Staff Threat Researcher

Role

We are looking for a Staff Threat Researcher to join our team. This is a remote role, reporting to the Manager Threat Research in the Threat Research Team. As our Staff Threat Researcher, you will serve as a highly technical subject matter expert on adversary tradecraft across endpoint, cloud, and identity environments. You will apply formal research methodologies to dissect and replicate complex cyber attacks, answering the critical questions of exactly how techniques work and how we can best detect them. By transforming your deep technical discoveries into practical attack automations and scalable detection recommendations, you will bridge the gap between theoretical research and operational defense. In this role, your expertise will directly strengthen our defensive capabilities, inform our detection engineering priorities, contribute to broader product strategy, and keep our customers a step ahead of evolving evasion tactics.

What you’ll do (Role Expectations)

• Scope (with some guidance) and continuously refine research initiatives, applying an adversarial mindset to analyze emerging attack techniques, customer impact, and detection data sources across at least one operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux) and major Cloud/SaaS providers like AWS, Microsoft 365, and Okta
• Dive deep into the technical components and detection optics underlying specific threats to fully comprehend how adversaries control and manipulate variations of a given technique
• Leverage your endpoint and cloud expertise to engineer automated attack code, write test code to validate threat coverage, and develop proofs of concept for new detections
• Collaborate across Zscaler to develop new detection methodologies and engineering recommendations, working closely with detection engineers, intelligence analysts, and threat hunters to prioritize and refine deliverables
• Document and present your research findings and operational deliverables in an accessible, actionable manner to internal and external audiences, while serving as a technical mentor for colleagues pursuing research

Who You Are (Success Profile)

• You thrive in ambiguity and are comfortable building the path as you walk it, viewing dynamic environments as an opportunity to construct impactful solutions from scratch.
• You act like an owner with a mission-driven bias for action, navigating seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution while operating with uncompromised integrity.
• You are a dedicated problem-solver energized by tackling complex challenges, knowing that solving the toughest problems creates the greatest organizational impact.
• You are a high-trust collaborator who values team success over individual accolades, actively giving and receiving candid feedback to build trust and elevate team performance.
• You embody a growth mindset as a continuous learner, actively seeking feedback to hone your skills, support your peers, and deliver purposeful results.

What We’re Looking for (Minimum Qualifications)

• Foundational understanding of AI/ML technologies and experience leveraging, securing, or positioning AI-driven solutions to optimize outcomes within your functional domain
• Experience working with commercial Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) and/or Cloud-based detection platforms
• Software development experience in at least one scripting language (e.g. PowerShell, Python, etc.) and one compiled language (e.g. C, C++, Go, etc.)
• Security experience in at least one cloud service provider (e.g. AWS, GCP, Azure) and Cloud architectures
• Established record of public, community engagement (conference talks, blog posts, or webinars, etc.)
• Experience managing code with git/GitHub

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Proven ability to leverage AI technologies and workflows to drive measurable operational efficiency
• An established record of public community engagement, such as conference talks, technical blog posts, or webinars

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