Embedded Systems Cyber Security Student Assistant - Fall 2026 - CIPHER

Overview:

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).Founded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $940 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry.GTRI's renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do:

1. Students are our top priority.
2. We strive for excellence.
3. We thrive on diversity.
4. We celebrate collaboration.
5. We champion innovation.
6. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.
7. We nurture the wellbeing of our community.
8. We act ethically.
9. We are responsible stewards.


Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

Job Description

The Embedded Systems Vulnerability Division (ESVD) within the Cybersecurity, Information Protection, and Hardware Evaluation Research Laboratory(CIPHER) is skilled in reverse engineering, vulnerability discovery, and forensic analysis of embedded systems for Fall 2026. Red team activities focus on vulnerability discovery and the development and demonstration of RF and network-based techniques to gain unauthorized access to and/or exploit information networks. These efforts identify weaknesses and help ensure that mitigations are effective. The Division specializes in wireless and embedded devices such as radios, modems, routers, and embedded controllers comprising various military and Industrial Control System (ICS) networks. Research is also focused on developing innovative tools, architectures, and methodologies for software and microelectronic hardware assurance to support needs in trustworthy embedded computing applications, e.g., Internet of Things (IoT)

ESVD seeks Student Assistants to support teams performing embedded system cybersecurity testing. Successful candidates will need to be able to analyze large problems and break them down into smaller, achievable tasks. To support this they will need to be able to create high-level block diagrams, create custom scripts to support testing and solve problems from first principles. Students will be working on projects that may involve one or more of the following: embedded systems development, hardware reverse engineering (RE), firmware RE, software RE and/or signals analysis.

Working alone and alongside other students is expected. Strong written communication skills are a must.

Experience with capture the flag events, firmware/software reverse engineering with Ghidra or IDA, or software-defined radios is desired.

Required Minimum Qualifications
Student Assistant

• Pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• Must be registered for at least 6 credit hours with your university
• 2.0 or higher GPA

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with capture the flag events, firmware/software reverse engineering, or software-defined radios
• Task / team leadership experience
• Strong math skills and ability to learn complex engineering concepts
• Familiarity with Linux and open source tools
• Configuration management tools
• Ability to clearly communicate technical ideas
• Knowledge of IDA Pro and/or Ghidra
• Experience in 1 or more programming languages

Hours per Week

10-20 hours per week

U.S. Citizenship Requirements

Due to our research contracts with the US federal government, candidates for this position are required to be US Citizens.

Clearance Type Required

Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain an active security clearance.

Housing and Relocation

Housing and relocation assistance are not available for this position.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and University policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. This prohibition applies to faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including affiliates, invitees, and guests. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at