Security Research Engineer

The application window is expected to close on: June 15, 2025

NOTE: Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

Preference will be given to candidates local to Austin, Texas; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Research Triangle Park, Raleigh, North Carolina; Fulton, Maryland; Atlanta Metro, Georgia; Boston Metro, Massachusetts.

Meet the Team

The Talos Threat Research: Endpoint (TR:E) team secures and protects customers through phenomenal products and takes a lead in customer focused research and delivery. We work to understand attacker tactics, techniques and procedures at the deepest levels to guide product features which ultimately enable us to write detection logic to detect and prevent cyber-attacks. We work with data scientists, machine learning specialists, threat hunters, and software developers to identify and remediate security gaps where they exist.

Your Impact

As a part of the Talos Threat Research: Endpoint Team (TR:E) supporting Cisco Security products, you will provide security research, detection content development, support assistance, and product capability enhancements for Windows, Linux, and MacOS. You will:

• Work towards keeping yourself abreast of the latest malware techniques.
• Investigate, analyze and respond to malware incidents.
• Collaborate with other security researchers to help address customer concerns.
• Identify and communicate product efficacy gaps and new feature guidance to engineering teams.
• Develop security content, provide domain expertise, and help protect customers from breaches and cyber-attacks.
• Craft internal tooling to support team workflows to work more efficiently, accurately, and at scale.
• Analyze and action both internal and customer escalations that cannot be resolved by our support teams.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in a related role OR 3+ year experience with a Master's degree equivalent in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Cybersecurity-related field
• Experience in at least one scripting language (Python, bash)
• Experience in at least one other programming language (C, C++, Go, Rust, Clojure)
• Experience in Software Reverse Engineering or Malware Analysis using related tools such as IDA Pro, Ghidra, and debuggers

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with red-teaming tools: Familiarity with tools like Metasploit, CobaltStrike, and Powershell Empire.
• Network and system analysis skills: Ability to analyze network pcaps, system logs, and malicious scripts.
• Knowledge of endpoint security and sandbox technologies: Experience with security solutions and isolation environments.
• Collaborative teamwork: Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team.
• Problem-solving skills: Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis capabilities.
• Effective communication: Proficiency in verbal and written English communication.

Why Cisco?

At Cisco, we're revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era - and beyond. We've been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint. Simply put - we power the future.

Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you'll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.

We are Cisco, and our power starts with you.