1

Fpga Reverse Engineer Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Vulnerability Research Engineer

Washington, DC

$115K - $181K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

You will reverse engineer and analyze software and build purpose-driven tools that help teams test ... Experience with FPGA/DSP-adjacent development, hardware/software integration, or test automation ...

Design of digital electronics including Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) development and ... Ability to "reverse engineer" existing designs and understand/update functionality for new ...

Design of digital electronics including Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) development and ... Ability to "reverse engineer" existing designs and understand/update functionality for new ...

DSP, FPGA, PCB, RF) * Familiarity with software programming languages (e.g. C/C++, Matlab, Python ... Reverse engineering experience (e.g. gdb, Binary Ninja, IDA Pro) * Developed software on mobile ...

DSP, FPGA, PCB, RF) * Familiarity with software programming languages (e.g. C/C++, Matlab, Python ... Reverse engineering experience (e.g. gdb, Binary Ninja, IDA Pro) * Developed software on mobile ...

Showing results 21-40

Fpga Reverse Engineer information

See Reston, VA salary details

$85.3K

$141.8K

$202.9K

How much do fpga reverse engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for fpga reverse engineer in Reston, VA is $141,785.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $92,600.00 and $185,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an FPGA reverse engineer do?

An FPGA Reverse Engineer specializes in analyzing, understanding, and reconstructing the functionality of FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) designs, often without access to original documentation or source code. Their work involves extracting bitstreams, interpreting logic functions, and sometimes recovering or modifying firmware for security analysis, legacy system support, or hardware research. This role requires a strong background in digital design, hardware description languages (HDLs), and embedded systems.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an FPGA reverse engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an FPGA Reverse Engineer, you need a solid background in digital logic design, hardware description languages (such as VHDL or Verilog), and a degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Familiarity with FPGA development tools (like Xilinx Vivado or Intel Quartus), logic analyzers, and decompilation or reverse engineering software is essential. Exceptional analytical thinking, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills help you unravel complex designs and communicate findings clearly. These competencies are crucial for accurately understanding, replicating, or securing FPGA-based systems in critical hardware environments.

What are the common challenges faced by FPGA reverse engineers when analyzing proprietary bitstreams or undocumented hardware designs?

FPGA Reverse Engineers often encounter challenges such as limited documentation, proprietary or obfuscated bitstream formats, and complex hardware abstraction layers. Disassembling and interpreting bitstreams without clear reference material requires a strong understanding of digital logic, FPGA architecture, and embedded systems. Collaboration with other hardware engineers and leveraging specialized reverse engineering tools are essential for overcoming these obstacles and ensuring accurate analysis.

What is the difference between Fpga Reverse Engineer vs FPGA Design Engineer?

AspectFpga Reverse EngineerFPGA Design Engineer
Required SkillsHardware analysis, reverse engineering, FPGA protocolsFPGA development, HDL coding, digital design
Work EnvironmentSecurity, defense, embedded systemsConsumer electronics, telecommunications, aerospace
CertificationsOften none specific, but security clearances may be neededFPGA/ASIC design certifications, e.g., Xilinx or Intel certifications

While both roles involve working with FPGA technology, Fpga Reverse Engineers focus on analyzing and understanding existing FPGA designs, often for security or troubleshooting purposes. FPGA Design Engineers create new FPGA hardware solutions from scratch, emphasizing development and implementation. Both roles require strong FPGA knowledge but differ in their primary objectives and work environments.

What are popular job titles related to Fpga Reverse Engineer jobs in Reston, VA?

For Fpga Reverse Engineer jobs in Reston, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Fpga Reverse Engineer jobs in Reston, VA look for?

The top searched job categories for Fpga Reverse Engineer jobs in Reston, VA are:

What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Fpga Reverse Engineer jobs?

Cities near Reston, VA with the most Fpga Reverse Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Fpga Reverse Engineer job openings in Reston, VA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $141,785 per year, or $68.2 per hour.

Lead Hardware Reverse Engineer with Security Clearance

Two Six Technologies

Arlington, VA โ€ข On-site

$154K - $231K/yr

Contractor

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 29 days ago


Job description

At Two Six Technologies, we build, deploy, and implement innovative products that solve the world's most complex challenges today. Through unrivaled collaboration and unwavering trust, we push the boundaries of what's possible to empower our team and support our customers in building a safer global future. Overview of Opportunity Join the Embedded Systems division of Two Six Technologies, a team of innovative engineers and reverse engineers in Arlington, Virginia, where you'll dive into groundbreaking research on advanced embedded systems and architectures. Working with technologies like processor modules, digital boards, and high-speed signals, you'll deconstruct physical hardware, extract firmware, identify vulnerabilities, and push the boundaries of what's possible in embedded system security. Collaborating closely with top-tier hardware engineers and security researchers, you'll help tackle some of the toughest challenges in the field. Our growing roster of government customers depends on us to deliver cutting-edge security solutions. We're looking for a skilled Hardware Reverse Engineer to help drive our mission forward. If you're passionate about solving complex challenges and making a tangible impact on national security, we want you on our team. Key Responsibilities: * Reverse engineer and analyze complex embedded systems designs to identify functional behaviors and facilitate deeper vulnerability analysis. * Identify and exploit key system components, including communication channels and firmware memory. * Conduct vulnerability research on hardened systems and architectures. * Draft technical reports related to the function, characteristics, and any potential vulnerabilities of the assessed hardware and firmware. * Rapidly prototype innovative technologies to analyze and exploit target systems. * Reconstruct schematics from physical boards and develop hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments to test and emulate device behavior * Conduct protocol and signals analysis utilizing oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and logic analyzers. * Contribute to a diverse range of research and development projects focused on embedded system security. * Isolate areas of interest in complex systems with precision and efficiency. What you will have(Basic Qualifications): * Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer/Electrical Engineering, or a related scientific field - OR - 7+ years of experience in the embedded security industry. * Extensive hands-on experience with the following: * Experience developing on embedded systems such as high-speed data devices, or system-on-modules. * Experience analyzing and reverse engineering binaries (x86/ARM/AVR) * Debugging embedded systems using tools such as JTAG, UART, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers. * Developing and integrating bootloaders for embedded systems. * Creating wiring diagrams and schematics. * Programming in C, C++, and Python. * Development targeting AMD/Xilinx, Altera, or Microsemi FPGA devices. Nice if you Have (Preferred): * Advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Computer/Electrical Engineering, or a related scientific field. * Experience as part of small R&D teams composed of researchers, engineers, and scientists. * Custom PCB development experience with tools such as Altium. * Knowledge of RF protocols and systems. * Experience with Layer 1 and Layer 2 wired and wireless protocols, such as USB, SPI/I2C/1-Wire, Ethernet, PCI-Express, 802.11, and Bluetooth/ZigBee. * Hacking experience on IoT products. * Demonstrated experience managing and leading technical employees and engineering teams. Security Clearance: * Active U.S. security clearance at the Top Secret level, with the ability to obtain and maintain TS/SCI clearance. #LI-ZS1 #LI-ONSITE Two Six Technologies is committed to providing competitive and comprehensive compensation packages that reflect the value we place on our employees and their contributions. We believe in rewarding skills, experience, and performance. Our offerings include but are not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, retirement benefits, paid leave, tuition assistance and professional development. The projected salary range listed for this position is annualized. This is a general guideline and not a guarantee of salary. Salary is one component of our total compensation package and the specific salary offered is determined by various factors, including, but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills, geographic location, as well as contract specific affordability and organizational requirements. Salary Range $154,257 - $231,386 USD Looking for other great opportunities? Check out Two Six Technologies Opportunities for all our Company's current openings! Ready to make the first move towards growing your career? If so, check out the Two Six Technologies Candidate Journey ! This will give you step-by-step directions on applying, what to expect during the application process, information about our rich benefits and perks along with our most frequently asked questions. If you are undecided and would like to learn more about us and how we are contributing to essential missions, check out our Two Six Technologies News page! We share information about the tech world around us and how we are making an impact! Still have questions, no worries! You can reach us at Contact Two Six Technologies . We are happy to connect and cover the information needed to assist you in reaching your next career milestone. Two Six Technologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture, hair type and protective hair styles (e.g., braids, twists, locs and twists)), color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions and lactation), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age (40 and over), marital status, disability, genetic information, and protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. For more information review the Two Six Technologies Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy and the EEO Poster . If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request reasonable workplace accommodation for any part of our employment process, please send an email to . Information provided will be kept confidential and used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations. Additionally, please be advised that this business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices. By submitting the following application, I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge, the information provided is true and accurate.