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Vulnerability Research Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Nightwing

Windows Vulnerability Research

Sterling, VA · On-site

$122K - $253K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Our capabilities include cyber space operations, cyber defense and resiliency, vulnerability research, ubiquitous technical surveillance, data intelligence, lifecycle mission enablement, and software ...

Nwis

Windows Vulnerability Research

Sterling, VA · On-site

$122K - $253K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Our capabilities include cyber space operations, cyber defense and resiliency, vulnerability research, ubiquitous technical surveillance, data intelligence, lifecycle mission enablement, and software ...

Parsons Corporation

Vulnerability Research Engineer

$103K - $181K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Parsons is seeking a Vulnerability Research Engineer to join our team in support of specialized military cyber operations. You'll be a critical member of a small team, responsible for research and ...

The Pennsylvania State University

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

POSITION SPECIFICS We are searching for a self-motivated Vulnerability Researcher to join our Cyberspace Operations Research Department of the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State ...

Nightwing

Windows Vulnerability Research

Sterling, VA · On-site

They are seeking a highly skilled Windows Vulnerability Research Engineer to support advanced research and development efforts on Windows platforms. Responsibilities : • support advanced research ...

Nightwing

Windows Vulnerability Research

Sterling, VA · On-site

They are seeking a highly skilled Windows Vulnerability Research Engineer to support advanced research, development, and exploitation efforts on Windows platforms. Responsibilities : • support ...

Parsons Corporation

Senior Vulnerability Research Engineer

$148K - $266K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Parsons is seeking a Senior Vulnerability Research Engineer to join our team in support of specialized military cyber operations. You'll be a critical member of a small team, responsible for research ...

Parsons Corporation

Senior Vulnerability Research Engineer

$148K - $266K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Parsons is seeking a Senior Vulnerability Research Engineer to join our team in support of specialized military cyber operations. You'll be a critical member of a small team, responsible for research ...

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$106K

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How much do vulnerability research jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for vulnerability research in the United States is $106,012.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $104,000.00 and $104,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a vulnerability research?

A Vulnerability Research job involves identifying, analyzing, and reporting security weaknesses in software, hardware, or networks. Researchers use reverse engineering, fuzz testing, and other techniques to discover exploitable flaws before malicious actors can exploit them. Their findings help improve security by enabling developers and organizations to patch vulnerabilities and strengthen defenses. This role requires a deep understanding of cybersecurity, programming, and exploit development.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in a vulnerability research position?

To thrive in Vulnerability Research, you need a strong background in cybersecurity principles, programming, reverse engineering, and deep knowledge of common operating systems and network protocols, often supported by a relevant degree in computer science or similar fields. Familiarity with tools such as IDA Pro, Ghidra, Wireshark, Metasploit, and certifications like OSCP or CEH is highly valuable. Analytical thinking, persistence, attention to detail, and effective written communication are critical soft skills in this field. These capabilities ensure you can effectively discover, analyze, and document security vulnerabilities, contributing to safer software and systems.

What are some common challenges faced in a vulnerability research role?

One of the main challenges in Vulnerability Research is keeping up with constantly evolving threat landscapes and security technologies, which requires continuous learning and adaptability. Researchers often encounter complex and undocumented systems, making analysis and exploitation both technically demanding and time-consuming. You may collaborate closely with other cybersecurity professionals, developers, and incident response teams to verify findings, replicate vulnerabilities, and share remediation strategies. Successfully navigating these challenges is rewarding and allows you to make a tangible impact on organizational security.

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What are the most commonly searched types of Vulnerability Research jobs?

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Vulnerability Research jobs near you
Infographic showing various Vulnerability Research job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 87% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $106,012 per year, or $51 per hour.

Vulnerability Research Engineer

Penn State University

University Park, PA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 10 days ago

Penn State University rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 103 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

229th of 618 rated colleges and universities

Job description

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
  • CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
  • CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
  • If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.
POSITION SPECIFICS
We are searching for a self-motivated Vulnerability Researcher to join our Cyberspace Operations Research Department of the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State University. The Cyberspace Operations Research Department provides technical expertise in adversarial tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to support system evaluation and provide security hardening support to various sponsors.
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
  • Research cutting edge techniques and technologies for system exploitation•
  • Leverage expertise in reverse engineering, vulnerability research, and software development to address established needs and investigate solutions to emerging requirements
  • Apply software engineering best practices to create proof-of-concept tools and configure test environments to perform demonstrations to sponsors and partners
  • Assist the Cyberspace Operations Research Department Head in maintaining relationships with sponsors through on-site technical discussions, preparation and presentation of technical materials, and project-related correspondence
  • Provide process enhancement for technical functionality evaluation, vulnerability analyses, cyberspace operations engineering, and penetration testing projects
  • Apply project management principles and methods to the leadership of tasks or projects
  • Provide guidance to lower-level engineers to foster professional growth

Additional responsibilities for higher level position includes:
  • Understand broad strategic objectives and contribute to them; nurture and maintain relationships with major customers/grantors of external research and development grant funding
  • Initiate new project concepts and seek funding; develop technical proposals and make presentations to customers/grant sponsors
  • Mentor department staff in the development technical, project, and business development skills

Required skills/experience areas include:
  • Documented application of reverse engineering and vulnerability testing tools (e.g. Ghidra/IDA, Kali Linux, Angr/AFL++, QEMU/Unicorn, etc)
  • Reverse engineering, vulnerability research, malware analysis, and/or CNO tool development
  • Computer networking fundamentals, Windows and *NIX operating systems, X86(64) and ARM or MIPS architectures
  • Cyber operations architecture and software engineering practices
  • Ability to express technical information clearly and concisely in documents and presentations for senior leaders to successfully comprehend and leverage for decision making
  • Active government security clearance at TS/SCI level with eligibility for special accesses

Preferred skills/experience areas include:
  • Cybersecurity exploit development and test environment configuration
  • Cybersecurity penetration testing / cybersecurity Red Team testing / white hat hacking
  • Military cyberspace operations or computer network operations
  • Demonstrated history of successful project initiation efforts
  • Agile software development methodology and tools
  • Atlassian products (e.g., JIRA, Confluence)

Your working location will be fully on-site located at in State College, PA. Options exist for occasional hybrid of on-site/work from home based on project-dependent ability. This position will require periodic travel to remote locations in support of testing as part of a small team of researchers, engineers, and technologists.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
If filled as Cyber Security Engineer (ARL) - Senior Professional, this position requires:Bachelor's Degree6+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience acceptedRequired Certifications:NoneIf filled as Cyber Security Engineer (ARL) - Advanced Professional, this position requires:Bachelor's Degree3+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience acceptedRequired Certifications:None
ARL's purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Intel Community (IC), and other federal government customers.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our website at www.arl.psu.edu
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.
Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL):Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance, participate in the ARL drug testing program, and comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors. ARL operates in a secure information environment involving Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted from certain areas. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
SALARY & BENEFITS
The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $127,080.00 - $277,200.00. This salary range includes an adjustment based on required geographic work location.
Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.
EEO IS THE LAW
Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.
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