New

Senior Research Engineer - C/C++, Reverse Eng. Wireshark/Shodan

US - Headquarters - Maryland - Columbia

Who is Tenable?

Tenable® is the Exposure Management company. 44,000 organizations around the globe rely on Tenable to understand and reduce cyber risk. Our global employees support 65 percent of the Fortune 500, 45 percent of the Global 2000, and large government agencies. Come be part of our journey!

What makes Tenable such a great place to work?

Ask a member of our team and they’ll answer, “Our people!” We work together to build and innovate best-in-class cybersecurity solutions for our customers; all while creating a culture of belonging, respect, and excellence where we can be our best selves. When you’re part of our #OneTenable team, you can expect to partner with some of the most talented and passionate people in the industry, and have the support and resources you need to do work that truly matters. We deliver results that exceed expectations and we win together!

Your Role:
Tenable is looking for a Senior Research Engineer to join our security research team. This position will involve researching existing vulnerabilities, looking for new vulnerabilities, and developing checks/plugins to detect these vulnerabilities via our products. This role will involve some interfacing with stakeholders outside the Research team.
Your Opportunity:

  • Works on complex research and development initiatives 
  • Implements advanced detection logic while minimizing false positives & false negatives
  • Participates in detection logic discussions and the research of new methods for detection 
  • Interfaces with stakeholders on externalizing the outcomes of some of the research
  • Helps / trains other researchers, when needed

What You'll Need:

  • Able to work at Columbia, MD Headquarters (3 days per week, subject to change)
  • Keep abreast with the advancements and developments in the security industry and perform original research to keep our customers secure
  • Develop detection scripts for Tenable’s sensors (Nessus vulnerability scanner and others) based on the research findings
  • Research and develop methods of detection for additional services and products from different vendors
  • Experience with Wireshark and/or Shodan or similar tools
  • Demonstrably strong programming skills in C or C++. **Perl or Python experience is preferred
  • Ability and experience in showcasing original research externally – via blogs, white-papers, etc.
  • Ability to work independently as a researcher as well as part of a larger team
  • Experience working with multiple operating systems (proficiency with Linux a must)
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Adaptable and able to shift priorities as needed
  • Meticulous in terms of quality & accuracy of work
  • Willingness to explore and learn
  • B.S. degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent work experience
  • At least 5 years of R&D experience
  • In depth understanding of common security vulnerabilities, CVSS scoring, vulnerability classification, detection and exploitation techniques
  • In-depth protocol analysis and interaction. Expert level knowledge of common protocols such as HTTP, DNS, SSH, SMB, etc. and fuzzing
  • Some prior experience performing open-ended research when given high-level requirements and details of the desired output
  • Experience with pen-testing, researching, discovering, or publishing vulnerabilities
  • Reverse engineering experience including basic binary analysis, packet capture analysis, and firmware analysis (using binwalk). Prior experience with debuggers, disassemblers or decompilers (e.g. IDA Pro, Immunity Debugger, gdb)
  • One or more security related certifications (e.g. OSCP)
  • Experience with systems administration and be comfortable working at the command line

#LI-Hybrid #LI-LP1

This is the base pay range for this position. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including the candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies, location and experience, and may fall outside of the range shown. Employees are also eligible for variable compensation in addition to base pay (commission for sales roles, bonus for non-sales roles), depending on company and individual performance. Tenable also offers a variety of comprehensive and competitive benefits which include: medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance; 401(k) retirement savings with company match; an employee stock purchase plan; an employee referral program; flexible spending accounts; an Employee Assistance Program (EAP); education assistance; parental leave; paid time off (PTO); company-paid holidays; health and wellness events; and community programs.

US Pay Ranges

$113,000 - $151,000 USD

We’re committed to promoting Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) at Tenable - through all equal employment opportunity laws and regulations at the international, federal, state and local levels.  If you need a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please contact Recruiting@Tenable.com for further assistance.

Tenable Data Consent Statement

Tenable is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data. This Notice describes how we collect and use your personal data during and after your working relationship with us, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). Please click here to review.

For California Residents: The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) requires that Tenable advise you of certain rights related to the collection of your private information. Please click here to review.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Tenable, Inc.? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

(Please enter N/A if not applicable)

(Please enter N/A if not applicable)

Select...
Select...
Select...

For more details about the process:
US applicants, click here
All other applicants, click here

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Tenable, Inc.’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.