Principal Threat Researcher (Unit 42) - Remote

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.

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! This role is remote, but distance is no barrier to impact. Our hybrid teams collaborate across geographies to solve big problems, stay close to our customers, and grow together. You will be part of a culture that values trust, accountability, and shared success where your work truly matters.

As a Principal Threat Researcher within the Unit 42 National Security (NATSEC) team, you will leverage expert-level domain knowledge across nation-state Advanced Persistent Threats, cybercrime, and emerging threat landscapes. Operating as an independent self-starter, you will take full ownership of high-level tasking, complete priority research gaps, and drive custom intelligence research. You will be responsible for tracking global adversary trends, resolving RFIs, and embedding actionable findings to protect national security missions. Furthermore, you will deliver rapid-turnaround threat analysis during high-visibility cyber events and mentor junior analysts to influence broader company initiatives.

Collect, correlate, and analyze threat data from disparate global datasets into a cohesive intelligence story. Lead threat research initiatives independently by designing, developing, and maintaining tools and workflows. Simplify complex technical findings into clear, tailored assessments for national security stakeholders. Perform pivot analysis across closed and open-source datasets to map C2 infrastructure and identify TTPs. Deliver rapid-turnaround threat analysis and technical feedback during major cyber events and urgent customer RFIs. Partner closely with internal research teams, product engineering, consulting, and sales to drive strategic alignment.

Required Qualifications Minimum of 7 years of experience in threat intelligence focused on ransomware, nation-state, cybercrime, and supply-chain risks. Expert understanding of the adversary’s attack lifecycle, TTPs, and high-fidelity indicators of compromise. Experience with data analysis tools, including passive DNS, network infrastructure analysis, and host-based information analysis. Knowledge of scripting languages to facilitate data collection and analysis. Proven ability to lead tasks and projects independently while providing recommendations for process improvement. Strong problem-solving skills to navigate complex and ambiguous situations effectively. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a proven track record of collaborating across all organizational levels.

Experience serving as a mentor, team lead, or technical reviewer for technical research outputs. Ability to interpret and act on internal and external intelligence reports. Ability to conduct research on the dark web with appropriate levels of OpSec. Familiarity with static and dynamic malware analysis tools. Prior experience working within or alongside government agencies or fusion centers. Experienced public speaker at large industry conferences. Comfortable collaborating and working effectively