Application Security Research Team Leader

Planck; Lisboa; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Planck Technologies in Braga, Portugal, is looking for an experienced Application Security Team Leader to lead and grow a distributed research team. You’ll drive research initiatives, shape the team roadmap and collaborate with Product Managers and developers across locations.

The role requires strong leadership, hands‑on security research, secure coding expertise, and KPI/OKR governance with effective asynchronous work practices.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of proven experience as a Team Leader, Engineering Manager, or Research Manager.
• Solid and extensive knowledge of Application Security, including vulnerabilities, mitigations, and secure coding practices;
• Professional experience in security research, web application penetration testing, secure development, secure code review, or similar fields;
• Proven experience leading remote and distributed teams across multiple locations, cultures, and time zones;
• Experience defining and managing KPIs/OKRs, research roadmaps, team priorities, and resource allocation;
• Strong people management skills, including mentoring, career development, regular feedback, and performance reviews;
• Solid programming knowledge across interpreted and compiled languages, with the ability to independently learn new technologies;
• Familiarity with software development methodologies, project management, and Agile practices;
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills;
• Proficiency in English, both written and spoken, including clear written communication and presentations.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a distributed team of Application Security Researchers;
• Define and manage the team’s roadmap, KPIs/OKRs, priorities, resource allocation, and capacity planning;
• Drive continuous improvement through feedback, retrospectives, and effective asynchronous working practices;
• Lead research initiatives in Application Security, AI Security, and emerging technologies;
• Collaborate with Product Managers, developers, and other teams within the Security Research group;
• Review and analyze vulnerable code across multiple programming languages, frameworks, and ecosystems;
• Research security vulnerabilities, assess risks, and identify opportunities to improve security capabilities;
• Design and contribute to security solutions and product features based on application security expertise;
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-trust team culture across different locations and time zones.

Skills

Application Security

Team Leadership

Mentoring

KPIs/OKRs

Remote Team Leadership

Agile

English Proficiency

Job description

About Us

Planck Technologies is a company specialized in Software Development, dedicated to shaping futures and creating value through innovative IT solutions. By expanding teams and offering a comprehensive range of services — from Software Development and Infrastructure Management to Cybersecurity — we empower clients with all the expertise they need in one place. Inspired by the principles of quantum physics, we push beyond traditional boundaries to deliver customized solutions that redefine the IT landscape and drive shared success.

About the job

What are we looking for?

Are you an experienced Application Security professional with a passion for research and team leadership? We’re looking for a Team Leader to lead and develop a distributed team of security researchers, drive research initiatives, and contribute to the evolution of our security products.

Job Description:

Minimum experience required:

• 3+ years of proven experience as a Team Leader, Engineering Manager, or Research Manager.

Requirements:

• Solid and extensive knowledge of Application Security, including vulnerabilities, mitigations, and secure coding practices;

• Professional experience in security research, web application penetration testing, secure development, secure code review, or similar fields;

• Proven experience leading remote and distributed teams across multiple locations, cultures, and time zones;

• Experience defining and managing KPIs/OKRs, research roadmaps, team priorities, and resource allocation;

• Strong people management skills, including mentoring, career development, regular feedback, and performance reviews;

• Solid programming knowledge across interpreted and compiled languages, with the ability to independently learn new technologies;

• Familiarity with software development methodologies, project management, and Agile practices;

• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills;

• Proficiency in English, both written and spoken, including clear written communication and presentations.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor, and develop a distributed team of Application Security Researchers;

• Define and manage the team’s roadmap, KPIs/OKRs, priorities, resource allocation, and capacity planning;

• Drive continuous improvement through feedback, retrospectives, and effective asynchronous working practices;

• Lead research initiatives in Application Security, AI Security, and emerging technologies;

• Collaborate with Product Managers, developers, and other teams within the Security Research group;

• Review and analyze vulnerable code across multiple programming languages, frameworks, and ecosystems;

• Research security vulnerabilities, assess risks, and identify opportunities to improve security capabilities;

• Design and contribute to security solutions and product features based on application security expertise;

• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-trust team culture across different locations and time zones.

Working Model:

• Hybrid – Braga, Portugal

If you thrive in complex environments, enjoy working with cutting-edge technologies, and are passionate about optimizing business processes, this opportunity is for you!

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