Independent Contractor Biophysics Research Jobs in Reston, VA

Responsibilities

Peraton Labs is seeking a poly cleared Senior Research Scientist to support cleared research and development efforts for a Maryland-based customer. This role will focus on the research, design, development, and demonstration of advanced network security prototypes across classified and unclassified environments.This position is ideal for a hands-on researcher or senior engineer who can combine software development, networking, automation, virtualization, and cyber systems knowledge to rapidly build mission-focused prototypes. Within this role you will work in a dynamic R&D environment, collaborate directly with government leadership and technical stakeholders, and help shape next-generation research efforts in cyber network defense, secure networking, experimentation platforms, and emerging network technologies.

This position requires full-time on-site work at a customer site near College Park, MD.

Key responsibilities may include

• Research, design, develop, and demonstrate network security prototypes for government research customers
• Develop software, scripts, tools, documentation, and test environments to demonstrate new cyber and networking capabilities
• Build prototypes involving high-speed networks, wireless networks, cloud infrastructure, containers, virtualized environments, and network function virtualization
• Design and integrate large-scale experimentation environments using technologies such as Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, Ansible, OpenStack, Vagrant, or similar tools
• Support research involving network protocols, traffic analysis, network monitoring, data collection, cyber defense, secure-by-design networking, and cyber operations
• Apply software development skills in languages such as Python, Go, Java, C/C++, or similar
• Work with government leadership and technical stakeholders to shape research direction, explain technical approaches, and identify new prototype opportunities
• Collaborate with government, Peraton Labs, and contractor teams to integrate research prototypes into larger experimentation platforms
• Analyze, troubleshoot, and refine prototypes in fast-moving R&D environments
• Document technical designs, prototype capabilities, test results, and research findings for customer briefings and technical reports

*This position may be eligible for an increased sign-on bonus. Eligibility, bonus amount, and applicable terms and conditions will be discussed during the recruiting process*

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Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 12+ years of experience with a Bachelor's degree, 10+ years of experience with a Master's degree, or 8+ years of experience with a PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Cybersecurity, or a related technical field. In lieu of a Bachelors, an additional 4 years of experience is required for a total of 16+ years relevant experience.
• Strong hands-on experience in software development, network security research, cyber systems engineering, or advanced network prototyping
• Programming experience in one or more languages such as Python, Go, Java, C/C++, or similar
• Experience with Linux-based development
• Understanding of network protocols, network devices, routing, switching, firewalls, packet analysis, and network troubleshooting
• Experience with virtualization, containers, or cloud-native infrastructure such as Docker, Kubernetes, Vagrant, OpenStack or similar tools
• Experience with automation or configuration management tools such as Ansible, Helm, Puppet, Terraform, or similar
• Ability to rapidly learn new technologies, prototype solutions, redirect research as needed, and apply new technical concepts to mission problems
• Ability to clearly document and communicate technical concepts, research outcomes, and prototype demonstrations to government customers and stakeholders
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced classified R&D environment
• US Citizenship is a requirement for this position
• This position requires an active/current TS/SCI w/ Polygraph

Desired Additional Qualifications

• Experience working directly with IC or DoD research customers, government PMs, and multi-contractor technical teams
• Experience serving as a technical lead, task lead, principal investigator, or senior technical contributor on government R&D programs
• Experience with cyber network defense, secure networking, network security research, cyber operations, or cyber experimentation platforms
• Experience with high-speed networking, wireless networking, software-defined networking, network function virtualization, or cloud-native network functions
• Experience building large-scale testbeds, cyber ranges, experimentation environments, or prototype evaluation platforms
• Experience with CI/CD and team development workflows using tools such as GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Git, Jira, or similar tools
• Experience with network/system monitoring and data collections tools such as Zeek, Suricata, Wireshark, tcpdump, Prometheus, Grafana, ELK/OpenSearch, or similar tools
• Experience with reverse engineering or malware analysis tools such as Ghidra, IDA Pro, Binary Ninja, Redare2, or similar
• Experience with embedded systems development, Linux kernal development, device driver development, or low-level systems programming
• Familiarity with RF, wireless security, SDR, 5G/LTE, tactical networks, or constrained/edge environments
• Familiarity with AI/ML, neural networks, anomaly detection, traffic classification, or applying machine learning to cyber/network security problems
• Experience contributing to proposals, whitepapers, technical reports, customer briefings, or publications
• Strong curiosity, adaptability, and desire to acquire new technical skills in support of emerging mission needs

Peraton Overview

Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace. The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees do the can't be done by solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers. Visit peraton.com to learn how we're keeping people around the world safe and secure.

Target Salary Range$176,000 - $282,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position. Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the individual's experience, education, knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as geographic location and business and contract considerations. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.EEOEEO: Equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veterans, or other characteristics protected by law.Employment Type: FULL_TIME