Principal Security Researcher Manager – Microsoft Careers | Hyderabad, India
Job Location: Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Job Type: Full-Time
Profession: Security Engineering
Discipline: Security Research
Travel Requirement: 0–25%
Work Site: Microsoft On-Site Only
Date Posted: June 13, 2025
Job ID: 1830120
Overview
In today’s fast-evolving digital landscape, security is not just a priority—it’s a necessity. With increasing cyber threats, evolving compliance regulations, and growing IT infrastructure complexity, the need for robust, innovative security solutions is more critical than ever. Microsoft’s Security division is at the forefront of this mission, striving to create a safer digital environment for individuals, enterprises, and governments worldwide.
At the heart of Microsoft’s security vision lies the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC)—a global team responsible for identifying, analyzing, and responding to vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s products and services. The MSRC plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the trust that billions of users place in Microsoft daily.
We are currently seeking an experienced and passionate Principal Security Researcher Manager to lead a dynamic team of security researchers in Hyderabad. This role is ideal for professionals who excel in technical leadership, vulnerability research, and team mentorship—and are committed to making a global impact in cybersecurity.
Role Summary
As a Principal Security Researcher Manager, you will be responsible for leading a high-performance team focused on analyzing, detecting, and mitigating software vulnerabilities, especially within Microsoft’s online services (OLS), including cloud platforms and web applications. You’ll not only manage operations but also actively contribute to vulnerability research and strategy development.
This is a rare opportunity to solve real-world security problems, collaborate across business units, influence Microsoft’s product security posture, and directly contribute to the company’s mission to empower every individual and organization on the planet to achieve more—safely.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Team Management
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Directly manage, mentor, and support a team of skilled security researchers and engineers.
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Set strategic goals, align team objectives with Microsoft’s security roadmap, and ensure consistent execution.
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Foster a growth-oriented and inclusive team culture that promotes innovation, collaboration, and engineering excellence.
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Provide performance evaluations, career guidance, and coaching for technical and leadership growth.
Security Research & Vulnerability Analysis
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Analyze vulnerabilities in Microsoft products and services to assess root causes, potential severity, and impact.
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Identify vulnerability variants and develop proactive detection techniques.
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Lead offensive research activities including penetration testing, red teaming, and exploit simulation.
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Investigate trending vulnerabilities and develop long-term mitigations to prevent recurrence.
Technical Innovation & Collaboration
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Collaborate across internal security, engineering, cloud, and product teams to ensure threat insights are translated into security controls and product improvements.
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Contribute to the development and deployment of automated tools for vulnerability discovery, triage, and reporting.
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Guide the engineering direction for the team using strong software development and design best practices.
Community Engagement & Advocacy
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Actively participate in the global cybersecurity community through research papers, blogs, conference talks, and threat intelligence sharing.
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Promote Microsoft Security’s commitment to transparency, privacy, and collaboration with external partners and security researchers.
Required Qualifications
To qualify for this high-impact role, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:
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10+ years of experience in vulnerability research, mitigation, or exploit development.
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Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, or related discipline.
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Demonstrated experience leading security teams or projects within enterprise environments.
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In-depth understanding of OWASP Top 10, CWE Top 25, and other key vulnerability classes.
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Strong hands-on experience with programming languages such as C, C++, C#, JavaScript, and HTML.
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Proven track record in debugging, root cause analysis, and software vulnerability triage.
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Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
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Familiarity with secure software development lifecycle (SDLC) and cloud-native security.
Preferred Qualifications
While not mandatory, the following qualifications will provide a competitive advantage:
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Public contributions to the security research community (e.g., CVEs, whitepapers, conference presentations).
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Experience working with cloud architecture (preferably Azure), web application security, and distributed systems.
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Knowledge of operating system internals (especially Windows and/or Linux).
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Understanding of modern exploitation techniques, mitigation strategies, and secure coding standards.
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Familiarity with sandboxing, fuzzing, static/dynamic analysis tools, and threat modeling methodologies.
What Success Looks Like
As a Principal Security Researcher Manager, your success will be measured by your ability to:
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Drive high-impact security research projects from concept to deployment.
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Build and maintain a world-class research team with a strong sense of mission.
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Influence security features and development decisions across Microsoft’s global ecosystem.
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Detect and mitigate emerging threats before they impact end users.
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Cultivate a strong team culture that values diversity, technical excellence, and innovation.
Why Join Microsoft Security?
Global Impact
At Microsoft, you’re not just securing a company—you’re securing ecosystems. Your work will protect billions of devices, services, and users worldwide.
Culture of Growth
We believe in continuous learning. Microsoft nurtures a growth mindset where curiosity, experimentation, and feedback are embraced at every level.
Cutting-Edge Research
You’ll work with some of the brightest minds in the industry, using state-of-the-art tools to solve tomorrow’s security challenges today.
Diversity and Inclusion
Microsoft fosters a collaborative, inclusive culture where every voice matters. We celebrate differences and empower people from all walks of life to thrive.
Employee Benefits
Microsoft offers a comprehensive range of benefits tailored to promote the health, well-being, and financial stability of its employees:
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Top-tier healthcare plans for employees and dependents
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Generous parental leave (maternity and paternity)
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Paid time off and holidays
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Educational assistance and professional development opportunities
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Employee stock purchase plans (ESPP)
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Product discounts and wellness programs
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Charitable giving programs and volunteering support
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Global networking and mentorship opportunities
Note: Benefits may vary depending on your location and employment agreement.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, marital status, or veteran status.
If you require accommodation during any phase of the hiring process due to a disability, please refer to Microsoft’s accommodation policies for guidance.