Windows Security Research Engineer
First seen by Alion on Sep 7, 2026.
Description :
We are seeking a highly skilled Windows Security Engineer to join our advanced offensive security research team.
The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in Windows internals, strong C/C++ development skills, and handson experience conducting lowlevel attack research, kernel exploitation, and evasion of modern Windows defenses.
This role focuses on adversary simulation, Windows kernel attack surface research, and offensive tooling development to assess and improve the resilience of enterprise Windows environments.
Responsibilities :
Offensive Security Research & Exploitation :
- Research historical and emerging Windows vulnerabilities (CVE analysis, exploitability assessment)
- Analyze Windows kernel attack surfaces including :
i. System calls
ii. Drivers
iii. Object manager
iv. Memory manager
- Develop proofofconcept exploits for Windows kernel and privileged components (controlled research environment)
- Study and bypass modern Windows exploit mitigations (DEP, ASLR, CFG, KASLR)
- Research historical and emerging Windows vulnerabilities (CVE analysis, exploitability assessment)
- Analyze Windows kernel attack surfaces including :
i. System calls
ii. Drivers
iii. Object manager
iv. Memory manager
- Develop proofofconcept exploits for Windows kernel and privileged components (controlled research environment)
- Study and bypass modern Windows exploit mitigations (DEP, ASLR, CFG, KASLR)
Kernel & Low-Level Tooling :
- Build lowlevel tooling in C/C++ for :
i. Privilege escalation
ii. Kernel callback abuse
iii. Token manipulation
- Develop usermode to kernelmode interaction tools using IOCTL interfaces
- Build lowlevel tooling in C/C++ for :
i. Privilege escalation
ii. Kernel callback abuse
iii. Token manipulation
- Develop usermode to kernelmode interaction tools using IOCTL interfaces
Evasion & Defense Bypass Research :
- Research and simulate EDR / AV evasion techniques
- Analyze and bypass :
i. PatchGuard (Kernel Patch Protection)
ii. Driver Signature Enforcement (DSE)
iii. AMSI and ETWbased detections
- Research and simulate EDR / AV evasion techniques
- Analyze and bypass :
i. PatchGuard (Kernel Patch Protection)
ii. Driver Signature Enforcement (DSE)
iii. AMSI and ETWbased detections
Adversary Simulation & Red Team Operations :
- Simulate advanced persistent threat (APT) techniques targeting Windows environments
- Conduct privilege escalation and postexploitation research on Windows systems
- Emulate realworld attack chains from userland to kernel
Documentation & Reporting :
- Document vulnerabilities, exploitation paths, and attack methodologies clearly
- Produce technical reports for internal stakeholders and leadership
- Contribute to internal red team playbooks and attack frameworks
Eligibility :
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related field
Equivalent handson offensive security experience will be considered
Technical Skills :
Windows Internals :
- Windows kernel architecture
- Process, thread, and token internals
- Virtual memory management
- System Service Descriptor Table (SSDT) concepts
Programming :
- Proficiency in C and C++ (kernelmode and usermode)
- Experience developing Windows drivers and lowlevel tools
- Familiarity with inline assembly and reverse engineering concepts
Offensive Security Experience :
- Experience with :
i. Windows vulnerability research and exploit development
ii. Privilege escalation techniques
iii. Kernel exploitation fundamentals
- Strong understanding of :
i. Windows security boundaries
ii. Attack surface reduction strategies
iii. Red team tradecraft at OS level
- Experience with :
i. Windows vulnerability research and exploit development
ii. Privilege escalation techniques
iii. Kernel exploitation fundamentals
- Strong understanding of :
i. Windows security boundaries
ii. Attack surface reduction strategies
iii. Red team tradecraft at OS level
Tools & Platforms :
- Debuggers - WinDbg , x64Dbg , GDB
- IDA Pro / Ghidra
- Sysinternals Suite
- Process Monitor / Process Explorer
- Custom exploit frameworks and fuzzers
Certifications (Preferred) :
- OSCP, OSEP, OSED, CRTO, or equivalent offensive certifications
- Any advanced Windows or red teamfocused certifications are a plus
Required Skills : Cybersecurity windows
Skills
Security, R&D - Security, C, C++, Kernel, Vulnerability Assessment, Cyber Security, Threat Modeling, OSCP