Junior Firmware Engineer – Network Security & Filtering
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Job Location:
San Jose, CA - USA
Monthly Salary:
$ 90000 - 160000
Posted on:
9 hours ago
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
Junior Firmware Engineer Network Security & Filtering
San Jose California
Linksys (Fortinet)
About the Role
You will work on network security features within our OpenWrt-based firmware including firewall rules DNS-based content filtering and IDS/IPS configuration.
This role is designed for junior engineers who want to learn embedded network security in a structured mentored environment. Your initial focus will be on understanding existing security components validating behavior through testing and making incremental improvementsnot designing security architecture independently.
Location Context
This role is based in San Jose California our primary firmware engineering hub enabling close collaboration with platform and wireless teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Configure test and tune existing IDS/IPS systems under senior guidance
- Assist with DNS filtering and firewall rule improvements
- Write test cases to validate expected security behavior
- Analyze logs and network traffic to understand detections and outcomes
- Contribute to security specifications and documentation with mentorship
- Use AI tools for log analysis and research with careful validation
Participate in code reviews and security discussions
Required Qualifications
- B.S. in Computer Science Computer Engineering Cybersecurity or related field (02 years experience)
- Proficiency in C and basic scripting (Python or shell)
- Understanding of core networking concepts (TCP/IP DNS firewalls)
- Familiarity with Linux environments
- Analytical mindset and attention to detail
Interest in learning secure development practices
Deep security expertise is not expected at entry. Curiosity careful thinking and a willingness to learn are more important than prior security depth.
Nice-to-Have Skills
- Exposure to IDS/IPS tools firewalls or content filtering
- Coursework or projects related to network security
- Experience analyzing network traffic
Participation in open-source projects
Engineering Culture
Our team follows three core development practices that youll learn during onboarding:
Spec-First Development:Write specifications before coding. For security features this includes threat models and security assumptions. Youll learn to document your approach with senior engineer guidance.
Test-Driven Development:Write tests alongside code. For security work this includes creating test cases that validate detection accuracy and simulate attack scenarios.
AI-Augmented Workflow:Use AI tools responsibly. Youll have access to AI coding assistants for log analysis research and developmentwith extra scrutiny for security-critical code.
AI Usage Expectations
We provide AI coding tools (GitHub Copilot internal assistants) to boost productivity. For security work extra caution is required:
- Youre encouraged to use AIfor analyzing logs researching CVEs and generating test scenarios
- You must validate thoroughlyif AI suggests a firewall rule test it in isolation understand exactly what it does and verify it doesnt create new vulnerabilities
- Never rely solely on AIfor security decisionsall security-critical changes require human review and testing
- Never includesensitive security data threat intelligence or proprietary information in external AI prompts
Understand the implicationssubtle bugs in security code can have severe consequences
Well train you on secure AI usage practices (OWASP/NIST-aligned) during onboarding.
The US base salary range for this full-time position is $90000-$160000. Fortinet offers employees a variety of benefits including medical dental vision life and disability insurance 401(k) 11 paid holidays vacation time and sick time as well as a comprehensive leave program.
Wage ranges are based on various factors including the labour market job type and job level. Exact salary offers will be determined by factors such as the candidates subject knowledge skill level qualifications experience and geographic location.
All roles are eligible to participate in the Fortinet equity program. Bonus eligibility is reviewed at the time of hire and annually at the Companys discretion.
Why Join Us:
We encourage candidates from all backgrounds and identities to apply. We offer a supportive work environment and a competitive Total Rewards package to support you with your overall health and financial well-being.
Embark on a challenging enjoyable and rewarding career journey with Fortinet. Join us in bringing solutions that make a meaningful and lasting impact to our 660000 customers around the globe.
Required Experience:
Junior IC
Key Skills
- Network security
- Protocols
- ASA
- Tcp/IP
- Routers
- Windows
- Access Control
- Information Security
- Infrastructure
- Linux
- IOS
- Servers
- Troubleshoot
- Intrusion Detection
- Siem
About Company
From the start, the Fortinet vision has been to deliver broad, truly integrated, high-performance security across the IT infrastructure. We provide top-rated network and content security, as well as secure access products that share intelligence and work together to form a cooperativ ... View more
