Director, Threat Intelligence & Detection Engineering

About the Team

This role is at the heart of our Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service, driving the evolution of our detection strategy and leading our Threat Intelligence and Detection Engineering (TIDE) team. The mission? To keep our customers ahead of adversaries by delivering cutting-edge detection engineering at scale.

Our detection engineers don’t just react to threats—they anticipate them. By curating high-fidelity threat intelligence, analyzing adversary behaviors, and tracking emerging attack techniques, we craft detections that cut through the noise and surface the most critical threats. The goal is clear: Identify attackers across the entire attack surface and leverage the right mix of technology and human expertise to protect our customers

Working across the entire incident lifecycle, we identify patterns, refine detections, and enhance our collective understanding of the threat landscape. This knowledge doesn’t just inform our response—it empowers security practitioners with actionable intelligence to proactively defend their organizations.

This isn’t just about keeping up. It’s about staying ahead.

About the Role

What if your job placed you at the center of the fight against cyber adversaries? Do you thrive on outsmarting attackers? Does leading a team of world-class Detection & Response engineers, uncovering hidden threats, and developing smarter ways to detect attacks before they cause harm sound like the challenge you’ve been waiting for?

If so, keep reading.

At Rapid7, we don’t just react to threats—we get ahead of them. Our TIDE team is the beating heart of our MDR service, developing high-impact detections, conducting deep-dive threat hunts, and analyzing malware to protect customers worldwide.

This isn’t a “keep the lights on” leadership role. It’s a “build the future” role.

We’re looking for a visionary leader to elevate our detection strategy, transform intelligence into action, and build detection content that makes a difference. This role requires someone who can push boundaries, drive innovation, and inspire a team of passionate security experts.

In this role, you will:

• Push the boundaries of detection and response. Continuously evolve our capabilities to keep pace with emerging threats and customer needs.

• Be the expert. Own and refine our detection and response strategy, ensuring it drives impact across people, processes, and services.

• Unite teams for big wins. Guide multiple teams to collaborate on high-impact projects, ensuring smart, iterative execution.

• Align strategy with execution. Help teams and individuals see how their work contributes to company goals, ensuring focus and clarity.

• Drive cross-functional collaboration. Partner with Product, Engineering, and Customer Experience teams to influence product strategy, define expectations, and navigate trade-offs transparently.

• Champion innovation. Foster a culture of structured detection development, continuous improvement, and relentless focus on quality.

• Make smart, strategic decisions. Balance budget constraints with long-term vision, communicating trade-offs to teams and leadership.

• Lead, mentor, and inspire. Develop and grow your team, helping them advance their careers while making a lasting impact at Rapid7 and beyond.

The skills you’ll bring include:

• 10+ years of professional experience, including 5+ years leading technology-focused customer success teams.

• A proven track record of building, leading, and scaling Detection & Response Engineering teams that deliver measurable security outcomes.

• A strategic mindset with the ability to execute and operationalize detection and response innovations.

• Deep expertise in enterprise security, threat detection, and incident response, with a strong grasp of scaling detection capabilities.

• A data-driven approach, with the ability to measure detection quality, operational efficiency, and security impact.

• Strong problem-solving skills, leveraging deep knowledge of business operations, security principles, and technology constraints.

• A leadership style that fosters collaboration, innovation, and excellence, empowering diverse teams.

• Exceptional communication skills, capable of engaging bot