Ethical Hacker – Hardware

Packetlabs

Ethical Hacker - Hardware conducting security assessments of embedded and IoT devices at cybersecurity firm Packetlabs. Engaging with clients to improve security through hands-on penetration testing and reporting.

Posted 6/19/2026full-timeRemote • Texas • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 CA$80,000 - CA$120,000 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

FlashIoTPythonRTOS

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Plan and execute end-to-end hardware penetration tests on embedded and IoT devices, against a defined scope and rules of engagement
Identify, access, and exploit on-board debug interfaces: JTAG, SWD, UART, and similar, to gain code execution or memory access
Extract firmware via debug ports, in-circuit flash reads (SPI / I2C / NAND), or chip-off when required, and analyze it for vulnerabilities
Intercept and analyze data on common embedded buses (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, USB) using logic analyzers and protocol decoders
Where in scope, perform side-channel analysis and fault injection (power analysis, voltage/clock glitching) to bypass secure boot, readout protection, or authentication
Reverse engineer firmware and embedded binaries (Ghidra, IDA, Binwalk, etc.) to find logic flaws, hardcoded secrets, and exploitable conditions
Assess physical attack surface, tamper resistance, and key/secret storage
Distinguish between theoretical and operationally relevant risk to keep findings actionable
Write high-quality technical reports and present findings to client stakeholders, both technical and non-technical
Advise on practical, prioritized remediation that clients can act on
Build client confidence through credibility, clear communication, and proven impact
Build and maintain lab tooling, test rigs, and internal methodology
Contribute to research, responsible disclosure, and internal knowledge-sharing
Stay current on hardware attack techniques, embedded architectures, and defensive controls

Requirements

What you’ll need

A graduate of an Information Security, Computer Science, or Computer/Electrical Engineering degree program (or equivalent hands-on experience)
Strong electronics fundamentals. Able to read schematics and datasheets and reason about a board from them
Hands-on soldering ability, including surface-mount (SMD) rework and basic chip removal
Demonstrated experience accessing debug interfaces (JTAG, SWD, UART) and extracting firmware from real devices
Comfort with core bench instruments: logic analyzer, oscilloscope, and multimeter
Firmware reverse-engineering skills and scripting proficiency in Python, plus enough C to read embedded code
Familiarity with common embedded architectures (ARM/Cortex-M, MIPS, AVR, RISC-V) and RTOS/bare-metal concepts
Clear written and verbal communication.
Nice to have (one or more would be an asset): Side-channel / fault-injection experience (e.g., ChipWhisperer) RF and wireless work: SDR, BLE, sub-GHz, Wi-Fi Knowledge of secure boot chains, TEEs, secure elements, and HSMs PCB design familiarity (KiCad / Altium) for understanding target boards Published CVEs, conference talks, CTF placements, or open-source tooling Relevant certifications (e.g., OSCP for breadth, or hardware-focused training)

Benefits

Comp & perks

GRRSP with corporate matching in Canada
Participation in corporate benefit plans within Canada
Flexible work environment that empowers employees to do their best work
Immediate and ongoing offensive security training, mentorship, and professional development to advance your technical capabilities

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

hardware penetration testingdebug interfacesfirmware extractionreverse engineeringsolderingscripting in PythonC programmingembedded architecturesside-channel analysisfault injection

Soft Skills

clear communicationtechnical reportingclient advisingcredibility buildingknowledge sharing

Certifications

OSCP