Principal Offensive Cyber Research Engineer
Leads offensive cyber research program, defining technical vision, architecting adversary emulation and attack automation systems, mentoring engineers, and advising executives and government stakeholders on strategy and risks. Requires 8-12 years in offensive operations, red teaming, and software development.
About the job
Responsibilities
- Define and drive the long-term technical vision and roadmap for Twenty’s offensive cyber research and capabilities.
- Serve as the principal technical advisor to executive leadership on strategy, capability development, and technical risk.
- Lead groundbreaking research into advanced adversary behaviors and next-generation offensive cyber techniques.
- Establish company-wide standards, frameworks, and best practices for offensive tooling and engineering quality.
- Architect and guide development of advanced adversary emulation and attack automation systems built for scale.
- Lead technical governance (e.g., architecture reviews) and provide authoritative guidance on complex decisions.
- Mentor Staff and Senior engineers, build growth plans, and strengthen the organization’s technical leadership bench.
- Recruit, interview, and assess top-tier offensive cyber talent to build and sustain world-class teams.
- Lead technical engagements with senior government stakeholders—translating complex capabilities into decision-grade clarity.
- Build strategic research partnerships across government, academia, and industry to accelerate innovation and impact.
Requirements
- 8–12 years of distinguished experience across offensive cyber operations, advanced research, and software development.
- Served in senior technical leadership roles in government/military DNEA, Exploitation Analyst (EA) operations, elite red teams, or nation-state threat research.
- Defined technical strategy and led large-scale initiatives that shipped durable, high-impact capabilities.
- Expert-level understanding of adversary behaviors and TTPs, including deep familiarity with MITRE ATT&CK.
- Demonstrated technical judgment in designing complex, scalable systems and establishing engineering standards.
- Led and mentored senior engineers, including setting expectations, running technical reviews, and developing talent.
- Strong executive and customer communication skills, with experience briefing senior leaders and shaping decisions.
- Eligible to obtain a U.S. Government security clearance.
Nice-to-Haves
- Deployed offensive cyber capabilities into operational use with measurable mission impact.
- Track record of thought leadership through publications, conference talks, or widely respected technical writing.
- Deep background in malware development, vulnerability research, or exploit engineering with notable discoveries.
- Advanced technical certifications (e.g., OSEE, GXPN, or equivalent government credentials).
- Experience with multi-source intelligence fusion or cross-domain operational environments.
- Familiarity with acquisition/requirements processes and guiding capability development across multiple teams.
Tech Environment
- Modern systems programming and scripting languages (e.g., C/C++, Rust, Python).
- Cloud environments and cloud security across major providers (AWS, Azure, GCP).
- Graph-based analysis and large-scale data processing systems.
- AI/ML workflows applied to adversary emulation and automation.
- Containerized infrastructure, CI/CD, and production-grade observability.
Skills
Mitre Att&Ck, C/C++, Rust, Python, AWS, Azure, GCP, AI/ML, CI/CD, Kubernetes, Malware Development, Vulnerability Research, Exploit Engineering
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