Staff security engineer, application security

WRITER is building enterprise AI applications at scale, and this Staff security engineer role focuses on making the platform secure by design. You will help shape how AI-powered products are protected across application security, AI infrastructure, and developer enablement, while evolving CI/CD security practices and leading security testing.

This hybrid position is based in

Seattle, WA

and reports to the

head of security engineering . If you have hands-on experience securing large-scale production systems and can balance security risk reduction with engineering velocity, this role aligns with your approach to building and scaling security foundations.

Responsibilities

Run threat modeling sessions with product teams, design secure architectures for new features, and ensure security considerations are part of product decisions from day one

Own and evolve WRITER’s application security program, including establishing and maintaining

SAST/DAST scanning

in

CI/CD

pipelines, performing security code reviews for critical changes, and building automation to prevent vulnerabilities from reaching production

Partner with engineering teams to define and champion secure coding standards, plus create reusable security patterns and libraries that enable secure-by-default development

Recommend security features and products to help secure customer environments, serving as a vision and advocacy partner for customer protection

Integrate and leverage

AI agents

to increase security team and engineering org velocity while proactively minimizing risk

Lead security assessments and

penetration testing

across WRITER’s applications, AI services, and

APIs , identifying vulnerabilities across the stack and working with teams to remediate issues at scale

Design and implement security controls for protecting data pipelines, model training environments, and customer-facing AI agents

Research emerging threats in the

AI/ML security

landscape, including LLM and generative AI attack vectors, and proactively build defenses against new risks

Requirements

Minimum 4 years

of hands-on application security engineering experience, with a track record securing large-scale production systems (bonus for fast-growing startups or high-growth environments)

Understanding of developer experience and developer workflows for shipping features, with focus on reducing risk while supporting engineering velocity

Technical expertise in at least two programming languages:

Python, Java, Go, JavaScript/TypeScript , including ability to review code across multiple languages with both business logic and security implications

Knowledge of security tools and methodologies such as

SAST/DAST , vulnerability management platforms, security testing frameworks, and

DevSecOps

practices, with judgment on when automation outperforms manual review

Excellent communication skills to translate complex security concepts for technical and non-technical audiences and drive action through clear recommendations

A builder mindset focused on automation, scaling, and enabling teams rather than creating bottlenecks

Alignment with WRITER values:

Connect ,

Challenge , and

Own

Open to

Mid, Sr., and Staff

level candidates

Technologies

SAST ,

DAST ,

CI/CD

Python ,

Java ,

Go ,

JavaScript/TypeScript

DevSecOps ,

LLMs ,

generative AI ,

AI agents

APIs , vulnerability management platforms, security testing frameworks

Compensation and location

Location:

Seattle, WA (hybrid)

Salary:

USD

183,000 - 240,000

per year

Benefits

Generous PTO plus company holidays

Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family

Paid parental leave for all parents ( 16 weeks )

Fertility and family planning support

Early-detection cancer testing through

Galleri

Flexible spending account and dependent FSA options

Health savings account for eligible plans with company contribution

Annual work-life stipends for Wellness (gym, massage/chiropractor, personal training, etc.)

Annual work-life stipend for Learning and development

Company-wide off-sites and team off-sites

Competitive compensation, company stock options and

401k

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