Software Developer II (System Security) at Nightwing in Huntsville, AL

Job description

Nightwing provides technically advanced full-spectrum cyber, data operations, systems integration and intelligence mission support services to meet our customers’ most demanding challenges. Our capabilities include cyber space operations, cyber defense and resiliency, vulnerability research, ubiquitous technical surveillance, data intelligence, lifecycle mission enablement, and software modernization. Nightwing brings disruptive technologies, agility, and competitive offerings to customers in the intelligence community, defense, civil, and commercial markets. Software Developer II (System Security) Join Nightwing's Products team and work at the cutting edge of multi-layered cyber resiliency solutions protecting mission-critical systems. Our software-based cyber resiliency solutions have been field-deployed since 2009, protecting the confidentiality and integrity of data and applications on Department of Defense weapon systems and platforms. Our threat model assumes adversaries have gained escalated privileges and bypassed traditional security controls—we build the last line of defense. We're seeking a sharp, software developer to strengthen our flagship security products, which provide deep OS-level protections for Windows, Linux, and VxWorks environments. You'll develop security capabilities that lock down execution environments, protect applications and data at rest and during execution, and implement robust cyber detection and response mechanisms. This role is ideal for an early career software developer who wants to dive deep into operating system internals and low-level security engineering. While you don't need to be a kernel developer today, you should be excited about becoming one and have the foundation to get there quickly. Security Clearance: Must meet the requirements to obtain and maintain a Secret government security clearance U.S. Citizenship is required. Qualified applicants may be subject to a security investigation and must meet minimum qualifications for access to classified information. Required Qualifications: 2+ years of professional software development experience in systems-level programming C/C++ skills with an understanding of memory management, pointers, and low-level programming concepts Debugging experience - comfortable using tools like gdb, WinDbg, Visual Studio Debugger, or similar to diagnose crashes, memory corruption, and system-level problems Version control proficiency (Git) in a team environment Ability to learn new technical concepts - proven track record of mastering new technical domains Typically requires: A University Degree or equivalent experience and minimum 2 years prior relevant experience, or An Advanced Degree in a related field What Sets Qualified Candidates Apart: You don't need all of these, but strong candidates typically have one or more: Experience working close to the OS: kernel modules, device drivers, system services, OS internals projects, or security tools Background in security-sensitive code: anti-malware, EDR, security monitoring, or exploit mitigation Understanding of operating system concepts: process/thread management, memory management, I/O systems, interrupt handling Assembly language experience (x86_64, ARM) - reading and debugging at the instruction level Experience with scripting languages (Python, Batch) for automation and testing Familiarity with security concepts: cryptography, threat modeling, attack surfaces Knowledge of boot processes, firmware, or hardware security (TPM, Secure Boot, UEFI) Understanding of Linux Driver Model and/or Windows driver models (WDM/WDF/WDK) - even if just conceptual What Disqualifies Candidates: To be direct about fit, this role is likely not a good match if your primary experience is: Web development, mobile apps, or enterprise application development High-level languages only (Java, C#, JavaScript, Python) without C/C++ depth Primarily cloud services, DevOps, or infrastructure automation Less than 1 year of professional