Secure Software and Cryptography Engineer

This is a non-renewable post for a limited duration of 4 years and open for the specific needs of a National Project. Accordingly, the external candidate selected for this post will continue to be considered an external candidate for the purposes of any future applications to the Agency.

Location

ESEC, Redu, Belgium

Description

Secure Software and Applied Cryptography Engineer in the System Security Section (TEC-SES), End-to-End Systems Division, Systems Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The System Security Section is responsible for end-to-end system security engineering for the Agency’s missions, projects and activities across space, ground and user segments and communication links, at system, subsystem, element and equipment levels. Its responsibilities span the mission lifecycle from the study phase and definition of requirements to design, development, security integration and verification, and security service preparation, across the full stack, from the physical to the application layer.

To fulfil these functions, the System Security Section defines and conducts the associated research and development (R&D) activities and studies and implements the necessary security engineering standards.

Using its security laboratory facilities, the System Security Section performs vulnerability assessments across all areas within its remit and proposes detection methods and mitigation and protection measures using security assessment tools and equipment.

This position will support a third-party activity aimed at developing a national security evaluation laboratory capability.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• supporting the Project Manager by providing recommendations, guidance and plans for test and evaluation laboratory capability development and technologies for software security evaluation;
• regular reporting to the Project Manager on the status of the duties assigned under the project;
• engaging directly with and advising national customers and ESA experts on options for developing and maturing software security evaluation capability;
• deriving technical requirements and reviewing, assessing and evaluating project proposals, including the security design, development, implementation, qualification and validation;
• fostering new security application areas for multidisciplinary activities, placing emphasis on innovative concepts and cutting-edge technologies in the field of software security evaluation;
• supporting laboratory activities as required;
• continuously following technological and scientific developments relevant to the position, particularly emerging threats, exploits and industry trends;
• contributing, as requested, to other technical activities beyond the main project in your area of expertise.

Technical competencies

Secure software engineering and code analysis

Applied cryptography and cryptographic engineering

Cryptographic side-channel and protocol security

Software vulnerability analysis, testing and fuzzing

Security evaluation standards and certification

Software security evaluation methodologies and laboratory capability development

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation

Operational Efficiency

Fostering Cooperation

Relationship Management

Continuous Improvement

Forward Thinking

For more information, please refer to the ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in a relevant field and, in principle, three years of relevant professional experience are required for this post. Alternatively, candidates with a bachelor’s degree and an additional four years of relevant professional experience may be considered.

Additional requirements

In-depth knowledge of the following:

• source code review and static code analysis;
• secure C/C++ programming;
• root causes of vulnerabilities (memory safety, undefined behaviour, integer overflow and underflow, null pointer deference, concurrency and race conditions, input validation, error handling, resource exhaustion, use-after-free and format-string issues);
• timing attacks;
• compiler transformations and compiler/linker security features;
• secure API design;
• secure key/secret handling;
• serialisation and parsing;
• inter-process communication;
• entropy sources and estimation, DRBG construction and health tests;
• applied cryptography, including post-quantum (PQC);
• design of modules intended for NIST FIPS-140 validation or equivalent security assurance frameworks, such as EUCC;
• standards such as FIPS 140-3 and FIPS 197, current PQC standards, and code review standards applicable to test and evaluation facilities;
• fuzzing;
• secure protocols and related attacks and vulnerabilities (downgrade and replay attacks, state-machine vulnerabilities and failure behaviour).

In addition, experience in the following would be beneficial:

• formal testing standards for evaluating cryptographic implementations used by national or nationally qualified test and evaluation facilities;
• working with classified information.

At least three years of experience in a security certification or testing laboratory is desirable, preferably in cryptographic evaluation.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness

ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.

At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email at [email protected].

Important Information and Disclaimer

In principle, recruitment will be within the advertised grade band (A2-A4). However, if the selected candidate has less than four years of relevant professional experience following the completion of the master’s degree, the position may be filled at A1 level.

Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations & eligible to acquire the security clearance by their national security administrations.

During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.

Note that ESA is in the process of transitioning to a Matrix setup, which could lead to organisational changes affecting this position.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

Nationality and Languages

Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

According to the ESA Convention, staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, taking into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the Member States.

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.