Senior Threat Researcher, FTR

Trend Micro•Austin, TX

About The Position

Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information across enterprises, governments, and consumers. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend harnesses AI to protect organizations and individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. The Trend Vision One™ enterprise cybersecurity platform accelerates proactive security outcomes by predicting and preventing threats across the entire digital estate and environments like AWS, Google, Microsoft, and NVIDIA. Proactive security starts here. TrendMicro.com Position Summary: TrendAI’s Forward Looking Threat Research team (FTR) is a global team of Senior Researchers tasked with “Scouting the Future of Threats”, looking at the next 1-3 years of likely future risks in security by researching: The cutting edge of cybercriminal techniques and business models today (Underground, Targeted Attacks, Threat Research, CTI) The evolving changes in user behavior patterns among internet users and organizations (Social Networks and Interactions, New Emerging Services, Changes in Technology Adoption, Relevant Societal changes) Emerging technologies available now and in the future (e.g. Modern AI Stacks, Future Internet architecture (6G, Metaverse, Web3), New Classes of Connected Devices) Within the team, members are expected to have some core general capabilities and focuses: The FTR researcher is responsible for researching local matters – such as unique user behaviors, crimes or emerging technologies in certain countries They will be expected to interface with local government agencies, law enforcement, ISPs, CERTs, universities and other research groups for research, disclosure, and knowledge sharing as required by the team’s current projects – including those they are not directly involved in. This position requires the researcher to represent TrendAI in external conferences, either as an attendee or as a speaker. This role is best for innately curious people who have a deep passion and instinct for understanding the bleeding edge of the emerging cybercriminal threat landscape and technology trends. Other roles will let you be an expert in cybercrime, technology, or user behavior – in FTR we strive to be all three. The team engage in constant, self-initiated education focused on personal development, and recognise that teaching others is the strongest step to mastery. As the team is globally distributed the successful candidate must be willing to travel for global meetings and conferences Team members will also tend to specialize on one or more areas of research, while maintaining the general understanding described above e.g: Expertise in researching and predicting emerging cybercriminal business models and technologies Expertise in researching and predicting targeted attack / APT campaigns and especially the geopolitical drivers and trends behind them Expertise in key emerging technology trends that are ramping up in adoption (in general and industry specific), will form the basis for the next generation internet, or will significantly change the threat landscape / user behavior in the future. Expertise in changing user adoption threads within the Internet user base and organizations, in terms of how users socialize and interact with our connected world Expertise in data analysis at scale – being able to carry out advanced data analysis on TrendAI’s proprietary data sets, and third-party data, and infer new previously unknown changes in the usage and threat landscape FTR is also the team in TrendAI that acts as the primary point-of-contact for International Law Enforcement. Some members will have expertise in investigations of criminal campaigns, and associating related infrastructure, actors behind them - including attribution where possible. For this role specifically we are looking for those who focus on researching Cyber-Dependent threats in the Financial Sector and will be prioritizing those with a proven expertise in researching the technology, trends, user behaviors, and communities within that wider space.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or Higher strongly preferred, or able to prove a strong self-taught skillset background.
Proven Research oriented mindset
General Programming ability (e.g. Python or similar Scripting)
Daily adopter of Modern AI for productivity increase (e.g. LLM, Agentic Skill, MCP)
Fast learner, and a person who is constantly looking to self-improve their skills
Able to work in a multi-cultural group
Self-motivated and able to work unsupervised
Very good communication skills
Must be fluent in English, both spoken and written
Previous experience working in a cybersecurity related role in the wider Financial Sector
Deep understanding of financial cyber-dependent crime ecosystems and financial infrastructure, where digital systems are the primary attack vector rather than a supporting element.
Practical research knowledge of modern financial infrastructure, such as digital banking platforms, payment rails, real-time payments, APIs, open banking, and digital identity mechanisms.

Nice To Haves

Expertise in researching scam typologies and social-engineering techniques, including persuasion methods, emotional triggers, trust exploitation, and long-tail victim engagement.
Experience researching criminal communities, forums, marketplaces, chat platforms, and invite-only groups used for financial crime coordination.
Research-level understanding of cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, mixers, bridges, DeFi abuse, NFT-related scams, and on/off-ramp abuse.
Experience linking financial crime campaigns, infrastructure, tooling, and actors over time — including cross-campaign correlation and partial attribution.
Experience researching nation-state or state-aligned operations targeting financial systems, including strategic objectives, coercion, destabilisation, sanctions evasion, and grey-zone activity.
Ability to research business-logic abuse and systemic weaknesses in financial platforms rather than isolated vulnerabilities.

Responsibilities

The FTR researcher is responsible for researching local matters – such as unique user behaviors, crimes or emerging technologies in certain countries
They will be expected to interface with local government agencies, law enforcement, ISPs, CERTs, universities and other research groups for research, disclosure, and knowledge sharing as required by the team’s current projects – including those they are not directly involved in.
This position requires the researcher to represent TrendAI in external conferences, either as an attendee or as a speaker.