Summary Are you looking to apply your computer science and other technical expertise to develop technologies and tools and be a part of cutting edge innovations? Come join our team of experts! NSA is in search of Research Scientists and Senior Research Scientists to solve complex problems, test innovative approaches and research new solutions to make the U.S. and its allies safer and more secure. Help protect national security interests. Responsibilities NSA Research Scientists are actively expanding the boundaries of what can be accomplished with artificial intelligence, machine learning, human-machine teaming, software reverse engineering, vulnerability discovery, data science, novel architectures, cyber security, high performance computing, and computational linguistics. Our experts generalize mission problems, advance the scientific state-of-the-art to solve problems, and work with other NSA organizations to get solutions in front of mission users and decision-makers. Our researchers also have the opportunity to collaborate regularly with the scientific community, academia, industry, and other government laboratories; publish papers on unclassified aspects of our work in scientific journals and at conferences; transfer NSA technology to the marketplace through open source software releases and public-private partnerships; serve as faculty members at local universities; and participate in university and K-12 STEM outreach activities across the country. The ideal candidate must be able to demonstrate sound judgement, strong technical skills and the ability to work effectively in a dynamic team environment, as well as independently. Excellent oral and written communication skills, and a proven track record of analyzing and solving technical problems with innovative solutions are also preferred. The candidate should have demonstrated success in conducting Computer Science or Mathematics research to include turning research ideas into running proto@type-grade systems. As a Research Scientist, other responsibilities may include: - Conducting scientific experiments, documenting results, and communicating with colleagues, customers, and decision makers - Training, testing, and deploying machine learning models - Evaluating the trustworthiness of artificial Intelligence and machine learning models - Applying software engineering principles to design and/or develop software applications - Designing and optimizing algorithms, data structures, modeling, and analytics to solve real-world scientific problems - Using principles, techniques, procedures, and tools to architect and facilitate the development of hardware solutions - Developing methods and applications for tools to exploit and analyze computer systems and network vulnerabilities - Modeling, simulating, prototyping, and/or benchmarking high performance computing systems. - Developing and implementing approaches to increase the productivity and/or efficiency of high performance computers - Investigating and validating the security properties claimed by confidential computing mechanisms and architectures - Advancing the understanding and capabilities for flexible, layered integrity measurement and attestation architectures and mechanisms - Research, design, and proto@type novel approaches to operating system, hypervisor, or firmware security - Applying machine learning models to perform enhanced monitoring and anomaly detection on embedded systems' network communications to include IoT devices using Bluetooth and other wireless IoT protocols - Identifying and analyzing vulnerabilities in software, hardware, and network systems using vulnerability discovery techniques such as emulation, reverse engineering, and fuzzing - Researching tools and techniques to aid in the analysis, design, and verification of software and systems, primarily by means of formal modeling and specification amenable to automated analysis, leveraging extensive experience with computer reasoning tools (SAT solvers, theorem provers, etc.) Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position. FULL PERFORMANCE Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree and no experience. An Associate's degree plus 5 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position. SENIOR Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 6 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 4 years of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree plus 2 years of relevant experience. An Associate's degree plus 8 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position. EXPERT Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 9 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 7 years of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree plus 5 years of relevant experience. An Associate's degree plus 11 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position. Relevant experience must be in one or more of the following: computer systems research, simulation/model development and prototyping, software design, programming, computational science, algorithm analysis and design, reverse engineering, designing/developing computer or information systems, including engineering hardware or software, machine learning, artificial intelligence, visualization, human-computer interaction, data science, or high performance computing. Education Degree must be in Computer Science (CS) or Computer Engineering (CE). Other STEM fields (e.g., Engineering, Mathematics, or Information Systems (IS)) may be considered relevant if the programs contain, at minimum, a concentration of courses in the following foundational CS areas: algorithms; computer architecture (not network architecture); programming methodologies and languages; data structures; logic and computation; and advanced mathematics (for example, calculus, discrete mathematics). Please upload a copy of your transcripts from all schools attended, prior to applying for this position. Unofficial transcripts are fine at this stage. The minimum qualifications for this position require a degree that demonstrates a concentration of Computer Science (CS) courses in foundational CS areas. Additional Information Pay: Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position. Salary Range: $105,262 - $197,200 (Full Performance, Senior, Expert) Salary range varies by location, work level, and relevant experience to the position. Training will be provided based on the selectee's needs and experience. Benefits: NSA offers a comprehensive benefits package. Work Schedule: This is a full-time position, Monday - Friday, with basic 8hr/day work requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible).
