Principal Analyst, Security & Risk

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About This Role:

Forrester is currently looking for a Security And Risk Principal Analyst to conduct research and deliver strategic, practical advice for security and risk leaders and practitioners. This role will focus on security and operations (SecOps), the technologies supporting it, security operations center (SOC) best practices and processes, threat detection and response, and the changes AI is having on the way organizations detect and respond to threats. The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of the SecOps market, including technologies like SIEM, UEBA, SOAR, EDR/XDR, security data management, and AI for SecOps.

The successful candidate researches and uncovers the strategies, technologies, and best practices in the markets and domains they cover. The Principal Analyst delivers these insights and recommendations in written reports, presentations, tools and templates, video, inquiries, guidance sessions, and custom advisory for security and risk leaders across industries and geographies. Our research is aimed at helping enterprise clients solve business problems and improve business results by applying principles and best practices. We also advise vendors on their strategies, roadmaps, and messaging in line with our market insights and our recommendations for enterprise clients.

Job Description:

The Principal Analyst works as part of a small high-performance team and collaborates with others in all aspects of the job. This individual is expected to:

• Conduct research into evolving trends and best practices of SecOps, threat detection and response, and AI for SecOps. This includes technologies like SIEM, UEBA, SOAR, EDR/XDR, security data management, and AI for SecOps.
• Research and deliver multiple research projects per year that convey new security and risk ideas in a rich business context. These projects typically: 1) introduce new thinking about successful business and technology strategies; 2) present organizational and technology implementation plans; 3) compare technologies or services (e.g., via a Forrester Wave™); or 4) predict emerging business opportunities or markets.
• Research and continuously create intellectual property in the form of written reports and analyses, video, tools and templates, blogs, etc., about security and risk technologies/services, industry events, predictions, and/or competitive market dynamics.
• Consult with clients around the globe to apply Forrester’s research in the context of their specific business environment and help solve their problems through in-depth guidance sessions and advisory.
• Present at Forrester-sponsored and industry events and deliver client speeches and webinars.
• Establish an industry presence as an influential speaker and thinker and build relationships with senior security and risk professionals, the technology vendors that serve them, and the journalists who cover the sector.
• Participate in vendor briefings and field press inquiries.
• Develop a deep understanding of what Forrester clients require to be successful as security and risk leaders. Assist sales and customer success with clients and prospects.

Job Requirements:

• A strong record of academic achievement or equivalent experience.
• Extensive security and risk experience as a practitioner, consultant, product/product marketing leader, architect, or research analyst.
• Experience working in the public sector or serving public sector clients at the federal, state, or local level preferred.
• Deep intellectual curiosity about the effect of technology on the business landscape; solid business instincts; a practical understanding of how security and risk professionals operate; a creative view of markets, technologies, and attitudes; and a fascination with the future.
• Superior listening, critical thinking, and writing skills, as well as memorable presentation skills. Analysts are expected to take complex, disparate ideas and distill them into simple, provocative concepts — and be willing to take a stand on vendors and outcomes.
• Flexibility to support global clients (in EMEA, APAC, and NA) across time zones.
• The ability to travel 30% to 50% of the time.
• Must be a US citizen

Please note that the base salary range indicated here is inclusive of all applicable US geographies listed in this requisition, with the exception of New York City.  This salary range is based upon the position as described in the job listing.  The offered compensation may vary within this range and is dependent upon the successful candidate’s primary work location, experience, training, education, and credentials.

Base salary range: $141,000 - $229,000

Base salary range for New York City, NY: $161,000 - $263,000

For information on benefits, please visit: https://forresterbenefits.com/

The application deadline is December 31, 2026. Please refer to the job posting on Forrester.com careers page if the deadline has been extended.

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FLSA Status:

Here at Forrester, we welcome people from all backgrounds and perspectives. Our aim is for all candidates to be able to fully participate in Forrester’s recruitment process. If you would like to discuss a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to accommodationrequest@forrester.com. 

Forrester Research, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. As a federal contractor, Forrester encourages veterans and individuals with disabilities to apply for employment.

Forrester will consider all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

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