Contract Embedded Software Engineer Jobs in Ashburn, VA

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we’re on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We’re looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

Our team develops satellite modems and terminals that communicate over multi-band satellite systems, including the Viasat-3 global constellation! As an Embedded Software Engineer – Cybersecurity, you will collaborate with software, security, and automation engineers to design, develop, and deploy secure embedded terminal systems. This role emphasizes secure software development across the full SDLC, including automation, testing, deployment, and continuous integration in both development and production environments. There may be opportunites for non-security related feature development as well.

This role directly contributes to the security, reliability, and scalability of our global satellite terminal infrastructure.

• Design, develop, test, document, troubleshoot, and maintain security-focused embedded software
• Develop automated access controls for systems and devices
• Integrate security tools into CI/CD pipelines including static and dynamic analysis
• Configure, enforce, and tune security tool policies
• Triage and analyze security scan results
• Develop technical documentation and security test plans
• Automate configuration and validation of Linux security settings
• Create scripts and tools for managing secrets, keys, and digital certificates
• Research and prototype security mechanisms for development and production environments
• Evaluate Linux controls for cybersecurity and privacy compliance
• Collaborate cross-functionally with product, test, and security teams

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience
• Strong C and C++ development and debugging skills on Linux
• Experience with encryption and authentication software
• Experience with OpenSSL cryptographic librariesWorking knowledge of Linux security controls
• Proficiency with Bash and scripting languages such as Python or Lua
• Experience working in an Agile, Perforce or Git-based development environment
• Ability to work autonomously and mentor junior engineers
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, a related field or equivalent experience
• Must be able to work out of our office in Carlsbad, CA 3 days per week; hybrid role
• Active United States Secret Clearance required

• Deep knowledge of Linux OS internals including threading, synchronization, memory management, and networking
• Experience with Linux device driver development and kernel crypto modules
• Experience implementing REST APIs and working with JSON
• Experience configuring and debugging embedded HTTP/HTTPS servers
• Strong foundations in data structures and algorithms
• Experience designing and implementing network security protocols
• Experience with Agile / Scrum methodologies
• Experience with modern C++ standards (C++17 and newer)
• Experience with ARM, Power and x86 architectures
• Knowledge of Trusted Execution Environments like ARM TrustZone
• Knowledge of hardware security with TPM
• Experience with secure transport protocols such as TLS and IPsec
• Experience with virtualized environments: Docker/Podman/LXC containers
• Experience with confidential containers
• Experience with secure firmware update and OTA software integrity mechanisms
• Experience with threat modeling and structured vulnerability analysis

$140,500.00 - $221,500.00 / annually. For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $174,000.00- $261,000.00/ annually

At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat’s comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness at https://careers.viasat.com/benefits.

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here.