Principal Security Engineer

About Us

Sophos is a cybersecurity leader defending 600,000 organizations globally with an AI-driven platform and expert-led services. Sophos meets organizations wherever they are in their security maturity and grows with them to defeat cyberattacks. Its solutions combine machine learning, automation, and real-time threat intelligence with frontline human expertise from Sophos X-Ops to deliver advanced, 24/7 threat monitoring, detection, and response.

Sophos offers industry-leading managed detection and response (MDR) alongside a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity technologies — including endpoint, network, email, and cloud security, extended detection and response (XDR), identity threat detection and response (ITDR), and next-gen SIEM. Together with expert advisory services, these capabilities help organizations proactively reduce risk and respond faster, with the visibility and scalability needed to stay ahead of evolving threats.

Sophos goes to market with a global partner ecosystem, including Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), resellers and distributors, marketplace integrations, and cyber risk partners, giving organizations the flexibility to choose trusted relationships when securing their business. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at www.sophos.com .

Role Summary

Take a leading role in researching threats to Sophos and its products, crafting and maintaining detections for those threats and developing AI capabilities to scale operational impact. Coordinate across Internal Detection and Response (IDR) to deliver actionable intelligence capabilities that drives operations and proactively mitigates threats.

Key Responsibilities

• Work as technical leader supporting the internal security operations environment, collaborating with cross geographic and cross functional teams to deliver security operational outcomes that protect from and mitigate cyber-attacks against Sophos.

• Provide technical leadership and contribute to roadmap, vision and strategy for the Research capability and across IDR.

• An AI-first approach, scaling all aspects of security operations with agentic-AI.

• Collaborate with Product to deploy effective security controls back in to the customer base.

Other Responsibilities

• Conduct analysis, tracking and monitoring of threat actors, intrusion sets and campaigns.

• Write and review high value security detections across a multi-data format data lake.

• Drive continuous improvement of the detection engineering lifecycle within the team.

• Development of AI-led detection engineering and threat hunting capabilities.

• Mentor and coach other members of the IDR group.

• Technical coordination with other teams both in and outside of the IDR group.

• Regularly contributing to technology strategic planning and roadmap discussions.

Skills and Experience

• Comprehensive understanding and practical experience deploying AI agents in a delegated authority scenario, ideally in a security operations context

• Comprehensive experience with detection writing in SQL and at least one other language.

• Comprehensive experience of threat hunting and threat intelligence applied at scale.

• Comprehensive experience of threat actor investigations and campaign tracking.

• Comprehensive experience in log/network traffic/packet analysis and malware analysis.

• Ability to automate in code/scripting languages, preferably Python.

• Exceptional communication and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to lead technical activities and discussions within and between agile teams.

• Ability to deliver security outcomes by leading through influence cross-functionally.

• Ability and willingness to be early adopter of emerging technologies.

Ready to Join Us?

At Sophos, we believe in the power of diverse perspectives to fuel innovation. Research shows that candidates sometimes hesitate to apply if they don't check every box in a job description. We challenge that notion. Your unique experiences and skills might be exactly what we need to enhance our team. Don't let a checklist hold you back – we encourage you to apply.

What's Great About Sophos?

· Sophos operates a remote-first working model, making remote work the primary option for most employees. However, some roles may necessitate a hybrid approach. While we are a remote first organization, applicants must have legal authorization to work in the jurisdiction where the position is posted, without requiring employer sponsorship.

· Our people – we innovate and create, all of which are accompanied by a great sense of fun and team spirit

· Employee-led diversity and inclusion networks that build community and provide education and advocacy

· Annual charity and fundraising initiatives and volunteer days for employees to support local communities

· Global employee sustainability initiatives to reduce our environmental footprint

· Global fitness and trivia competitions to keep our bodies and minds sharp

· Global wellbeing days for employees to relax and recharge

· Monthly wellbeing webinars and training to support employee health and wellbeing

Our Commitment To You

We’re proud of the diverse and inclusive environment we have at Sophos, and we’re committed to ensuring equality of opportunity. We believe that diversity, combined with excellence, builds a better Sophos, so we encourage applicants who can contribute to the diversity of our team. All applicants will be treated in a fair and equal manner and in accordance with the law regardless of gender, sex, gender reassignment, marital status, race, religion or belief, color, age, military veteran status, disability, pregnancy, maternity or sexual orientation. We want to give you every opportunity to show us your best self, so if there are any adjustments we could make to the recruitment and selection process to support you, please let us know.

Data Protection

If you choose to explore an opportunity, and subsequently share your CV or other personal details with Sophos, these details will be held by Sophos for 12 months in accordance with our Privacy Policy and used by our recruitment team to contact you regarding this or other relevant opportunities at Sophos. If you would like Sophos to delete or update your details at any time, please follow the steps set out in the Privacy Policy describing your individual rights. For more information on Sophos’ data protection practices, please consult our Privacy Policy Cybersecurity as a Service Delivered | Sophos

What does remote mean at Sophos? Sophos supports flexible ways of working, with many roles offered remotely and others working in a hybrid model. For remote roles, you may work remotely within the location specified in the job posting. Candidates must reside in and be authorized to work in that location. Our teams collaborate across locations and time zones, using technology to stay connected and deliver results.

Our Commitment To You

Sophos welcomes applicants with diverse experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. We believe great ideas come from different ways of thinking, and we are committed to building a workplace where people can contribute, grow, and succeed.

We evaluate all candidates based on job-related skills, qualifications, and experience, and are committed to providing equal employment opportunities consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

If you require a reasonable accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact hiring@sophos.com. Any information shared will be used only for the purpose of evaluating and providing the requested accommodation.