Cryptographic Design Project Engineer

Cryptographic Systems Engineer

Location Requirements: Carlsbad, CA | Marlborough, MA | Linthicum Heights, MD

Must have active U.S. Secret Clearance | U.S. Citizenship required

Our client is seeking a Cryptographic Systems Project Engineer to lead the development and certification of secure cryptographic devices and infrastructure. This role is ideal for a technically skilled engineer with experience in high-assurance systems, who has transitioned into a leadership capacity. You’ll be working at the intersection of hardware, software, and embedded security technologies to protect national defense systems.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Manage end-to-end lifecycle of a secure cryptographic device used for high-level key management and distribution.

• Lead cross-functional teams (hardware, software, firmware, systems, security) to deliver on technical objectives and timelines.

• Drive architecture, design, integration, and system validation efforts.

• Contribute to and review technical documentation, design reviews, system test results, and defect resolutions.

• Guide and mentor junior engineers and support proposal development.

• Interface with certification authorities to ensure products meet stringent security standards.

• Champion modernization efforts, from architecture to automation of build/test processes.

Technical Focus:

• Design and enhancement of cryptographic units (e.g., key loaders, ECUs)

• Troubleshooting across embedded systems—hardware, firmware, and software

• Code and architecture reviews; support emulation, testing, and debugging

• Leading investigations into security, performance, and interoperability

• Collaborating on system-level integration and validation in secure environments

Your Background:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related

• 10+ years of hands-on experience in embedded systems or secure communications, including DoD-focused development

• Prior leadership roles in engineering disciplines (e.g., firmware, systems, or software lead)

• Deep understanding of secure embedded architectures and product development lifecycles

• Working knowledge of protocols, operating systems, and secure coding practices

• Strong communication and technical documentation skills

• U.S. Citizenship and an active Secret (or higher) clearance required

• Willingness to travel up to 25%

Bonus Skills:

• Experience with: C, Python, C#, FPGAs, SoCs, NAND/Flash, secure boot, and cryptographic storage

• Familiarity with writing technical proposals and estimating design efforts

• Comfortable working in fast-paced environments with shifting priorities