Systems/Staff Engineer I – Junior Level

Systems/Staff Engineer I – Junior Level Location: Cedar Springs, MI / Washington, D.C. / Quantico, VA Travel: Minimal / As needed Clearance: Top Secret security clearance Citizenship: US Citizenship required About Grimm Grimm is an innovative, forward-looking cybersecurity organization focused on solving complex challenges across hardware, firmware, and software systems. Our teams specialize in reverse engineering, vulnerability research, and security engineering, supporting mission-critical efforts across national security, defense, and critical infrastructure sectors. Our work is rooted in real-world operational experience identifying advanced threats, uncovering critical vulnerabilities, and developing meaningful solutions to complex problems. Grimm engineers operate across embedded systems, vehicles, IoT, and enterprise technologies, with a focus on understanding systems deeply and demonstrating real-world impact. We are a highly technical and hands-on organization. Our engineers and researchers specialize in breaking systems, discovering vulnerabilities, and improving resilience—working directly with real hardware and software to understand how systems function and how they fail. About the Role Grimm is seeking a Junior Systems/Staff Engineer to support the VAIL program, an FBI-focused effort centered on reverse engineering, vulnerability analysis, network mapping, exploitation, and mission-driven cyber operations. This role is ideal for an early-career engineer with experience or strong interest in exploit development, malware reverse engineering, penetration testing, networking, and software or firmware analysis. The selected candidate will support technical analysis of complex systems and help inform operational approaches for mission-critical cyber efforts. We're looking for someone who is technically curious, hands-on, and interested in growing within reverse engineering, vulnerability analysis, and offensive cyber operations. What You'll Do • Perform reverse engineering and vulnerability analysis of software and firmware problems • Support analysis of complex systems to help inform operational parameters • Use analysis tools such as disassemblers, decompilers, debuggers, virtual machines, and hex editors • Research adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures to support mission objectives • Support vulnerability analysis, network mapping, exploitation, defensive analysis, and IT logging activities • Analyze ports, protocols, networking devices, and data network protocols • Support penetration testing and exploitation activities • Work with software and firmware assembly, disassembly, reverse engineering, debuggers, and diagnostic tools • Establish, maintain, and use small networks in support of technical analysis • Contribute to cyber operations concepts, tradecraft, and technical approaches • Collaborate with engineers, researchers, mission stakeholders, and customer teams Required Qualifications • Bachelor's degree plus 2+ years of related experience, or equivalent experience • Experience in exploit development or malware reverse engineering • Experience using industry-standard analysis tools, including: • Disassemblers • Decompilers • Debuggers • Virtual machines • Hex editors • Experience with penetration testing • Experience with software and firmware code assembly, disassembly, reverse engineering, software debuggers, and diagnostic tools • Knowledge of TCP/IP and data network protocols • Experience establishing, maintaining, and using small networks • Must be a US Citizen • Top Secret security clearance Preferred / Nice to Have • Active TS/SCI clearance preferred • Experience supporting FBI, DOJ, DoD, Intelligence Community, or law enforcement customers • Experience with offensive cyber operations or CNO mission environments • Experience with network mapping, IT logging, or defensive cyber analysis • Experience with embedded systems, firmware analysis, or low-level software analysis • Experience with Ghidra, IDA Pro, Binary Ninja, or similar reverse engineering platforms • Experience developing custom tooling for analysis, exploitation, automation, or mission support • Strong written and verbal communication skills Benefits Grimm offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, retirement benefits, paid leave, and opportunities for tuition assistance and ongoing professional development. Why Grimm You'll be working alongside highly specialized engineers and researchers tackling challenging problems in embedded security and reverse engineering. Our work directly supports national security missions and requires a high level of technical ownership, creativity, and precision. If you enjoy working hands-on with hardware, digging into complex systems, and pushing your technical skills further, you'll find this environment both challenging and rewarding. Equal Opportunity Employer Grimm is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Skills: Analysis Skills, Assembly Language, Automation, Communication Skills, Computer Firmware, Computer Networks, Computer Security, Debugging Tools, Diagnostics Solutions/Software, Disassemblers, Embedded Systems, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Hex Editors, IDA Pro, Industry Standards, Industry/Trade Analysis, Intelligence Community, Internet Security, Internet of Things, Law Enforcement, Machine Tool, Malware, Network Protocols, Network Software, Network Support, Network Testing, Penetration Testing, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Protocol Analysis, Reverse Engineering, Security Analysis, Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), System Operations, Systems Analysis, TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), Technical Analysis, Technical Support, Top Secret Clearance, United States Citizen, United States Department of Defense (DoD), United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Virtual Machine (VM), Writing Skills About the Company: SMFS