Windows Kernel & Vulnerability Research Engineer

Windows Kernel & Vulnerability Research Engineer

Chantilly, VA

TS/SCI to start

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth research into Windows internals, including system architecture, memory management, drivers, processes, and kernel-mode operations.
• Perform reverse engineering of Windows binaries, drivers, and firmware using industry-standard tools.
• Identify, analyze, and document zero-day vulnerabilities and security weaknesses across kernel and user-mode components.
• Develop proof-of-concept (PoC) code to demonstrate impact and exploitability of discovered vulnerabilities.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to design mitigations, security patches, and hardening strategies.
• Analyze exploit techniques, malware samples, and emerging threat vectors affecting Windows platforms.
• Contribute to internal knowledge bases, tooling, and automation that streamline research workflows.

Required Qualifications

• Strong understanding of Windows operating system internals, including kernel architecture, drivers, APIs, memory layout, and subsystem behavior.
• Proficiency in C/C++, with experience writing or analyzing kernel-mode code and Windows drivers.
• Expertise in reverse engineering tools such as IDA Pro, Ghidra, WinDbg, x64dbg, or Binary Ninja.
• Solid grasp of assembly language (x86/x64) and low-level debugging.
• Experience conducting vulnerability research or exploit development in Windows environments.
• Familiarity with common exploit mitigation techniques (ASLR, DEP, CFG, SMEP/SMAP, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience discovering and responsibly disclosing security vulnerabilities.
• Knowledge of kernel exploitation techniques, sandbox escapes, or privilege escalation attacks.
• Understanding of malware analysis, rootkits, or advanced persistent threats.
• Contributions to open-source security tools or research publications.
• Experience with scripting languages (Python, PowerShell) for automation.

Who You Are

• Curious, analytical, and passionate about low-level technologies.
• Comfortable diving into undocumented features and complex system behavior.
• Able to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.