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# Engineer/Developer - (Capabilities Development Specialist) - Mid

- **Company:** Department of Defense
- **Location:** Denver, CO, United States
- **Experience:** Experienced
- **Salary:** $105,262.0 - $192,764.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** C (Programming Language), Software Applications, Software System Penetration Testing, Systems Engineering, C++ (Programming Language), Signals Intelligence, Cyber Security, Information Systems, Computer Programming, Computer Engineering, Computer Forensics, Data Structures, Software Debugging, Network Architecture, Reverse Engineering, Software Engineering, Mobile Os, Malware, Information Technology, Hardware Infrastructure, Vulnerability Analysis
- **Published:** September 18, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.clearancejobs.com/jobs/9168107/engineerdeveloper-capabilities-development-specialist-mid

## About the Role

If you have interests, skills, or experience in one or more of the following areas, we'd like to hear from you:

 - Software Specialties: Strong software development skills (C, C++, Assembly, ARM); software RE/interactive debugging tools); software application vulnerability analysis and exploitation; operating system internals; mobile platform development and analysis; algorithmic analysis; prototyping.

 - Malware Reverse Engineering: Advanced malware analysis/reverse engineering of specialized malware/complex files.

 - Hardware Specialties: Hardware RE, design, development, or testing and debugging., Relevant experience must be in one or more of the following: engineering hardware or software over their lifecycle (i.e., requirements analysis, design, development, implementation, testing, integration, deployment/installation, and maintenance), programming, vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, computer forensics, or systems engineering. Completion of military training in a relevant area such as JCAC (Joint Cyber Analysis course) will be considered towards the relevant experience requirement (i.e., 24-week JCAC course will count as 6 months of experience)., Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree and no experience. An Associate's degree plus 5 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position., Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 6 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 4 years of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree plus 2 years of relevant experience. An Associate's degree plus 8 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position., Degree must be in Computer Science (CS), Mathematics, Engineering, or a related field. Degrees in Information Technology, Information Systems, Information Security, Networking (Systems Administration), Information Assurance, or Cybersecurity may be considered relevant if the programs contain, at minimum, a concentration of courses in the following foundational CS areas: algorithms; computer architecture (not network architecture); programming methodologies and languages; data structures; logic and computation; and upper-level mathematics (for example, calculus, discrete mathematics).

**Please upload a copy of your transcripts from all schools attended, prior to applying for this position. Unofficial transcripts are fine at this stage. The minimum qualifications for this position may require a degree that demonstrates a concentration of Computer Science (CS) courses in foundational CS areas.**

## Description

As a CDS, you will develop custom high-priority offensive and defensive capabilities targeting the hardest-to-reach adversarial networks in the world. You will apply and grow your expertise to create new ways to get critical information to national decision makers as part of the world's most advanced team of computer science and engineering professionals.

Responsibilities may include:

 - Developing exploitation capabilities and analytics to enable foreign target network collection
 - Designing hardware components and systems to further signals intelligence missions
 - Analyzing sophisticated malware, * All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564.


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