Consulting Director, DFIR, Reactive Services (Unit 42)

Jobs Paloaltonetworks; Burbank (CA); Remote; USD 190,000 - 261,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel up to 20%

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a Senior DFIR Consultant to lead cybersecurity incident response and breach investigations for Unit 42 clients. This role blends strategic advisory with hands-on technical leadership across industries and environments.

You will guide complex engagements, stay ahead of threat trends, and manage multiple engagements while helping grow our client base through cross-sell opportunities. This remote role offers global collaboration with hybrid teams.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of DFIR consulting experience (breach response, investigations)
• Proven leadership of technical incident response teams in high-pressure environments
• Deep expertise in forensic methodologies (chain of custody, disk/memory analysis)
• Hands-on experience with tools: EnCase, FTK, SleuthKit, Volatility (or equivalent)
• Strong operating system expertise (Windows, Linux, or macOS)
• Degree: Bachelor’s + 12 yrs, Master’s + 8 yrs, or PhD + 5 yrs (or equivalent experience)

Responsibilities

• Lead breach response engagements, providing both strategic direction and hands‑on DFIR leadership
• Deliver expert consulting across incident response, digital forensics, and cyber risk scenarios
• Guide clients through complex incidents with tailored, high-impact solutions
• Stay current on threat landscape, vulnerabilities, and attacker techniques (TTPs, persistence methods)
• Perform and oversee forensic investigations (memory/disk acquisition, analysis) using tools like EnCase, FTK, SleuthKit, Volatility
• Manage client relationships, lead technical discussions, and run multiple engagements concurrently
• Support business growth through client expansion (cross-sell/upsell) and new opportunity identification

Skills

DFIR consulting

Incident response leadership

Client management

Budget ownership

Threat awareness

Education

Bachelor’s degree with 12+ years experience

Tools

EnCase

FTK

SleuthKit

Volatility

Job description

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks®, we’re united by a shared mission—to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you’re ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you’re in the right place.

Who We Are

In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us!

This role is remote, but distance is no barrier to impact. Our hybrid teams collaborate across geographies to solve big problems, stay close to our customers, and grow together. You will be part of a culture that values trust, accountability, and shared success where your work truly matters.

Job Summary

Senior-level consulting role leading cybersecurity incident response and breach investigations for Unit 42 clients. Acts as both a strategic advisor and hands-on technical leader across industries and environments, driving outcomes on complex security incidents.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead breach response engagements, providing both strategic direction and hands‑on DFIR leadership
• Deliver expert consulting across incident response, digital forensics, and cyber risk scenarios
• Guide clients through complex incidents with tailored, high-impact solutions
• Stay current on threat landscape, vulnerabilities, and attacker techniques (TTPs, persistence methods)
• Perform and oversee forensic investigations (memory/disk acquisition, analysis) using tools like EnCase, FTK, Volatility
• Manage client relationships, lead technical discussions, and run multiple engagements concurrently
• Support business growth through client expansion (cross-sell/upsell) and new opportunity identification

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of DFIR consulting experience (breach response, investigations)
• Proven leadership of technical incident response teams in high-pressure environments
• Deep expertise in forensic methodologies (chain of custody, disk/memory analysis)
• Hands-on experience with tools: EnCase, FTK, SleuthKit, Volatility (or equivalent)
• Strong operating system expertise (Windows, Linux, or macOS)
• Degree: Bachelor’s + 12 yrs, Master’s + 8 yrs, or PhD + 5 yrs (or equivalent experience)

Preferred Qualifications

• Recognized industry leader (speaking, media, thought leadership)
• Strong client management + budget ownership experience
• Experience analyzing novel malware / advanced threats
• Comfortable with up to ~20% travel

Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. For candidates who receive an offer at the posted level, the starting base salary (for non-sales roles) or base salary + commission target (for sales/com-commissioned roles) is expected to be the annual range listed below. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

$189,600.00 - $260,700.00/yr

Our Commitment

We’re trailblazers that dream big, take risks, and challenge cybersecurity’s status quo. It’s simple: we can’t accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at [e-mail].

Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.