Security Firmware Architect, SSD

Description

The company makes memory and storage products. This role is a Principal Engineer and Security Architect position on the enterprise SSD team.

You will set the security architecture and technical direction for the next generation of enterprise storage products, owning the trust model and cryptographic base across product generations.

Areas in scope include Root of Trust, Secure Boot, Device Attestation, data-at-rest encryption and Self-Encrypting Devices (SED).

You will also set the company's strategy and roadmap for moving to post-quantum cryptography.

As the most senior technical authority on firmware security, you will guide architecture decisions across firmware, hardware, SoC and product teams, mentor engineers and represent the company in industry standards bodies such as OCP, TCG, DMTF and PCI-SIG.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end security architecture for enterprise SSDs, covering trust boundaries, threat models and mitigations through the whole product lifecycle
• Build and maintain the multi-generation firmware security roadmap so it matches customer needs, industry standards and the threat landscape
• Design cryptography-based solutions for data encryption, Root of Trust, Secure Boot and Update, Device Attestation and SED, and guide teams through implementation, debugging and production
• Lead the move to post-quantum cryptography, adopting LMS, ML-DSA and ML-KEM while balancing security strength against embedded system limits
• Translate OCP, TCG, NVMe, PCIe and DMTF SPDM specifications into product security requirements and reference architectures
• Run the Security Development Lifecycle, including architecture and design reviews, threat modeling, security code review, fuzz and vulnerability testing, FIPS certification and OCP S.A.F.E. compliance
• Serve as the escalation point for complex security protocol and compatibility issues on SoC, FPGA and simulation platforms
• Represent the company with industry standards groups and customers, and shape security specifications and the wider ecosystem
• Mentor and develop security firmware engineers, and set technical standards and best practices across teams

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering, Embedded Systems, Cyber Security or a related field
• 10+ years of security firmware development, with proven ownership of security architecture for shipped products
• Deep knowledge of applied cryptography and firmware security architecture, including AES-XTS, Root of Trust, Secure Boot, Device Attestation, TRNG/DRBG, key management and Public Key Infrastructure
• Post-quantum cryptography skills with LMS, ML-DSA and ML-KEM, including the trade-offs of running them on embedded systems
• Strong understanding of enterprise storage security standards: PCIe, NVMe, OCP, TCG, IEEE 1667 and DMTF SPDM
• Proficiency in C and Python for firmware development
• Preferred: Master's degree or PhD in Electronics Engineering, Embedded Systems, Cyber Security or a related field
• Preferred: Proven technical leadership that sets security architecture and direction across multiple teams or product lines
• Preferred: Active participation in or leadership of industry standards groups such as TCG, OCP, DMTF or PCI-SIG
• Preferred: Experience integrating Caliptra Root of Trust and OCP L.O.C.K.
• Preferred: Experience leading an SDL program, covering threat modeling, fuzz testing, static and dynamic analysis, code review, CI/CD and certification readiness
• Preferred: Experience mentoring engineers and building security engineering practices
• Preferred: Experience resolving complex security protocol issues on SoC, FPGA and simulation platforms using JTAG, memory dumps and bus analyzers
• Preferred: Embedded firmware experience with controller initialization, boot and update processes, RTOS, IPC and NAND Flash management
• Preferred: Experience with Rust for firmware development
• Preferred: Familiarity with AI-assisted developer tools for coding, testing and code review, with human validation

Conditions

Full-time position based in the US

US base salary range the company estimates for this role: $166,000.00 - $326,000.00 a year

This range covers base salary only and does not include bonus, equity or benefits, which may be offered as additional compensation

Pay within the range depends on work location, knowledge, skills, experience, tenure and relevant education or training

The pay scale may change with business needs; your recruiter can share the range for your preferred location during hiring

Information on your right to work is linked from the posting

The company does not use child labor and does not charge candidates recruitment fees

Benefits

• Choice of medical, dental and vision plans in all locations
• Income protection if you cannot work due to illness or injury
• Paid family leave
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• A full Benefits Guide is available on the company careers site