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

Cryptographic Design Project Engineer

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