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Cryptographic Design Project Engineer

Vaco
$146,500.00 - $231,000.00 / yr
United States, California, Carlsbad
Jul 04, 2025

Cryptographic SystemsEngineer

Location Requirements: Carlsbad, CA | Marlborough, MA | Linthicum Heights, MD

Must have active U.S. Secret Clearance | U.S. Citizenship required

Our client is seeking a Cryptographic Systems Project Engineer to lead the development and certification of secure cryptographic devices and infrastructure. This role is ideal for a technically skilled engineer with experience in high-assurance systems, who has transitioned into a leadership capacity. You'll be working at the intersection of hardware, software, and embedded security technologies to protect national defense systems.

What You'll Be Doing:
  • Manage end-to-end lifecycle of a secure cryptographic device used for high-level key management and distribution.

  • Lead cross-functional teams (hardware, software, firmware, systems, security) to deliver on technical objectives and timelines.

  • Drive architecture, design, integration, and system validation efforts.

  • Contribute to and review technical documentation, design reviews, system test results, and defect resolutions.

  • Guide and mentor junior engineers and support proposal development.

  • Interface with certification authorities to ensure products meet stringent security standards.

  • Champion modernization efforts, from architecture to automation of build/test processes.

Technical Focus:
  • Design and enhancement of cryptographic units (e.g., key loaders, ECUs)

  • Troubleshooting across embedded systems-hardware, firmware, and software

  • Code and architecture reviews; support emulation, testing, and debugging

  • Leading investigations into security, performance, and interoperability

  • Collaborating on system-level integration and validation in secure environments

Your Background:
  • Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related

  • 10+ years of hands-on experience in embedded systems or secure communications, including DoD-focused development

  • Prior leadership roles in engineering disciplines (e.g., firmware, systems, or software lead)

  • Deep understanding of secure embedded architectures and product development lifecycles

  • Working knowledge of protocols, operating systems, and secure coding practices

  • Strong communication and technical documentation skills

  • U.S. Citizenship and an active Secret (or higher) clearance required

  • Willingness to travel up to 25%

Bonus Skills:
  • Experience with: C, Python, C#, FPGAs, SoCs, NAND/Flash, secure boot, and cryptographic storage

  • Familiarity with writing technical proposals and estimating design efforts

  • Comfortable working in fast-paced environments with shifting priorities

Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.

EEO Notice

Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.

Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com .

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

Privacy Notice

Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

  • California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
  • Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
  • Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
  • Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
  • Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here.
Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

  • the individual's skill sets, experience and training;
  • licensure and certification requirements;
  • office location and other geographic considerations;
  • other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.

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