Investigative Researcher, Cyber Threat Intelligence

Control-Risks; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Discretionary global bonus

Job summary

Control Risks is seeking an Investigative Researcher to conduct desktop and online research into cyber threats, enriching CTI reporting and supporting bespoke investigations.

The role requires working from our London office at least three days per week on a hybrid basis and involves threat actor profiling, incident analysis, and contribution to CTI outputs.

Qualifications

• Interest in cyber threat and political developments shaping threat landscape.
• Experience in operational and tactical cyber threat research.
• Academic or professional training in cyber investigations or OSINT.
• Ability to prepare sizable written reports for senior audiences.
• Open-source intelligence collection and investigation qualifications.
• Familiarity with i2 Analyst Notebook and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Conduct regular profiling of cyber threat actors to support on-going incidents and investigations.
• Research new sources of information and develop capabilities to collect and analyse information in support of the team.
• Support Cyber Incident Response engagements and bespoke investigative projects.
• Monitor deep and dark web sources to support client needs with weekend monitoring as required.
• Contribute analysis for CTI reporting and threat assessments.

Skills

Cyber threat research

Open-source intelligence

Threat assessment

Written reports

Education

Degree level qualification

Tools

i2 Analyst Notebook

Excel

Power BI

Job description

As the Investigative Researcher you will conduct desktop and online investigative research into cyber and online threats, to enrich our Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) reporting and support bespoke investigations. This role will primarily involve conducting threat actor and incident-focused research, contributing regular reporting for Control Risks’ Cyber Incident Response team, producing context for the Seerist platform and supporting ad-hoc investigative projects. Please note that this role requires you to work from our London (Bank/Monument) office at least three days per week on a hybrid basis.

Key Responsibilities

Research and information gathering

• Conduct regular profiling of cyber threat actors to support on-going incidents and investigations.
• Demonstrate strong investigation skills relating to specific cyber threat incidents, data breaches and other cyber security incidents.
• Research new sources of information and develop capabilities to collect and analyse information in support of the team.
• Build knowledge of collection tools to support bespoke investigative projects and Cyber Incident Response engagements.
• Contribute continuous research for inclusion in routine CTI reporting and bespoke threat assessments.
  Develop knowledge of principal cyber and online threat actors through research on open source, social media, deep and dark web sites and Control Risks internal intelligence systems.
• Support our clients with regular monitoring of our deep and dark web sources. Please note that this role includes some flexible weekend monitoring.
  

General analytical responsibilities

• Support analysis on bespoke projects through data collection across all CTI products, demonstrating an ability to make judgments on the value of research collected.
• Be technically aware and understand basic cyber security principles e.g. MITRE ATT&CK, the unified kill chain, the intelligence life cycle.
• Be alert to the political implications of developments among cyber threat groups and bring these to the attention of other service lines.
• Contribute analysis for subscription updates.
  

Marketing and business development

• Support business development through initial research scoping for proposals and other business development and marketing exercises.
  

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Interest in and knowledge of cyber threat and risk issues and the interaction between political developments and the evolving threat landscape.
• Interest in and knowledge of intelligence and threat assessment principles, understanding of methods used to identify, understand and compare threat actors.
• Experience in undertaking operational and tactical level research and investigations relating to cyber threat incidents or using cyber as a means of collecting information.
• Academic or professional training in cyber investigations or open-source intelligence.
• Ability to prepare sizable written reports for a senior business audience.

Preferred

• Additional languages to English. Russian, Chinese, Farsi preferred.

Qualifications and specialist skills

Essential

• Degree level qualification or equivalent.
• Demonstrable experience in collecting information from multiple sources in support of complex research projects in the online intelligence or cyber threat and security domains.

Preferred

• Intelligence analysis training or qualifications (e.g. City and Guilds, SANS GIAC, CREST threat intelligence practitioner or researcher, GIAT or DIAM UK government modules).
• Open-source intelligence collection and investigation qualifications.
• Interest and experience in the cryptocurrency landscape with the ability to analyse threats and investigate using blockchain technology.
• Familiarity with software packages including i2 Analyst Notebook, high level of Microsoft Excel proficiency (knowledge of pivot tables and macros), Power BI or Power Automate.

• Control Risks offers a competitively positioned compensation and benefits package that is transparent and summarised in the full job offer.
• We operate a discretionary global bonus scheme that incentivises, and rewards individuals based on company and individual performance.
• Control Risks supports hybrid working arrangements, wherever possible, that emphasise the value of in-person time together - in the office and with our clients - while continuing to support flexible and remote working.
• As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us and are fully committed to equal treatment, free from discrimination, of all candidates throughout our recruitment process.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made in order to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your needs.