Palo Alto Networks

Sr. Staff Security Researcher

Palo Alto Networks$139K — $225K *
Information Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • PhD with 3-5 years of relevant experience
  • Basic understanding of various malware types and common vulnerabilities
  • Familiarity with key network protocols (HTTP, SMTP, FTP)
  • Proficiency in programming languages like Python or Go
  • Experience with ML techniques and tools is preferred
  • Exposure to malware analysis and CTF exercises is desirable
  • Hands-on experience with traffic analysis and reverse engineering tools

Responsibilities

  • Design, build, and optimize automation systems for real-time data processing
  • Apply advanced AI/ML methods to analyze network traffic for threats
  • Conduct thorough research on network security countermeasures
  • Collaborate with security researchers to analyze adversarial activities
  • Continuously learn about next-generation firewalls in network security
  • Translate research findings into actionable security solutions

Benefits

  • Comprehensive employee benefits package
  • Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning
  • Dynamic work environment with a focus on innovation
  • Collaborative team culture with experienced researchers
  • Potential for restricted stock units and bonuses
Full Job Description
Job Summary

Job Summary

We are seeking a passionate and self-driven Sr. Staff Researcher to join our Cloud-Delivered Security Services team. In this role, you will be pivotal in developing and refining the security content that powers our next-generation products. You will build and optimize automation systems to process real-time data, collaborate with experienced researchers to analyze emerging threats, and contribute directly to the detection and prevention of malware and other digital threats.

Key Responsibilities
  • Design, build, and optimize automation systems for real-time data collection and processing to support threat detection.
  • Apply advanced AI/ML methods, including anomaly detection and deep learning, to analyze real network traffic for threat detection and mitigation.
  • Conduct in-depth research on network security countermeasures to identify and mitigate sophisticated cyber attacks.
  • Proactively collaborate with fellow security researchers to analyze adversarial activities and implement robust, proactive protections.
  • Continuously learn and apply knowledge of next-generation firewalls and their role in modern network security.
  • Translate threat research findings into tangible security solutions and protections within our product ecosystem.


Qualifications

Required Qualifications
  • PhD with 3-5 years of experience
  • Basic understanding of malware types (e.g., Spyware, Ransomware, Exploits) and popular vulnerabilities (e.g., command injection, buffer overflow).
  • Strong familiarity with key network protocols such as HTTP, SMTP, and FTP.
  • Proficiency in at least one programming language, such as Python or Go.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience with ML/GenAI techniques (e.g., anomaly detection, deep learning, NLP) and tools (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-Learn).
  • Practical exposure to malware analysis and Capture-the-Flag (CTF) exercises.
  • Hands-on experience with traffic analysis tools (e.g., Wireshark, tcpdump) and reverse engineering tools.


Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. For candidates who receive an offer at the posted level, the starting base salary (for non-sales roles) or base salary + commission target (for sales/com-missioned roles) is expected to be the annual range listed below. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

$139,600.00 - $225,775.00/yr

About Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. is an American multinational cybersecurity company with headquarters in Santa Clara, California. Its core products are a platform that includes advanced firewalls and cloud-based offerings that extend those firewalls to cover other aspects of security. The company serves over 70,000 organizations in over 150 countries, including 85 of the Fortune 100. It is home to the Unit 42 threat research team and hosts the Ignite cybersecurity conference.
Learn more about Palo Alto Networks
Size
11,870 employees
Market Cap
$42.6 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$368.2 million
Founded
2005
5 Year Trend
+25.7%
Revenue
$3.7 billion
NASDAQ

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