Vulnerability Researcher – Telecommunications (Standard & Senior Roles Available)

Location: UKTL Offices, Birmingham (Hybrid – minimum 2 days onsite per week)

Work Options: Full-time, part-time, or flexible arrangements where business needs allow.

What You’ll Be Doing

As a Vulnerability Researcher in Telecommunications, you’ll be at the forefront of security innovation—exploring complex systems, uncovering weaknesses, and shaping the future of telecom security through deep technical research.

For All Roles:

Deep Dive into Telecom Systems: Investigate carrier-grade telecom infrastructure to uncover vulnerabilities others might miss.

Flexible Research Frameworks: Operate within broad themes, allowing autonomy to pivot as new insights emerge.

Prototype Custom Tools: Build and experiment with tooling—such as fuzzers or software radio interfaces—using diverse frameworks and languages.

Continuous Learning: Dissect systems to understand failure points and contribute to long-term security advancements.

For Senior Roles:

Lead Research Initiatives: Drive vulnerability research projects and set technical direction.

Strategic Influence: Define vision and strategy for the vulnerability team.

Mentorship: Guide and support researchers in tackling complex security challenges.

About You

You’re curious, driven, and passionate about uncovering how things work—and how they break. You thrive in complex technical environments and enjoy pushing boundaries.

Core Skills for All Roles:

• Strong understanding of network protocols and system communication.

• Applied knowledge of cryptographic algorithms (encryption, authentication, signatures).

• Familiarity with data structures, distributed systems, virtualisation, and containerisation.

• Comfort with Linux internals and ability to learn new programming languages quickly.

• Experience with memory corruption bugs and bypass techniques (ASLR, stack canaries, heap guards).

• Reverse engineering skills using tools like IDA Pro, Ghidra, or source code analysis.

• Ethical exploitation techniques across low-level software and web platforms.

Additional for Senior Roles:

• Proven experience leading vulnerability research in multiple organisations.

• Deep knowledge of telecom technologies (4G/5G, fibre broadband, OpenRAN).

• Expertise in hardware/software development lifecycles and embedded systems.

• Proficiency with hardware debugging and advanced reverse engineering.

Security Requirements

Due to the nature of the work, you must hold or be eligible to obtain DV clearance with no restrictions.