Engineer, Applied Cryptography

Lab Summary:

Samsung Knox™ (https://www.samsungknox.com/) is Samsung’s guarantee of security, and a secure device gives you the freedom to work and play how, where, and when you want. Samsung Knox consists of a highly secure platform built into a variety of Samsung devices, including Samsung’s mobile phones and laptop computers.

Come join the Samsung KNOX team and help us define and develop the future core technologies for Samsung devices and services!

Position Summary:

On the Knox Security team, we regularly design products whose security depends on the proper use of cryptographic concepts. As an applied cryptography engineer, you will help architect and assess systems which make use of cryptographic algorithms to defend against an ever-evolving set of threats.

As our products are used in the highest levels of enterprise and government leadership, we need to stay abreast of the latest attacks and defenses in cryptography. Part of the role will be to investigate changes in the cryptographic landscape and recommend changes to our designs, while working with standardization bodies to socialize these changes (... and thereby drive business demand). Successful candidates can look forward to making a substantial impact on the real security of some very interesting customers – and, by extension, anyone else who uses a Samsung device.

Given current trends, we are particularly interested in the looming impact of quantum cryptography. The engineer will research potential post-quantum solutions, especially in the mobile business, and migration paths toward post-quantum cryptography. They should research the need for post-quantum cryptography in the market, then work across the company driving the commercialization of these algorithms.

Position Responsibilities: 

• Keep up-to-date with the standardization of post-quantum algorithms by organizations such as NIST and the IETF
• Engage with standardization boards to ensure our products are compatible with upcoming standards at the moment of their adoption
• Provide security guidance about cryptography to global development teams and ensure cryptographic requirements are met through the development process
• Research the needs and the trends of cryptography in the market, and propose ideas for strategic initiatives, including in the area of emerging algorithms/threats (e.g., post-quantum concerns)
• Assist in architecting a variety of security-sensitive features for Samsung’s products, across a wide swath of the company’s offerings; this is not necessarily limited to features that make use of cryptography (i.e., we offer opportunities to cross-train and follow your evolving interests)
• Communicate feature motivations and designs clearly to stakeholders and reach agreement
• Work with product management teams to refine proposals

Required Skills: 

• Requires 10+ years of related experience in a professional role with a Bachelor's degree; or 8+ years with a Master's degree; or 5+ years with a PhD; or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience 
• Experience as an applied cryptography engineer or an cryptographer as demonstrated by one or more of:
  • Academic publications
  • Academic or industry experience in security
  • Understanding of NIST recommended post-quantum algorithms
  • Experience with cryptographic standardization processes
  • Ability to securely design and architect features with an understanding of threat and trust models, cryptography, access control, and secure protocol design
  • A holistic understanding of the Android (or alternate mobile phone) software stack, with technical knowledge in features using cryptography: keystore, eSE, FBE, TLS etc.