Security Engineer (Hardware Product Security and R&D)

Overview

Nortal's Applied Defence R&D serves as an innovation engine, transforming complex defence challenges into validated, deployable solutions. By combining cyber resilience, AI, data science, embedded security, and digital engineering, we deliver mission-ready prototypes and architectures. Partnering with governments, armed forces, industry, and academia, we create sovereign IP, dual-use technologies, and NATO/EU-aligned innovations that reduce risk and accelerate capability delivery.

We are looking for a Security Engineer to support the design, development, and validation of secure hardware-based products and prototypes. You will work across hardware, firmware, and embedded software to build security in from early design through prototyping and testing, on a product with a real physical footprint rather than a purely digital one.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to security-by-design for hardware products, embedded systems, and integrated hardware-software solutions
• Perform threat modelling and security risk analysis for devices, components, interfaces, and firmware
• Define and implement hardware and firmware security controls, including secure boot, roots of trust, key protection, device identity, and secure update mechanisms
• Support secure hardware architecture and component selection from a security perspective
• Assess attack surfaces including debug interfaces, physical access, communications interfaces, and firmware update paths
• Plan and perform security testing, hardening, and validation of prototypes and product components
• Work with systems, software, electronics, and mechanical engineers to integrate security requirements into product designs
• Contribute technical content to R&D project deliverables, engineering reports, and test documentation

Methods & Approaches

• Hardware and embedded-system threat modelling and security architecture
• Secure development lifecycle practices for hardware, firmware, and embedded software
• Prototype security testing, vulnerability analysis, and hardware/firmware hardening
• Security requirements engineering and evidence-based validation

Deliverables

• Security requirements, threat models, and risk assessments for hardware products and prototypes
• Implemented hardware and firmware security mechanisms and configurations
• Security test plans, results, and mitigation recommendations
• Technical sections of R&D deliverables, engineering reports, and design documentation

Skills & Experience

• Strong background in cyber security, embedded systems, electronics, or secure product engineering
• Practical experience bringing hardware products or complex prototypes from design to tested implementation
• Understanding of embedded architectures, firmware, PCB-level interfaces, and hardware-software integration
• Experience with secure boot, hardware roots of trust, TPM/secure elements, cryptographic key handling, or secure firmware updates
• Experience using security testing and debugging tools for embedded or hardware systems
• Experience in defence, critical infrastructure, or multi-partner R&D projects is an advantage
• Relevant security or embedded-system certifications are a plus, not mandatory

Why Nortal?

• We hire people not only for their skills but also for cultural add. We live by our values: commit to delivering value and results, take ownership, empower yourself and others, and own your future and growth. Besides our professionalism, we like to spice things up with good humour
• We care about your growth & development. At Nortal, we support constant improvement and knowledge sharing
• We prioritise your health & well-being by providing a flexible package for health insurance and sports initiatives
• We support your work-life balance and provide flexible working hours
• It's your choice whether you want to work from the office or remotely within Estonia

Salary range:

€4600-6500 gross/monthly (full-time).Final compensation will depend on factors such as relevant experience, role seniority, and skill set.

About Nortal

For over 25 years, we’ve been shaping digital transformation, delivering complex solutions for global enterprises and public sector organisations. Today, we are at the forefront of an AI-driven transformation era, helping organisations turn data into real business value. By combining deep domain expertise with data and AI, we design solutions that create immediate impact while scaling for the future.