Staff Researcher (Unit 42)

Company Description

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks® everything starts and ends with our mission:

Being the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life.
Our vision is a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. We are a company built on the foundation of challenging and disrupting the way things are done, and we’re looking for innovators who are as committed to shaping the future of cybersecurity as we are.

Who We Are

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.

Job Description

Your Career

The Unit 42 Malware team is a global team responsible for providing accurate malware analysis, threat hunting capabilities, and the development of malware automation pipelines. This role is designed for an experienced Reverse Engineer with familiarity specifically supporting consulting operations and threat intelligence. The role has flexible hours, but will have an on-call component that includes a commitment to shared coverage of high-priority tickets that may arrive between Friday through Sunday.

Qualifications

Required Skills

• Familiarity with at least one disassembler (e.g. IDA Pro, Ghidra, Binary Ninja).

• Experience with debuggers (e.g. x64dbg, WinDbg).

• Understanding of x86/x64 architecture and IL formats (e.g. .NET).

• Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g. Python, C, C++).

• Knowledge of networking protocols (e.g. HTTP, DNS, TCP/IP) and analyzing traffic.

• Experience leveraging sandbox results to accelerate analysis.

• Familiarity with prompt engineering and using LLMs to accelerate analysis.

Preferred Skills

• Developing reverse engineering automations (e.g. IDAPython, Ghidra Python).

What we Offer

• Hands-on experience with real-world malware and threats.

• Mentorship from experienced reverse engineers.

• Access to industry-leading tools and infrastructure.

• Opportunity to work on impactful projects that contribute to threat intelligence.

• A collaborative and supportive team environment.

Additional Information

The Team

Palo Alto Networks, the global cybersecurity leader, continually delivers innovation to enable secure digital transformation—even as the pace of change is accelerating. We deliver the most extensive and automated security through our core pillars: Strata, Prisma, Cortex, and Unit 42. Our solutions operate as a cohesive platform, harnessing AI to provide real-time protection for our customers. With over 85,000 customers across more than 150 countries, we’re driving global impact and redefining what it means to protect our digital way of life. 

We’re trailblazers that dream big, take risks, and challenge cybersecurity’s status quo. It’s simple: we can’t accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at ​accommodations@paloaltonetworks.com​. 
Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. For candidates who receive an offer at the posted level, the starting base salary (for non-sales roles) or base salary + commission target (for sales/commissioned roles) is expected to be between $113,000 – $182,682/YR. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

Our Commitment
We’re problem solvers that take risks and challenge cybersecurity’s status quo. It’s simple: we can’t accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at accommodations@paloaltonetworks.com.

Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.