Senior Threat & Attack Researcher

About Optus

Optus is a leading Australian telecommunications provider serving over 11 million customers daily with mobile, broadband, and digital services.

Role Overview

We are looking for a Senior Threat & Attack Researcher to join our vibrant team, focusing on identifying, researching, and monitoring threats affecting the organisation. This senior position demands dedication to excellence and integrity and offers the opportunity to significantly impact our cyber security posture.

Key Responsibilities

• Investigate the tactics, techniques, procedures (TTPs), tools, and infrastructure used by threats pertinent to Optus.
• Identify opportunities to proactively detect, disrupt, and prevent malicious activities.
• Develop intelligence reports tailored for various stakeholders to support informed threat-related decisions.
• Conduct regular briefings to inform stakeholders and senior leadership about the broader threat landscape.
• Analyze malware samples and related code to decipher their behavior, propagation, functionalities, and evasion methods.
• Lead research projects and initiatives to enhance team capabilities.
• Promote a team culture centered on professionalism, integrity, and cyber security excellence.
• Provide threat intelligence support during incident response investigations.
• Communicate complex technical findings effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences through verbal briefings.
• Collaborate with partners to exchange intelligence and improve tradecraft.
• Offer mentorship and guidance to help develop junior team members.
• Create and maintain processes and tools that allow for effective and scalable threat research operations.

Candidate Profile

• Holds tertiary qualifications or equivalent experience in computer science, information systems, engineering, or cyber security disciplines.
• Possesses over five years of professional experience in Cyber Threat Intelligence or related cyber security roles.
• Demonstrates deep understanding of offensive cyber operations, geopolitical factors, and attack methodologies.
• Experienced in using scripting languages, especially Python, for automation and crafting bespoke tools.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Apt at simplifying technical information into clear, risk-based messages for diverse audiences.
• Able to perform efficiently under pressure, meet deadlines, and adapt flexibly to changing environments.

Additional Information

• Applications are restricted to Australian Citizens due to role requirements.

Benefits and Perks

• Attractive remuneration and discounts, including an $80 monthly credit and 25% off Optus products with additional retail partner offers.
• Flexible work schedules allowing up to three days onsite and two days remote or home-based.
• Generous leave policies featuring extra "Connected" days for personal priorities like health, family, or community.
• Inclusive paid Parental Leave of up to 16 weeks supporting growing families.
• Engagement with colleague networks promoting diversity such as Culture Connect, Elevate Women, Disability Network, and Express Yourself (LGBTQIA+).
• Free 24/7 access to counseling and support via multiple communication channels.

Diversity & Inclusion

Optus embraces diversity, welcoming individuals from varied backgrounds, including different genders, cultural identities, disabilities, LGBTQIA+ community members, veterans, and Indigenous Australians. We strive to provide an inclusive recruitment process and reasonable accommodations as needed to ensure fair participation.