Director of Research

Welcome to the future of cloud networking and security!

Cato Networks is the first company to converge enterprise networking and security into one centralized and global service that is delivered by cloud. It is led by networking and security pioneer Shlomo Kramer (Check Point, Imperva) and early investor (Palo Alto Networks, Exabeem, Trusteer and more). Cato’s unique technology inspired a brand-new product category, later named “SASE” by Gartner and a market expected to reach $25 billion by 2027.

This is your opportunity to get on the rocket ship and join a company that is building a cutting-edge enterprise network and secure cloud platform, and is on a fast track to becoming the worldwide market leader – don’t miss it!

We are seeking a Director of Research to lead and scale our multidisciplinary research department. The ideal candidate combines expertise in Data Science, AI/ML, Cybersecurity, and software engineering, with a strong architectural vision and proven managerial experience overseeing diverse technical teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a multidisciplinary group comprising data scientists, cybersecurity researchers, network researchers, and infrastructure engineers (approximately 20 team members, including managers and principal staff).
• Set strategic research directions, aligning innovation with product needs.
• Oversee the innovation pipeline, from lab research through production implementation, ensuring scalable and robust engineering practices.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure research outcomes translate effectively into product innovation.
• Foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous professional growth within the team.
  
  

• 10+ years of professional experience in technology, with at least 5 years of proven leadership experience managing multidisciplinary research teams, including direct management of team leads and principal-level staff.
• Broad knowledge and hands-on experience spanning Data Science, Machine Learning, and Cybersecurity research.
• Experience with software infrastructure development, particularly in Python.
• Familiarity with AWS technology stack, including EMR, Bedrock, SageMaker, and Airflow - advantage
• Strong architectural vision with the ability to see interconnections between complex systems and guide technical direction.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to interface effectively across technical teams and management.
• Prior experience successfully transitioning research innovations into scalable production environments.
• Relevant academic background in Computer Science, Data Science, Cybersecurity, or a closely related field (advanced degrees preferred).
• Previous experience working in cybersecurity, AI, networking, or related technology companies – strongly preferred.