SCA Analyst / Infrastructure Engineer
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Website PQShield
About the company
PQShield is a highly innovative deep tech start-up that specialises in post-quantum cryptography and cybersecurity. Our mission is to innovate and create solutions for the world’s most imminent security challenge: quantum computers.
Here at PQShield, we understand our people are the most important factor in driving our success. Therefore, our core value is to provide them with a work environment that promotes personal and professional growth. Hard work and loyalty are always met with acknowledgement, appreciation and reward.
The role
PQShield is looking for an engineer or researcher to drive the operationalising of non-invasive side-channel security testing within the company. You will be responsible for building and maintaining shared infrastructure for FPGA and microcontroller based testing of side-channel secure cryptographic implementations. This includes managing the physical hardware (FPGA development boards, Oscilloscopes, host PCs), writing software which implements standard side-channel tests (TVLA, correlation power analysis) and orchestration of capturing power traces across hardware/software and co-designed implementations of cryptographic primitives. You will work closely with product teams to help them integrate these side-channel analysis flows into their projects. There is also considerable scope and freedom for research into how to effectively apply side-channel analysis techniques to new PQC algorithms. As a driver of PQC testing standards, you’d also interact with testing labs and standardization bodies on the practical aspects of side-channel testing for PQC implementation.
We’d expect you to have an understanding of:
- Side-channel analysis of symmetric cryptographic primitives (e.g. AES).
- Issues around secure embedded implementations of cryptography.
- Theoretical understanding of common side-channel countermeasures: hiding, masking (DOM, TI).
- Practical power and EM side-channel analysis implementation. Including but not limited to: target device communication, data storage, analysis techniques and optimizing for speed of analysis.
- Continuous integration and testing for hardware and software.
- FPGA development, specifically with the ChipWhisperer 305 platform.
- Microcontroller development (STM32 or similar platforms).
- Python and C language programming.
Other useful skills:
- Implementation of PQC algorithms, or an understanding of their main implementation issues.
- Understanding of pre-silicon simulation based trace collection.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- An enthusiasm for excellent documentation of code and deliverables.
- Understanding of computer architecture (ARM, RISC-V etc)
- Knowledge of standards for non-invasive side-channel testing (FIPS 140-3, ISO, Common Criteria).
- Use of Docker or similar tools to manage isolated access to shared hardware resources.
You’ll be working with a small and very productive team in the early stages of developing new IPs, with a chance to have a big impact on everything we do.
PQShield is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We’re passionate about talent and proud to foster an inclusive environment; all applicants will be considered regardless of their gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and age.
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