Sr. Staff Firmware Security Architect (Domain Security — Secure Boot, OTA & Vehicle Cybersecurity)
42dot14 days ago
Base Salary
$189k - $267k/yr
Responsibilities
- Define the multi-stage secure boot sequence, chain of trust, anti-rollback, A/B activation, recovery, and fail-safe boot policies.
- Own the on-device Uptane trust model, repository metadata structure, signature thresholds, key rotation, verification policies, and defenses against update attacks.
- Specify hardware roots of trust, secure key storage, device attestation, provisioning, secure debug, RMA re-provisioning, revocation, rotation, and signing infrastructure.
- Own cryptographic algorithm selection, key sizes, crypto-agility, and post-quantum migration planning for firmware signing.
- Define the Uptane deployment profile and co-design secure edge-to-cloud, fleet, campaign, manifest, and bundle-integrity interfaces.
- Define hardware-enforced isolation, threat models, and countermeasures for physical, electrical, fault-injection, glitching, and side-channel attacks.
- Define secure diagnostics, reprogramming, authentication, and freshness policies for vehicle networks and middleware.
- Author platform TARA, cybersecurity concept, cybersecurity case, CAL determinations, and evidence required for OEM cybersecurity and software-update processes.
- Coordinate safety-security co-engineering for ASIL-D platform code, including freedom from interference, WCET, and fault-handling analysis.
- Write traceable security requirements, review boot and update implementations, scope penetration tests, adjudicate findings, and gate releases.
- Establish vulnerability-handling and PSIRT processes and own security requirements for platform suppliers.
Requirements
- 15+ years of embedded or firmware engineering experience, including at least six years owning embedded or product security.
- Production ownership of a secure-boot or chain-of-trust design on MCU-class silicon using bare metal or an RTOS, not Linux only.
- Practitioner-level knowledge of signature schemes, key hierarchies, HSM or secure-element programming, and manufacturing key provisioning.
- Hands-on experience with TUF, Uptane, or an equivalent signed-metadata update system, including rollback protection.
- Authorship of a TARA, cybersecurity concept, or cybersecurity case and direct experience answering assessor or OEM questions.
- Working familiarity with UNECE R155 and R156, and sufficient C expertise to review boot and update code, linker scripts, memory maps, and HSM API usage.
- Ability to write testable requirements, document decisions and rationale, and produce auditable evidence.
- Preferred: Uptane or TUF community participation, IEEE-ISTO 6100 involvement, or python-tuf/go-tuf contributions.
- Preferred: ISO 26262, ASIL-target safety-security co-engineering, NXP S32K3 with HSE_B, or secure boot on lockstep Cortex-M7.
- Preferred: post-quantum firmware-signing experience with LMS, XMSS, or ML-DSA and crypto-agility design.
- Preferred: secure-boot experience from Apple, Google Titan, Microsoft Pluton, console, or payment-terminal platforms.
- Preferred: SecOC, MACsec, publish-subscribe middleware security, DoIP, UDS security services, or direct interaction with TÜV, exida, UL, or OEM assessors.
Benefits
- The posted base salary range is $189,240–$266,760.
- The hiring process includes application review, coding test, two interviews, offer negotiation, and hiring.
- Applications should be submitted as PDF files under 30MB; resume-upload issues can be handled by email.
- The employer encourages applications from U.S. veterans and candidates eligible for employment preference and provides ADA consideration.
About 42dot
42dot builds software-defined vehicle and autonomous mobility platforms for automakers and mobility service providers. Its products include AI-driven vehicle software, data-based update services, and core platform components such as API gateways and identity/access management to connect services securely. The privately held company is headquartered in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, and focuses on transportation and automotive markets.