[Hiring] Security Researcher - Cybersecurity Lead Investigator @Microsoft

Role Description

Microsoft's Detection and Response Team (DART) is seeking a skilled and experienced Cybersecurity Lead Investigator to join the team in the United Kingdom. This pivotal, customer-facing role calls for a technically deep and agile investigator who can lead complex, high-impact incident response across on-premises and cloud environments and turn incomplete evidence into clear, defensible response decisions.

• Lead the investigation, establish technical priorities, and act as the primary technical point of contact for customers, including executive stakeholders.
• Work with threat hunters, reverse engineers, infrastructure engineers, and incident coordinators to bring together investigative findings and direct response recommendations.
• Balance investigation with rapid recovery and containment.
• Share research, mentor colleagues, and help shape the future of Defender Experts Cybersecurity Incident Response.

Qualifications

• A relevant degree in Computer Science, Computer Security, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience in cybersecurity, incident management, or related operations.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience leading large-scale, high-pressure cybersecurity incident response across on-premises and cloud environments.
• Ability to correlate and assess evidence from multiple sources, reconstruct incident timelines, evaluate compromise scope and possible exfiltration, and clearly explain findings and uncertainty.
• Experience directing response activities while balancing rapid recovery, technical dependencies, and business impact.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical specialists and stakeholders, identify engagement gaps, request appropriate resources, and manage investigations using a global follow-the-sun model.
• Customer-facing written and verbal communication, including executive briefings.
• Flexibility to work non-standard business hours that may include evening, nighttime, weekends, and/or holidays.

Requirements

• Experience analysing nation-state or cybercrime activity and applying adversary knowledge to complex enterprise investigations.
• Demonstrated research, analytical automation, data-quality improvement, and technical mentoring that strengthen investigation capability.
• Experience developing reviewed technical publications, presentations, or other knowledge-sharing material while protecting sensitive information.

Security Clearance Requirements

• The successful candidate should have or be able to obtain the Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) clearance as issued by the United Kingdom Security Vetting Unit (UKSV).
• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role.

Benefits

• The typical base pay range for this role across the United Kingdom is £74,700.00 - £122,600.00 per year.
• Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation.

Company Description

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.