AI Security Research Engineer

The application window is expected to close on: 07/31/2026

** Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received** .

Plans, leads, and shares applied security research that defines how AI is built and used securely across Cisco, spanning AI-assisted development, AI features in products, and AI in internal operations.

Sets technical direction at the intersection of AI/ML security and hands-on engineering: leads AI-specific threat modeling, red-team and evaluation strategy, and secure architecture patterns that make AI-developed and AI-assisted software at least as secure as traditionally developed software. Serves as a research and security strategy liaison to engineers, product managers, and partners across Cisco's Security and Trust Organization (S&TO). Partners with teams in the systems and workflows they already use, and influences leadership decisions with evidence.

The role enables teams rather than gating them: it defines what secure AI looks like, validates that Cisco meets it, and helps teams get there faster, including by using AI for security itself.

** What You'll Do:*
* + Leads strategic AI security initiatives and roadmaps with manageable-to-significant complexity (e.g., six-month to one-year plans) across the team's three pillars: securing AI-assisted development, securing AI in products, and securing AI in how we run the business.

+ Influences product organizations and partners across S&TO, setting the security bar while partners build and run.

+ Applies deep expertise in AI/ML security and research methods (adversarial machine learning, prompt injection, model extraction/inversion, membership inference, data poisoning, and excessive agency) while weighing ethical and responsible-AI considerations.

+ Sets AI red-team methodology and evaluation strategy; advances eval harnesses, LLM-as-a-judge approaches, and ground-truth/silver-dataset generation so conformance and agent behavior are measured with evidence rather than described manually.

+ Owns secure AI architecture patterns and prohibited design patterns for AI-native features (RAG, tool use, multi-agent workflows, MCP (Model Context Protocol) integrations), including prompts, context, retrieval, model selection, and output handling.

+ Authors and shepherds AI security standards and security requirements; defines clear release criteria for AI systems.

+ Drives the model and data supply-chain security strategy, including model provenance and data protection requirements such as classification, minimization, residency, and sensitive data handling.

+ Defines agent identity, human review, approval, and accountability controls so autonomous agents and AI-assisted outcomes are authenticated, bounded, and accountable.

+ Owns reusable platform contributions and architecture (security tooling and agentic workflows) that scale enablement across engineering rather than blocking it.

+ Monitors and evaluates emerging AI technologies, attacker techniques, and adversarial research; develops hypotheses, designs experiments and prototypes, and turns discovery into shipped controls.

+ Synthesizes findings into triangulated insights and meta-analyses that impact product and security decisions across multiple teams and AI initiatives.

+ Independently develops and delivers presentations; leads cross-functional working sessions with diverse audiences and creates clear ownership models with partner teams.

+ Leads creation of research artifacts (threat research, patterns, proposals, patents) of scientific quality and rigor; shares in company and industry forums.

+ Serves as the AI security technical authority within the team; mentors peers and security champions across engineering through reusable patterns, training, and office hours.

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* Minimum Qualifications:

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* + Bachelor's + 7 years of related experience, or Master's + 4 years of related experience, or PhD + 1 year of related experience.

+ Demonstrated depth in AI/ML security and hands-on security engineering, with a track record of leading initiatives and influencing cross-functional teams.

+ Proficiency in Python; ability to read and review code…