Sr Software Engineer , AI Researcher

AI overview

Conduct in-depth research into AI security components, develop automation scripts for data extraction, and engage with developers to clarify technical specifications.

About Netskope

Today, there's more data and users outside the enterprise than inside, causing the network perimeter as we know it to dissolve. We realized a new perimeter was needed, one that is built in the cloud and follows and protects data wherever it goes, so we started Netskope to redefine Cloud, Network and Data Security. 

Since 2012, we have built the market-leading cloud security company and an award-winning culture powered by hundreds of employees spread across offices in Santa Clara, St. Louis, Bangalore, London, Paris, Melbourne, Taipei, and Tokyo. Our core values are openness, honesty, and transparency, and we purposely developed our open desk layouts and large meeting spaces to support and promote partnerships, collaboration, and teamwork. From catered lunches and office celebrations to employee recognition events and social professional groups such as the Awesome Women of Netskope (AWON), we strive to keep work fun, supportive and interactive.  Visit us at Netskope Careers. Please follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter@Netskope.

About the Role

As a Content Research Engineer (AI & Security), you will be at the forefront of the AI revolution. You won't just be looking at standard Cloud Apps; you will be deep-diving into the security DNA of AI components, Large Language Models (LLMs), AI Agents, and Model Context Protocols (MCP).

Your goal is to identify the security-related attributes of these AI systems—such as data isolation, prompt injection vulnerabilities, and A2A (Agent-to-Agent) authentication standards—and derive their value to help Netskope customers safely adopt AI. We are looking for a researcher who doesn't just find information manually but builds the scripts and automation to find it at scale.

What You Will Be Doing

  • AI Component Research: Conduct deep-dive research into AI frameworks, specifically focusing on MCP (Model Context Protocol), LLM security layers, and A2A (Agent-to-Agent) communication protocols.
  • Security Attribute Derivation: Identify and define security-related attributes (e.g., encryption in transit for weights, PII filtering capabilities, model provenance, and agentic permissions) and derive their risk/protection values.
  • Automated Data Extraction: Design and maintain scripts (Python/Node.js) to automate the collection of security data from research papers, GitHub repositories, developer documentation, and AI marketplaces.
  • Security Testing: Perform basic security testing and validation of AI attributes to ensure the accuracy of the data being fed into our systems.
  • Technical Investigation: Monitor the threat landscape for AI-specific breaches, vulnerabilities (CVEs), and new adversarial techniques to keep our database current.
  • Stakeholder Interaction: Engage with AI developers and security researchers to clarify technical specifications and security posture.

Qualifications/Requirements

  • Experience: 5+ years of work experience on AI research activities.
  • Research & Automation: Strong analytical skills with the ability to write Python or similar scripts to automate web scraping and data extraction from complex technical sources.
  • AI Knowledge: Foundational understanding of how LLMs and AI Agents function, including familiarity with concepts like RAG, MCP, and API-based agent communication.
  • Security Mindset: Knowledge of security attributes such as data center certifications (SOC2/ISO), data encryption standards, and common AI vulnerabilities (e.g., OWASP Top 10 for LLMs).
  • Technical Literacy: Ability to read and interpret technical documentation, API specs, and whitepapers to extract security-relevant metadata.
  • Self-Starter: A natural curiosity for "breaking" things to see how they work and a drive to find accurate information with limited oversight.
  • Communication: Ability to communicate complex security findings effectively, both orally and in writing.

Education

  • Graduate/Post Graduate Degree/Diploma in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or Engineering.

#LI-CP1

Netskope is committed to implementing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. Netskope does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on religion, race, color, sex, marital or veteran statues, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), or any other characteristic protected by the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction in which we operate.

Netskope respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us, please refer to Netskope's Privacy Policy for more details.

The application window for this position is expected to close within 50 days. You may apply by filling out the below information, or visiting our Netskope Careers site.

Netskope, a global cybersecurity leader, is redefining cloud, data, and network security to help organizations apply zero trust principles to protect data.

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