Applications are currently being accepted until further notice.

The AI Software & Platform Team is at the forefront of developing innovative AI products that empower businesses globally to defend against threats and enhance security resilience. Our mission is to simplify security, ensuring businesses can thrive without compromising on safety.

YOUR CONTRIBUTION

In the role of Senior Researcher, you’ll be instrumental in exploring, analyzing, and addressing emerging threats within the AI and ML landscape. Collaborating closely with the Director and Tech Lead of AI Threat Intelligence, you will help to establish a cutting-edge AI threat research initiative. Your work will involve producing actionable insights, advancing AI security research, and fortifying Cisco’s AI-driven solutions. You’ll partner with a dynamic team of researchers, data scientists, security engineers, and product specialists to proactively pinpoint AI-related vulnerabilities, with a particular focus on securing autonomous AI agents.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Engage in original research targeting AI/ML threats such as prompt injection, data poisoning, adversarial attacks, model evasion, and the misuse of AI agents.

• Assist in modeling threats to AI agents and assess the security of Model Context Protocols (MCP) while focusing on risks like context leakage, corruption, unauthorized behaviors, and misuse of external tools.

• Continuously monitor threat intelligence feeds, academic literature, and rising AI attack methodologies to keep Cisco’s AI Defense teams informed about new risks.

• Contribute to the creation of high-quality intelligence reports, threat assessments, technical advisories, and scholarly research publications.

• Work in tandem with engineering, security, product, and research teams to seamlessly integrate your findings into defense strategies and strengthen product security.

• Develop small proof-of-concept demonstrations to validate attack theories against AI agents, context protocols, and model memory architectures.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 5 years of experience in cybersecurity threat intelligence, adversarial research, red teaming, or offensive security, with a focus on AI/ML systems preferred.

• Strong foundational understanding of AI/ML technologies, particularly large language models (LLMs), generative models, and agentic frameworks (e.g., LangChain, Hugging Face Agents).

• Proficiency in Python or similar scripting languages suitable for research tasks, threat simulations, and automation.

• Demonstrated experience in conducting threat research, drafting technical analyses, and contributing to security investigations or adversarial projects.

• Proven ability to document and present research outcomes clearly to varied technical audiences.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Involvement in security research initiatives (such as whitepapers, blogs, open-source contributions, or community engagement).

• Familiarity with AI-specific threat frameworks like MITRE ATLAS, ATT&CK for AI, or equivalent standards.

• Passion for responsible AI practices and the secure deployment of autonomous and agentic AI systems.

• Experience with AI/ML pipelines within cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP).

At Cisco, we believe in the power of connection, celebrating the diverse backgrounds and talents of our employees as we work towards an inclusive future for all. We foster an environment where growth and development are embraced at every career stage, enabling our team members to thrive. Our innovative tools and culture have pioneered hybrid work trends, empowering everyone to perform at their best.

Recognizing our responsibility to unite communities, our employees engage in over 30 employee resource organizations, known as Inclusive Communities, which promote belonging, learning, and impactful advocacy. Additionally, we offer dedicated paid time off for volunteering—80 hours annually—allowing our team to contribute to the causes they care about, a commitment that nearly 86% of our workforce actively participates in!

Rooted in our purpose and driven by our workforce, Cisco stands as the global leader in technology that fuels the internet. We excel at helping our customers innovate their applications, secure their enterprises, transform infrastructure, and achieve sustainability objectives. Join us in making strides towards a more inclusive future for everyone. Take your next career step with us, and be your authentic self!

Cisco is proud to be an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be given consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.

Consideration for employment will be given on a case-by-case basis for applicants with arrest and conviction records.