Cryptography Subject Matter Expert
- Full-time
Job Description
About Merlin Group
Merlin Group operates at the intersection of cyber innovation, national security, and technology-driven transformation. With a mission to accelerate the adoption of high-impact technologies across the U.S. public sector and regulated commercial markets, Merlin is uniquely structured around three core tenets – Invest, Enable, and Scale – each designed to address a specific stage of the technology lifecycle. Together, our affiliates – Merlin Ventures, CGC, and Merlin Cyber – form a flywheel that builds enduring capability for customers, partners, and the broader cyber ecosystem, operationalizing technological advancement into mission-ready, enterprise-grade solutions.
At Merlin, we believe our strength lies in our people. Team members are encouraged to be creative, collaborative, and nimble, pursuing paths to deliver the cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions that our customers rely on. From next-generation cyber defense to secure cloud and AI, we are united by one purpose – transforming innovation into mission impact.
The Opportunity
We're seeking advanced technical leadership and expertise in cryptographic systems, standards, and implementations across Merlin’s Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) practice area. In this role, you will support the design, assessment, and optimization of cryptographic architectures and protocols within enterprise and mission environments. You will collaborate with internal engineering teams, government customers, and technology partners to ensure cryptographic solutions meet the highest standards of security, interoperability, and compliance.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
- Serve as Merlin’s lead expert on applied cryptography, advising on the design, integration, and evaluation of cryptographic systems and components.
- Ability to map the lifecycle of cryptographic objects throughout technology environments.
- Provide deep technical insight on cryptographic primitives, protocols, key management, and security models used in federal and enterprise systems.
- Review cryptographic code, SDKs, and implementations to identify vulnerabilities, inefficiencies, and compliance gaps.
- Evaluate and guide adoption of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) standardized schemes and related countermeasures.
- Knowledgeable off the usage of RSA, Diffie–Hellman (DH), Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), and emerging algorithms to ensure performance, scalability, and resistance to known attacks.
- Interpret and apply cryptographic standards (e.g., FIPS 140-3, NIST SP 800-series) to customer architectures and Merlin technical solutions.
- Collaborate with Technical Practice Area leads, engineers, and product teams to develop validated reference architectures and implementation guides.
- Contribute to internal enablement and technical documentation to strengthen Merlin’s cryptography capabilities across teams.
- Support customer engagements through training and delivery by preparing technical briefings, risk assessments, and recommendations for secure cryptographic adoption.
Qualifications
Required:
- Master’s degree plus industry experience in cryptography (5+ years) or Ph.D. degree in Computer Science, Mathematics or similar with an emphasis on Cryptography, Security and Privacy.
- Deep understanding of crypto primitives and how they combine.
- Deep understanding of cryptographic protocols.
- Good understanding of RSA, DH, ECC.
- Understanding or capability to learn PQC standardized schemes.
- Understanding of Countermeasures and Optimizations.
- Sound understanding of cryptographic standards and how they work and are applied.
- Experience working with GitExperience or understanding of working with SDKs.
- Capabilities to do crypto related code review.
- Record of peer-reviewed publications or technical contributions to the cryptography community.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical topics clearly.
- U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain or hold a U.S. government security clearance.
Preferred
- Experience with cryptographic optimization, countermeasure development, or hardware security modules (HSMs).
- Familiarity with applied cryptography in federal, defense, or regulated industry environments.
- Experience with the Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) program, COMSEC, and related topics.
- Familiarity with Dept of War environments and systems.
- Experience collaborating across multi-disciplinary technical teams.
Work Environment & Location
- This role is primarily remote; however, candidates located near the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) are preferred due to collaborative sessions at our headquarters in Tysons, VA.
Success Attributes
- Passion for cryptographic research, standards, and continuous technical growth.
- Commitment to personal and professional integrity and respect for others.
- Roll-up-your-sleeves attitude and low-ego approach.
- Commitment to teamwork and professional relationship development.
- Passion for lifelong learning, growth, and development.
- Flexible and nimble; comfortable with ambiguity and rapid change.
- Strong communication and functional project management skills.
- Desire to innovate, try new things, and creatively explore novel solutions to business challenges.
Benefits & Perks
We want to empower and inspire employees to be and do their best. Our workdays are dynamic, collegial, and fun. Our office features multiple places to work unconstrained by typical office barriers. Our wellness package provides access to an on-site gym and includes medical, dental, and vision insurance along with options for FSA and EAP. We offer 401(k) with employer match, unlimited PTO, and a culture respectful of the reality that not everything in one’s personal life is guaranteed to happen only after hours.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local, or international law.
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