Application Security Research Team Leader (AppSec)

TL;DR

Application Security Research Team Leader (Cybersecurity): Leading a distributed team of researchers in Portugal and Israel to drive research for AppSec products with an accent on AI security and emerging threats. Focus on managing the research roadmap, defining KPIs/OKRs, and mentoring researchers to enhance product capabilities.

Location: Braga, Portugal

Company

AI-powered application security leader providing a cloud-native AppSec platform to secure human- and AI-generated code.

What you will do

• Lead, mentor, and grow a distributed team of security researchers across Portugal and Israel.
• Own the team's operating model, including resource allocation, prioritization, and capacity planning.
• Define and track KPIs and OKRs while building the research roadmap in alignment with product strategy.
• Establish async-first rituals and documented decision-making processes to ensure alignment across time zones.
• Conduct research into application security, AI security, and emerging technologies to identify product opportunities.
• Analyze vulnerable code across multiple languages and frameworks to design security features.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience as a Team Leader, Engineering Manager, or Research Manager.
• Proven experience leading remote and distributed teams across different cultures and time zones.
• Extensive knowledge of Application Security, vulnerabilities, and secure coding practices.
• Professional experience in security research, penetration testing, or secure code review.
• Strong programming skills across both interpreted and compiled languages.
• English: Proficiency required for written and oral communication

Culture & Benefits

• Professional development and challenging career opportunities.
• Competitive compensation package.
• Strong emphasis on work-life balance.
• Inclusive, high-trust environment focused on continuous improvement.