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Senior Security Researcher Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Senior Security Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$115K - $158K/yr

We're looking for a senior security engineer who breaks things so our members never have to worry ... You've spent real time doing red team operations, penetration testing, or security research. You ...

Senior Security Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$130 - $180/hr

We're looking for a senior security engineer who breaks things so our members never have to worry ... You've spent real time doing red team operations, penetration testing, or security research. You ...

Sr Security Engineer

VA · On-site

$121K - $165K/yr

... Research, Reverse Engineering, Software/Hardware Engineering, and Operational Consultancy (e.g ... The Sr. Security Engineer will also assist with identifying current and emerging cyber events ...

Senior Security Engineer

Reston, VA · On-site

$119K - $163K/yr

NVR, Inc. is seeking a Senior Security Engineer to work on site in Reston, VA NVR's technology ... Research emerging security threats, technologies, products, and best practices, and present ...

Senior Security Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$131K - $180K/yr

Senior Security Engineer SUMMARY: We are looking for a highly talented, technical hands-on Senior ... Research new and emerging security practices and capabilities such as AI/ML to address compliance ...

Senior Security Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$131K - $180K/yr

Senior Security Engineer SUMMARY: We are looking for a highly talented, technical hands-on Senior ... Research new and emerging security practices and capabilities such as AI/ML to address compliance ...

Senior Security Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$131K - $180K/yr

Senior Security Engineer SUMMARY: We are looking for a highly talented, technical hands-on Senior ... Research new and emerging security practices and capabilities such as AI/ML to address compliance ...

The CERT Security Operations team is dedicated to developing cutting-edge solutions that address ... Brief strategic and technical topics to senior leadership, technical and non-technical audiences ...

New

Senior Security Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$116K - $159K/yr

They are seeking a senior security engineer to ensure the safety of their members' financial lives ... testing, or vulnerability research • Experience assessing cloud infrastructure security ...

Senior Security Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$116K - $159K/yr

They are seeking a Senior Security Engineer to ensure the safety of their members' financial lives ... testing, or vulnerability research • Experience assessing cloud infrastructure security ...

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Senior Security Researcher information

See Virginia salary details

$47

$51

$53

How much do senior security researcher jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 11, 2026, the average hourly pay for senior security researcher in Virginia is $51.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $49.33 and $52.69 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by senior security researchers when working with cross-functional teams?

Senior Security Researchers often collaborate with engineers, product managers, and IT teams to identify and address security vulnerabilities. One common challenge is bridging the gap between technical security findings and the priorities or understanding of non-security stakeholders. Communicating complex risks in a clear, actionable way and advocating for security improvements without disrupting project timelines requires strong interpersonal skills. Building mutual trust and staying adaptable helps foster effective collaboration and ensures security is integrated into all stages of development.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior security researcher, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Security Researcher, you need deep expertise in cybersecurity principles, threat analysis, vulnerability assessment, and typically a degree in computer science or related field. Familiarity with tools like IDA Pro, Wireshark, Metasploit, and experience with programming languages such as Python or C/C++, as well as relevant certifications like OSCP or CISSP, are highly valuable. Analytical thinking, problem-solving, and strong written and verbal communication skills make someone stand out in this role. These skills are crucial for identifying and mitigating complex security threats, effectively sharing findings, and contributing to organizational resilience.

What does a senior security researcher do?

A Senior Security Researcher is responsible for identifying, analyzing, and mitigating security threats and vulnerabilities in software, systems, or networks. They conduct advanced research on emerging cyber threats, develop new security tools and techniques, and often collaborate with other teams to improve an organization’s overall security posture. Additionally, they may publish findings, present at conferences, and contribute to the security community by sharing knowledge about the latest attack vectors and defense strategies.
What are the most commonly searched types of Security Researcher jobs in Virginia? The most popular types of Security Researcher jobs in Virginia are:
What are popular job titles related to Senior Security Researcher jobs in Virginia? For Senior Security Researcher jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Senior Security Researcher jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Senior Security Researcher jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Senior Security Researcher jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Senior Security Researcher job openings:
Infographic showing various Senior Security Researcher job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $106,082 per year, or $51 per hour.

Senior Applied AI Security Researcher

Microsoft Corporation

Reston, VA • On-site

Other

Posted 4 days ago


Microsoft rating

8.5

Company rating: 8.5 out of 10

Based on 132 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

78th of 242 rated software companies


Job description

Overview

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.

Microsoft Threat Protection Research is recruiting security professionals with experience and passion to apply AI techniques to protect customers. We are looking for aSenior Applied AI Security Researcher to join the Microsoft Defender Experts research team to help us deliver Managed Security Services to our customers.
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.

Responsibilities

As a Senior Applied AI Security Researcher, you will:

  • Work with researchers and partners across Microsoft to apply AI techniques that help deliver Microsoft Defender Experts services.
  • Innovate new approaches for detecting and tracking threats, investigating attacks in customer environments, all in a rapidly evolving and cloud focused threat landscape.
  • Leverage AI techniques and security operations experience to explore and correlate large data sets to uncover novel attack techniques and hunting in enterprise customer environments.
  • Partner with researchers and engineering teams, and Defender Experts analysts, to use AI to improve our service delivery outcomes.
  • Use advanced techniques and in-the-wild data to identify, prioritize, and target complex security issues that cause negative impact to customers.
  • Design and lead experiments in the use of AI to transform our managed services business.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Doctorate in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Computer Security, or related field.
    • OR Master's Degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Computer Security, or related field AND 3+ years experience in software development lifecycle, large-scale computing, threat analysis or modeling, cybersecurity, vulnerability research, and/or anomaly detection
    • OR Bachelor's Degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Computer Security, or related field AND 4+ years experience in software development lifecycle, large-scale computing, threat analysis or modeling, cybersecurity, vulnerability research, and/or anomaly detection.
    • OR equivalent experience.

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:

  • Doctorate in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Computer Security, or related field AND 3+ years experience in software development lifecycle, large-scale computing, threat analysis or modeling, cybersecurity, vulnerability research, and/or anomaly detection.
    • OR Master's Degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Computer Security, or related field AND 6+ years experience in software development lifecycle, large-scale computing, threat analysis or modeling, cybersecurity, vulnerability research, and/or anomaly detection.
    • OR Bachelor's Degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Computer Security, or related field AND 8+ years experience in software development lifecycle, large-scale computing, threat analysis or modeling, cybersecurity, vulnerability research, and/or anomaly detection.
    • OR equivalent experience.
  • Experience investigating security attacks, with knowledge of endpoint, cloud, network, and identity-based attack patterns, threat actors behind those attacks, and the ability to use large data sets to conduct those investigations.
  • Experience in security research, incident response and attacker tradecraft.
  • Communication skills and investigative practices.
  • Experience applying generative AI to the information security domain, including creating solutions with a variety of large language models, understanding differences between models and how to compare them.

#MSsecurity #CyberSecurity #dexjobs

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 $160,200 - $261,000 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

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. 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 with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.


What Microsoft employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


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About Microsoft

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Our infrastructure is comprised of a large global portfolio of more than 100 datacenters and 1 million servers. Our foundation is built upon and managed by a team of subject matter experts working to support services for more than 1 billion customers and 20 million businesses in over 90 countries worldwide. With environmental sustainability and optimization at the forefront of our datacenter design and operations, we continue to grow and evolve as we meet the ever-changing business demands that hold Microsoft as a world-class cloud provider.

Industry

Computer and computer peripheral equipment and software wholesalers

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Redmond, WA, US

Year founded

1975

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