Security Researcher

Darktrace is a global leader in AI-driven cybersecurity, helping organizations stay ahead of evolving threats every day.

Darktrace was built on a genuinely differentiated idea: that Adaptive AI could detect and respond to novel, real-time cyber threats. That approach matters more than ever in the era of AI. Today, our customers depend on us to stay ahead.

At Darktrace, we are energized by that responsibility. We work across teams and rally around a shared goal. We own outcomes end to end - step in, step up and see things through without waiting to be asked. We make decisions with urgency, say the hard thing, and hold each other to high standards with care and directness. We move first and learn fast anticipating where our customers are going next, continuously challenging ourselves.

We invest in the skills, learning and opportunities that help people deliver at the level their roles demand, and reward the aptitude and curiosity to grow beyond them.

Our Values: Own It | Win as One | Raise Our Bar | Move First. Learn Fast

Job Description:

Darktrace builds advanced cybersecurity technologies designed to help organizations stay ahead of modern threats. Our teams combine deep security expertise with innovative thinking to deliver products that detect, prevent, and respond to attacks across complex digital environments. We are expanding our security engineering and research function, and we’re looking for a Security Researcher who can turn deep cybersecurity knowledge into innovative ideas that enhance and evolve our product portfolio.

As a Security Researcher, you will apply your offensive-security expertise to drive innovation across our cybersecurity product portfolio. Your work will focus on researching emerging attacker techniques, exploring how real-world adversaries operate, and experimenting with new approaches for detecting and preventing novel threats. You will generate insights that directly inform the design of new product features, detection logic, and prototype capabilities. During all this you will be teaming up with the development teams to put your valued contributions into production.

This is a hybrid role requiring 2 days per week in the The Hague office.

What will I be doing:

You will work closely with engineering, product management, data science, and threat research teams to translate offensive research into practical defensive solutions. Whether developing proof-of-concept software, identifying opportunities for improved threat coverage, or contributing to early-stage product ideation, you will play a key role in ensuring our technology continues to anticipate and counter modern cyber threats.

Your work will sit right in the middle of our R&D department at the intersection of offensive research, product innovation, and software development. Responsibilities include:

• Research and Development into methods that discover and prevent novel threats,
• Researching emerging exploit techniques, threat actor methodologies, and novel attack vectors,
• Building proof-of-concept software solutions that pave the way to new product features,
• Support the transition of proof of concepts to the development teams who will oversee the actual creation of the products and/or features,
• Collaborating with engineering and product teams, providing regular updates on projects and sharing cybersecurity relevant trends,
• Document the process of transitioning ideas to proof of concepts through research publications and potentially patents.

What experience do I need:

We’re looking for someone with strong offensive-security foundations paired with curiosity, creativity, and a passion for building better security products. Ideal experience includes:

• Strong Cybersecurity knowledge and being on top of Cybersecurity trends,
• Ability to think like an attacker and creatively explore how systems can be misused or subverted,
• Proficiency with scripting or automation languages (Python, Bash, PowerShell)
• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g. Git)
• Ability to craft proof-of-concept scripts to validate findings,
• Strong communication skills and ability to explain offensive insights to product and development teams,
• Broad but strong knowledge of architecture, operating systems, networking, virtualization/containerization platforms, API design and interfacing etc. is a plus
• Experience with Machine Learning / AI applications (within security context) is a plus.

Join Us

If you’re passionate about using offensive-security expertise to shape world-class cybersecurity products, and you enjoy solving complex problems at scale, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now or explore more opportunities on our careers page.

Benefits:

• 25 days’ holiday + all public holidays,

• Additional day off for your birthday,

• Commuting allowance,

• Pension Scheme,

• Life & Disability insurance,

• Employee Assistance Program,

• Bicycle Leasing Scheme.

As a growing business strengthening its governance and controls, this role plays a part in supporting high standards of integrity and accountability.

Darktrace is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Darktrace is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable laws. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact your Talent Partner.