Sr. Principal Security Researcher- Advanced Threat Prevention (ATP)

Our Mission At Palo Alto Networks®, we’re united by a shared mission—to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real‑world problems with cutting‑edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you’re ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you’re in the right place. Who We Are In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real‑world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us! We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real‑time problem‑solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes. The Team Engineering - Our engineering team is at the core of our products and connected directly to the mission of preventing cyberattacks. We are constantly innovating — challenging the way we, and the industry, think about cybersecurity. Our engineers don’t shy away from building products to solve problems no one has pursued before. We define the industry instead of waiting for directions. We need individuals who feel comfortable in ambiguity, excited by the prospect of a challenge, and empowered by the unknown risks facing our everyday lives that are only enabled by a secure digital environment. Job Summary Join the team building and delivering threat detection capabilities for Advanced Threat Prevention by decoding network protocols and identifying applications. As a Sr. Principal Security Researcher, you will shape detection methodologies, drive parallel projects, and influence detection strategy at scale. You will propose innovative ideas, deliver them into production, and mentor researchers to protect enterprises worldwide from advanced threats. Key Responsibilities Lead the design and delivery of multiple major projects while proposing innovative detection ideas. Mentor and guide junior or mid-level researchers with technical direction and career development support. Drive advanced research into vulnerabilities and exploits to create effective IPS and ML-based detections. Ensure rapid response to Zero-Day vulnerabilities by releasing IPS protections to customers within 24 hours. Perform reverse engineering efforts to uncover new vulnerabilities and build proactive defenses. Define scalable detection methodologies for complex or emerging attack vectors across products. Partner with cross‑functional teams to align detection strategy with product roadmaps and customer needs. Represent the team in technical discussions to help shape industry direction in threat prevention. Qualifications Required Qualifications 10+ years of deep technical experience in malware analysis (static/dynamic) and reverse engineering. BS/MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field, or equivalent experience. Deep technical expertise in exploit techniques such as buffer overflows, XSS, and SQL injection. Extensive knowledge of core network protocols including UDP, FTP, SMTP, DNS, and SMB. Proficiency in analyzing network traffic using tcpdump, Wireshark, or equivalent tools. Advanced proficiency in Windows and Linux development environments. Strong programming skills in scripting and system‑level languages including Python, Bash, Perl, and C/C++. Strong leadership and communication skills with proven ability to mentor and guide other researchers. Demonstrated track record of successfully leading multiple projects end‑to‑end with measurable impact. Ability to influence detection strategy within the team and across related groups. Preferred Qualifications Experience building or fine‑tuning AI agents to autonomously triage alerts, summarize malware behavior, or generate detection content via LLMs. Hands‑on experience with penetration testing tools like Metasploit and debugging tools like WinDbg. PhD in Cybersecurity or a related field. Publications or presentations at top security conferences such as Black Hat or DEF CON. 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. $162,700.00 - $263,175.00/yr Our Commitment We’re trailblazers that dream big, take risks, and challenge cybersecurity’s status quo. It’s simple: we can’t accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io. Equal Opportunity Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship?: Yes #J-18808-Ljbffr Palo Alto Networks