We are looking for a Research Team Lead to establish and lead a cross-product research team focused on horizontal, high-impact initiatives that influence multiple our company offerings.
Unlike product-embedded research roles, this team drives foundational and strategic research projects across networking, security, identity, automation, and AI-driven capabilities. Examples include large-scale reasoning systems, autonomous policy frameworks, cross-domain detection and response concepts (xOps), and platform-wide intelligence capabilities.
You will combine deep technical expertise with strong leadership and execution skills -identifying impactful research directions, building a high-performing team, and turning advanced research into real platform capabilities used by thousands of customers worldwide.
Responsibilities
Technical Vision & Strategy
Define and execute the roadmap for cross-product research initiatives.
Identify high-leverage research opportunities that impact multiple domains and products.
Drive long-term architectural thinking and influence platform evolution.
Balance innovation, experimentation, and production-readiness.
Team Leadership
Recruit, mentor, and grow a multidisciplinary team of researchers (AI, data, algorithms, networking, security).
Establish high standards for research rigor, experimentation methodology, and engineering quality.
Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and technical excellence.
Research & Execution
Lead complex, ambiguous research initiatives from ideation through validation and productionization.
Design large-scale experiments and validation methodologies using our companys data platform.
Drive innovation in areas such as:
Autonomous policy systems
Cross-domain detection and response frameworks
Large-scale reasoning and decision systems
Data-driven optimization and automation capabilities
Ensure research outcomes are measurable, scalable, and aligned with business impact.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with Product, Engineering, Architecture, and Product Research teams to translate research into shipped capabilities.
Provide technical guidance and influence cross-organizational decisions.
Act as a bridge between exploratory research and production systems.
Communication & Influence
Present research findings and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
Produce clear technical documentation, design proposals, and internal position papers.
Represent Platform Research as a center of excellence for cross-product innovation.
Unlike product-embedded research roles, this team drives foundational and strategic research projects across networking, security, identity, automation, and AI-driven capabilities. Examples include large-scale reasoning systems, autonomous policy frameworks, cross-domain detection and response concepts (xOps), and platform-wide intelligence capabilities.
You will combine deep technical expertise with strong leadership and execution skills -identifying impactful research directions, building a high-performing team, and turning advanced research into real platform capabilities used by thousands of customers worldwide.
Responsibilities
Technical Vision & Strategy
Define and execute the roadmap for cross-product research initiatives.
Identify high-leverage research opportunities that impact multiple domains and products.
Drive long-term architectural thinking and influence platform evolution.
Balance innovation, experimentation, and production-readiness.
Team Leadership
Recruit, mentor, and grow a multidisciplinary team of researchers (AI, data, algorithms, networking, security).
Establish high standards for research rigor, experimentation methodology, and engineering quality.
Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and technical excellence.
Research & Execution
Lead complex, ambiguous research initiatives from ideation through validation and productionization.
Design large-scale experiments and validation methodologies using our companys data platform.
Drive innovation in areas such as:
Autonomous policy systems
Cross-domain detection and response frameworks
Large-scale reasoning and decision systems
Data-driven optimization and automation capabilities
Ensure research outcomes are measurable, scalable, and aligned with business impact.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with Product, Engineering, Architecture, and Product Research teams to translate research into shipped capabilities.
Provide technical guidance and influence cross-organizational decisions.
Act as a bridge between exploratory research and production systems.
Communication & Influence
Present research findings and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
Produce clear technical documentation, design proposals, and internal position papers.
Represent Platform Research as a center of excellence for cross-product innovation.
Requirements:
Education & Experience
BSc/MSc (PhD is a plus) in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
7+ years of experience in applied research, advanced engineering, or system-level innovation.
2+ years of experience leading technical teams or major cross-functional initiatives.
Technical Expertise
Strong background in networking and cybersecurity, including deep understanding of network protocols, architectures, threat models, and modern security frameworks, with the ability to design and analyze secure, large-scale systems.
Experience applying AI/ML in production environments.
Experience designing and delivering complex systems operating at scale.
Hands-on programming experience (Python, Go, Java, or similar).
Experience working with large datasets and experimentation frameworks.
Strong analytical thinking and ability to formalize complex problems.
Leadership & Soft Skills
Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams.
Strategic thinker with strong execution capabilities.
Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
Excellent English communication skills.
Team player, responsible, and well-organized.
Nice to Have
Experience building autonomous or decision-making systems.
Experience in networking or security product companies.
Publications, patents, or recognized technical contributions.
Education & Experience
BSc/MSc (PhD is a plus) in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
7+ years of experience in applied research, advanced engineering, or system-level innovation.
2+ years of experience leading technical teams or major cross-functional initiatives.
Technical Expertise
Strong background in networking and cybersecurity, including deep understanding of network protocols, architectures, threat models, and modern security frameworks, with the ability to design and analyze secure, large-scale systems.
Experience applying AI/ML in production environments.
Experience designing and delivering complex systems operating at scale.
Hands-on programming experience (Python, Go, Java, or similar).
Experience working with large datasets and experimentation frameworks.
Strong analytical thinking and ability to formalize complex problems.
Leadership & Soft Skills
Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams.
Strategic thinker with strong execution capabilities.
Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
Excellent English communication skills.
Team player, responsible, and well-organized.
Nice to Have
Experience building autonomous or decision-making systems.
Experience in networking or security product companies.
Publications, patents, or recognized technical contributions.
This position is open to all candidates.
