Senior & Principal Security Researcher

Microsoft

Confirmed live 2 days ago High trust

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: —
Salary: $119,800–$234,700 / yr
Posted: 28 days ago
Freshness: Confirmed live 2 days ago
Closes: Feb 10, 2027

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Salary context

Competitive pay

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $181k

This role $177k

$106k most similar roles pay here $248k

This role pays more than 50% of similar roles. Most pay $153,025–$209,500 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $177k versus about $181k for comparable roles.

Based on 239 similar postings.

Employer

About Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is a global technology leader producing software, hardware, and cloud services including Windows, Office 365, Azure cloud platform, Xbox gaming, and Surface devices. Industry: Software & Cloud Computing

Microsoft currently has 598 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $119,800–$234,700 across 586 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · Senior & Principal Security Researcher

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Senior & Principal Security Researcher The Senior & Principal Security Researcher joins the Global Hunting, Oversight, and Strategic Triage team within the Cloud & AI organization. This role involves performing deep analysis of attacker activity across on-premises and cloud environments to identify threats proactively. The researcher will build proof-of-concept tools, develop automations, and create new capabilities while translating findings into product improvements for engineering teams. Key responsibilities include cataloging attacker TTPs, providing customer notifications, and developing threat intelligence. Essential skills include proficiency in SQL or Kusto Query Language (KQL), Jupyter Notebooks, and scripting languages for automation. The role requires expertise in forensic analysis tools like X-Ways Forensics or WinHex, as well as experience with SIEM logs, web server logs, and malware analysis to defend enterprise customers against sophisticated threats and identity-based attacks within complex environments.

Skills

Threat Hunting Cybersecurity Kusto Query Language (KQL) SQL SIEM Jupyter Notebooks Forensics TTPs IOCs IOAs Vulnerability Research Anomaly Detection Software Development Lifecycle WinHex Encase FTK

What you'll do

Perform deep analysis of attacker activity across on-premises and cloud environments.
Identify potential threats to enable proactive defense before incidents occur.
Notify customers regarding imminent attacker activity and provide mitigation recommendations.
Build proof-of-concept threat hunting tools, automations, and new capabilities.
Drive product and tooling improvements by sharing findings with engineering teams.
Identify and prioritize complex security issues that negatively impact customers.
Synthesize research findings into actionable recommendations for internal and external stakeholders.

What we're looking for

A Doctorate in a relevant field, or a Master's degree with 3+ years of experience, or a Bachelor's degree with 4+ years of experience is required.
Equivalent experience to the specified educational and experience requirements is accepted.
Candidates must provide proof of citizenship or legal residency for export control compliance.
Candidates must pass Microsoft background checks and specialized security screenings.
Proven knowledge of security fundamentals across Microsoft platforms (Client, Server, Cloud) (preferred).
Strong understanding of malware and the modern threat landscape, especially identity-based attacks (preferred).
Familiarity with SQL, Kusto Query Language (KQL), or other large database/SIEM query languages (preferred).
Experience with forensic tools, scripting for automation, and analyzing various forensic log artifacts (preferred).

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