Senior Hardware Security Researcher

About the role

The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) seeks a Senior Hardware Security Researcher to join its Cryptography Labs Hardware team in Abu Dhabi. You will work on cutting‑edge hardware and firmware security assessments, leveraging both physical and logical attack techniques.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct hardware and firmware security assessments, including memory extraction from Flash, EEPROM, NOR/NAND and other storage devices.
• Reverse‑engineer firmware and binaries using tools such as Ghidra, IDA Pro, Binary Ninja, or radare2.
• Develop and automate custom test benches and toolchains for HW/SW analysis.
• Execute side‑channel attacks (CPA, DPA, EM, timing, TVLA) and fault‑injection campaigns (voltage glitching, EMFI, laser) on embedded targets.
• Analyze secure boot, cryptographic primitives, and firmware protection mechanisms.
• Interface with embedded systems via JTAG, SWD, UART, SPI and produce clear technical reports.

Required profile

• Minimum 5 years of hands‑on experience in hardware or embedded system security covering physical and logical attack surfaces.
• Proven experience with firmware extraction, memory dumping, patching and reconstruction.
• Experience with side‑channel analysis and/or fault injection using platforms such as ChipWhisperer or Riscure Inspector.
• Strong understanding of applied cryptography, secure protocol design and embedded crypto implementations.

Required skills

• Python, C, assembly programming for hardware interfacing.
• Linux environment, cross‑compilation, Git version control.
• Debugging interfaces: JTAG, SWD, UART, SPI; platforms: ARM Cortex‑M, RISC‑V, STM32.
• Reverse‑engineering tools: Ghidra, IDA Pro, Binary Ninja, radare2.
• Lab instrumentation: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, pulse generators.
• Side‑channel analysis, fault injection techniques (voltage glitching, EMFI, laser).