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Salaried Exploit Development Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

STR

Senior Reverse Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$134K - $184K/yr

Performing vulnerability weaponization, exploit development, payload development, and exploit ... Information Full-Time Salary Range: $134,000 - $184,000 The salary range listed is based on ...

STR

Principal Software Reverse Engineer

San Diego, CA

$204K - $284K/yr

Performing vulnerability weaponization, exploit development, payload development, and exploit ... Information Full-Time Salary Range: $204,000 - $284,000 The salary range listed is based on ...

STR

Senior Reverse Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$134K - $184K/yr

Performing vulnerability weaponization, exploit development, payload development, and exploit ... Information Full-Time Salary Range: $134,000 - $184,000 The salary range listed is based on ...

STR

Senior Reverse Engineer

San Diego, CA

$134K - $184K/yr

Performing vulnerability weaponization, exploit development, payload development, and exploit ... Information Full-Time Salary Range: $134,000 - $184,000 The salary range listed is based on ...

STR

Principal Software Reverse Engineer

San Diego, CA

$204K - $284K/yr

Performing vulnerability weaponization, exploit development, payload development, and exploit ... Information Full-Time Salary Range: $204,000 - $284,000 The salary range listed is based on ...

STR

Principal Software Reverse Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$204K - $284K/yr

Performing vulnerability weaponization, exploit development, payload development, and exploit ... Information Full-Time Salary Range: $204,000 - $284,000 The salary range listed is based on ...

PragerU

Development Director

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$110K - $150K/yr

The salary target for this role is $110,000 - $150,000+. Final offer amounts depend on multiple ... exploit for any purpose any ideas and concepts and any expressions of those ideas and concepts.

PragerU

Development Director

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$110K - $150K/yr

The salary target for this role is $110,000 - $150,000+. Final offer amounts depend on multiple ... exploit for any purpose any ideas and concepts and any expressions of those ideas and concepts.

PragerU

Development Director

Los Angeles, CA

$110K - $150K/yr

The salary target for this role is $110,000 - $150,000+. Final offer amounts depend on multiple ... exploit for any purpose any ideas and concepts and any expressions of those ideas and concepts.

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All JobsSalaried Exploit Development JobsSalaried Exploit Development Jobs in California

Salaried Exploit Development information

What are some typical challenges encountered by professionals in salaried exploit development roles?

Professionals in salaried exploit development roles often face challenges such as staying current with rapidly evolving security technologies and patch cycles. They must continuously research new vulnerabilities and develop creative solutions to bypass updated security mechanisms, which can be highly demanding. Collaborating closely with security analysts and other developers is essential to ensure responsible disclosure and risk management. Additionally, balancing project deadlines with the need for meticulous testing and documentation can be a significant challenge in this field.

What is the difference between Salaried Exploit Development vs Penetration Tester?

AspectSalaried Exploit DevelopmentPenetration Tester
CredentialsSecurity certifications, programming skillsSecurity certifications, testing experience
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, security firms, internal teamsClient sites, corporate environments, consulting firms
Industry UsageCybersecurity, offensive securityCybersecurity, vulnerability assessment

Salaried Exploit Developers focus on creating and testing exploits for security research or defensive purposes, often working in labs or R&D settings. Penetration Testers simulate attacks to identify vulnerabilities in client systems. While both roles require security knowledge and technical skills, Exploit Developers primarily develop exploits, whereas Penetration Testers perform assessments and reporting. Understanding these differences helps clarify career paths and employer expectations in cybersecurity.

What is a Salaried Exploit Developer?

A Salaried Exploit Developer is a cybersecurity professional who is employed by an organization to research, identify, and develop software exploits—ways to take advantage of vulnerabilities in computer systems or applications. Unlike freelance or independent security researchers, salaried exploit developers work as part of a security team, often within penetration testing firms, defense contractors, or tech companies. Their work can involve both offensive (discovering vulnerabilities to test defenses) and defensive (helping to patch or mitigate vulnerabilities) tasks. These roles require strong programming skills, a deep understanding of operating systems, and knowledge of security protocols. Salaried Exploit Developers may also be involved in responsible disclosure of vulnerabilities to affected vendors.

What is the best language for exploit development?

For a salaried exploit development role, C and C++ are the most commonly used languages due to their low-level access and performance capabilities. Assembly language is also important for writing and understanding exploits at the hardware level. Knowledge of scripting languages like Python can aid in automation and testing of exploits.

What is the highest paying developer job?

Salaried exploit development roles, which involve creating and testing security exploits, tend to be among the highest paying developer jobs in cybersecurity, especially for professionals with advanced skills in reverse engineering, vulnerability research, and programming. These positions often require specialized knowledge, certifications, and a strong understanding of operating systems and security protocols, with salaries reaching six figures or more depending on experience and location.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Salaried Exploit Developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Salaried Exploit Developer, you need deep expertise in computer science, reverse engineering, vulnerability analysis, and low-level programming, often backed by a degree in computer science or related field. Familiarity with tools like IDA Pro, Ghidra, debuggers, and operating system internals is crucial, and certifications such as OSCP or OSCE can be advantageous. Creativity, persistence, and strong problem-solving abilities are standout soft skills in this role. These qualifications are essential for identifying, developing, and responsibly handling software exploits in a secure and ethical manner.

What jobs can hackers get?

Hackers with skills in cybersecurity, penetration testing, and exploit development can pursue roles such as security analyst, penetration tester, security engineer, or ethical hacker. These jobs often require knowledge of programming, network protocols, and security tools, and may involve certifications like CEH or OSCP. Ethical hacking roles focus on identifying vulnerabilities to improve system security within legal and organizational boundaries.
What are the most commonly searched types of Exploit Development jobs in California? The most popular types of Exploit Development jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Salaried Exploit Development jobs in California? For Salaried Exploit Development jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Salaried Exploit Development jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Salaried Exploit Development jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Salaried Exploit Development jobs? Cities in California with the most Salaried Exploit Development job openings:
Salaried Exploit Development jobs near you
Senior Reverse Engineer

Senior Reverse Engineer

STR

San Diego, CA • On-site

$134K - $184K/yr

Other

Posted 7 days ago

Job description

STR is hiring aSenior Reverse Engineerwho has a passion for research and analysis of vulnerabilities in cyber physical systems. Work must be performed onsite. 

What you'll do: 

  • Reverse engineering complex software or firmware targets, ranging from typical Windows/Linux binaries to embedded firmware running non-traditional computer architectures and operating systems
  • Developing and applying automated reverse engineering and binary analysis tools to characterize protocols, interfaces, and functionality of target systems
  • Working in multi-discipline teams to develop innovative offensive cyber solutions to challenging problems from a wide variety of technologies 
  • Performing vulnerability weaponization, exploit development, payload development, and exploit mitigation on a variety of challenging targets 
  • Documenting, demonstrating, and presenting research 
  • Solving real world problems that have an impact on national security

Who you are: 

  • This position requires the ability to obtain anActive Top Secret (TS) security clearance, for which U.S. citizenship is needed by the U.S. Government 
  • Bachelors Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity or related field plus a minimum of 5 years relevant experience 
    (MS or PhD with equivalent work experience may also be considered) 
  • Experience with binary analysis of software/firmware 
  • Experience with disassembly tools, such as IDA Pro, Binary Ninja, or Ghidra 
  • Proficiency in one or more programming languages: C/C++, Python, etc. 
  • Proficiency in one or more Assembly Languages: x86, ARM, etc. 
  • General understanding of reverse engineering fundamentals: memory layout, calling conventions, etc. 

Nice to haves: 

  • Vulnerability research and analysis
  • Knowledge of weaponizing discovered vulnerabilities into exploits 
  • Implant or software patch development 
  • Familiarity with binary emulation or vulnerability research, including tools such as QEMU or AFL++ 
  • Experience with DSP architectures, such as Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, NXP, or Analog Devices. 
  • Knowledge of operating system internals including memory/process/thread management 
  • Embedded systems or firmware analysis 
  • Experience development custom emulation tools to enable dynamic analysis 
  • Disassembler/decompiler module development 
  • Experience analyzing and reconstructing code/data flow 
  • Automated reverse engineering or software analysis tool development 
  • Experience debugging software without source code 
  • Knowledge of binary file structures and formats 
  • Experience analyzing protocols or message structures 
  • Knowledge of anti-reverse engineering techniques 
  • Knowledge of intrusion detection and anti-malware systems and techniques

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $134,000 - $184,000

The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate's experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions.

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