Security represents the most critical priorities for our customers in a world awash in digital threats, regulatory scrutiny, and estate complexity. Microsoft Security aspires to make the world a safer place for all. We want to reshape security and empower every user, customer, and developer with a security cloud that protects them with end to end, simplified solutions. The Microsoft Security organization accelerates Microsoft’s mission and bold ambitions to ensure that our company and industry is securing digital technology platforms, devices, and clouds in our customers’ heterogeneous environments, as well as ensuring the security of our own internal estate. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset, a theme of inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. In doing so, we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world. We’re looking for a Senior Security Researcher to join our growing Purple Team within Microsoft’s Threat Protection organization. In this role, you’ll design and execute adversary simulations, collaborate with detection engineers, and help drive improvements across Microsoft Defender and Sentinel. You’ll work at the intersection of red and blue teaming, using your offensive expertise to proactively identify detection gaps and strengthen our security posture. Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond. In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day. **Responsibilities** **Conducting Research** + Lead and support in-depth research into critical security domains including adversary tracking, current attack methodologies, competitor technologies, and academic literature. + Collaborate cross-functionally across disciplines and teams to design proactive security solutions that evolve into engineering initiatives. + Investigate business-critical security incidents, analyzing root causes, attacker motivations, and potential impacts. + Advocate for research-driven priorities and escalate findings to ensure timely mitigation. + Incorporate feedback and outcomes into future research cycles, demonstrating sound judgment in selecting impactful projects. + Maintain a deep understanding of Microsoft’s technology stack and its implications for attacker opportunities. **Solution Generation** + Identify and prioritize complex security threats that negatively affect customers. + Develop and promote effective mitigations, guidance, and remediation strategies. + Drive adoption of security solutions and automate mitigation processes where applicable. **Orchestration** + Facilitate alignment and collaboration across internal teams to clarify priorities and resolve dependencies. + Communicate key security issues to stakeholders and senior leadership. + Represent Microsoft in internal and external security collaborations. + Safeguard sensitive tools, techniques, and findings, while evaluating and enhancing operational security through advanced techniques such as red-on-red penetration testing. + Mentor others in mastering security evaluation techniques. **Industry Leadership** + Apply subject matter expertise to identify emerging security issues, tools, and mitigation strategies. + Stay current with evolving threats and technologies, sharing insights through coaching, conferences, and publications. + Model ethical behavior and informed risk-taking, while mentoring peers and junior researchers. Embody our culture and values **Qualifications** **Requried/Minimum Qualifications:** + Master's Degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science or related field + OR 5+ years experience in software development lifecycle, large-scale computing, modeling, cybersecurity, and/or anomaly detection. + 5+ years experience in cybersecurity, with deep experience in red teaming, detection engineering, or threat research. **Other Requirements:** + Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings + Microsoft Cloud Background Check:This position will be required to pass the Microsoft background and Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter. **Preferred Qualifications:** + 6+ years experience in software development lifecycle, large-scale computing, modeling, cybersecurity, and/or anomaly detection + OR Doctorate in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science or related field Security Research IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $158,400 - $258,000 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay Microsoft will accept applications for the role until September 6, 2025. \#MSFTSecurity #MSFTSecurity #OffensiveSecurity #PurpleTeam #SecurityResearch #CyberThreats #AdversaryEmulation #DetectionEngineering #ThreatHunting Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html) .