionate Senior Cyber Threat Engineer to join our growing team. You will be working directly for Shift5 Labs, the vulnerability research team and threat experts of Shift5. In this role your primary goal will be to understand exactly how cyber threat actors could attack operational technology (OT) systems (especially serial data networks and embedded OT devices) then work across Labs, Field, and Product teams to help us build cyber intrusion detection and prevention methodologies and rules. You will assess and emulate a wide variety of attackers - from casual script kiddies to nation states - and translate the techniques you used into technical signatures that can be built into Shift5 cybersecurity appliances. You will also work closely with our analysts to understand how malicious actors are operating today as well as predict future threats, then translate those threats into actionable technical specifics to support intrusion detection and prevention.

This position resides in our Research organization, whose purpose is to identify technical specifics of the current Operational Technology (OT) threat landscape. You will identify threats to serial and embedded systems and describe them in code. You’ll also work closely with our product developers, analysts, and customers to develop better defenses by helping to develop attack signatures and recommend product features. This position plays a crucial role in helping Shift5 defend critical national infrastructure, weapons platforms, and logistics by thinking like a malicious attacker.

We’re looking for someone with an insatiable appetite for learning who frequently explores ways to make the impossible possible. Someone who embraces uncertainty, thrives in the unknown, and views incomplete information as an opportunity. You should have a passion for breaking things, believe no system is impenetrable, and trust we can keep others safe by identifying and overcoming weaknesses in critical systems. You must own what you build and understand the responsibility that comes with building tools that could cause damage to real systems and people’s lives. If this sounds like you, drop us a line because we’d love to start a conversation.

Shift5 is a rapidly growing data and cybersecurity scale-up. We specialize in capturing and analyzing serial bus data in real time, providing anomaly detection and operational intelligence required to act. Our insights provide real-time alerting and historical trends to assure mission readiness and cyber survivability, and our innovative technology enables military systems to deter adversaries, protect warfighters, and maintain their competitive edge. We are a collaborative, passionate and driven cadre of cyber security experts. Our engineers are multidisciplinary, and our team is dynamic. We’re a growing company focused on helping our customer’s fleets run smarter and safer by capitalizing on mountains of data resting right about the wheels. Come join us.

In this role you will be expected to:

• Work with hardware and software engineers from the point-of-view of a malicious attacker
• Develop the rules, signatures, methods, and heuristics for Shift5 cybersecurity products designed to protect OT systems and serial networks. Be prepared to dig into Python and C/C to write the code for the detection methods you develop.
• Work with cross-functional teams to build out product features and capabilities related to Intrusion Detection and Prevention.
• Distinguish between malicious and benign traffic within large repositories of serial bus data.
• Contribute to fundamental frameworks that describe types of threats to OT systems and provide a common language to share information about identified threats.
• Effectively communicate technical information about cyber threats to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Work directly with other Shift5 Labs members to produce cyber threat landscape reports and presentations
• Collaborate with vulnerability researchers to develop detection methodologies for novel attacks against OT systems leveraging a wide range of exploitation techniques
• Synthesize publicly available and proprietary threat information into meaningful technical details
• Be ready to learn and be flexible. You’ll be engaged in a wide variety of work in support Shift5 priorities, which often change in a growing company
• Work remotely, but be prepared to travel
• Present findings to customers as needed

We're looking for someone who is/has:

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent
• Experience in intrusion detection
• Proficiency in software engineering principles using Python and C/C
• Familiarity with serial and embedded protocols such as MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, CAN, etc.
• Experience with DevOps tools (git, gitlab runners, Conan C/C package managers, Linux operating systems, etc.)
• Experience in embedded systems or serial networks
• Experience in cyber security concepts or fields
• Ability to efficiently multitask and accommodate change of priorities on demand
• US Citizenship
• Be able to obtain or hold a US Government Security Clearance
• Protocol or firmware reverse engineering experience preferred, but not required
• Penetration testing or red teaming experience preferred, but not required

Compensation & Benefits:

• Competitive salary and stock options in a fast-growing startup
• Employer-paid medical, dental and vision coverage
• Health Savings Account with annual employer contributions
• 401k with employer contributions
• Life Insurance
• Uncapped paid time off policy
• Flexible work & remote work policy
• Tax-deferred public transit benefits with Metro SmartBenefits (DC/MD/VA)

We are committed to building an inclusive culture of belonging that embraces the diversity of our people and represents the communities in which we work and the customers we serve. We know the happiest and highest performing teams include people with diverse perspectives and ways of solving problems. We strive to attract and retain talent from all backgrounds and create workplaces where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work. 

Shift5 is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identify, national origin, disability, age, marital status, ancestry, projected veteran status, or any other protected group or class.