Security Architect

DLA Piper; Amsterdam; Hybrid; EUR 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

DLA Piper is seeking a Security Architect to join the Legal, Risk and Compliance function. The role bridges business needs with robust security controls, shaping secure architectures for networks, systems, applications and cloud environments.

You will contribute to AI safety, data governance and security governance while mentoring teams and guiding strategic security initiatives. Flexible agile working arrangements are considered.

Qualifications

• Typically 7+ years in Information Security/IT, with 3+ years in an architecture-focused role.
• Cloud Security - Adoption & migration, Governance.
• Data Governance - DR, DLP, DRM, Data lifecycle Management.
• App & Systems Development Security.
• Asset Management including MDM.
• Identity & Access management.
• Network & Endpoint security.
• Logging, Monitoring & Retention.
• Threat intelligence, Automation & Orchestration.
• Configuration & Vulnerability management.

Responsibilities

• Design secure architectures for networks, systems, applications and cloud environments in line with business and regulatory requirements.
• Assess and architect guardrails for AI agents with tool-use/autonomous action capabilities.
• Secure LLM and generative AI deployments: prompt injection defences and data leakage prevention.
• Ensure data governance for AI training data, including PII redaction and data poisoning risks.
• Produce and maintain architectural artefacts (designs, standards, patterns, reference architectures).
• Supply security requirements into projects and RFI/RFPs; review technical solutions for security compliance.
• Evaluate and recommend security tools, technologies and vendors; support the security strategy.
• Mentor engineering and IT teams on secure design principles; support and influence technical strategy.

Skills

Cloud Security

Security Frameworks

Zero Trust

DevSecOps

IAM

Vulnerability management

Threat intelligence

Monitoring & Logging

Data Governance

Architectural governance

Education

CISSP

CCSP

CISM

SABSA

Cloud Security Certifications (AWS/Azure/GCP)

Job description

Join DLA Piper as a Security Architect within Legal, Risk and Compliance.

The Security Architect plays a crucial role in supporting projects across the business. This role bridges business requirements with technical security controls, ensuring that systems are designed with security built in from the ground up rather than bolted on afterwards.

The Security Architect will also need to support the wider security, compliance, risk and architectural community through the design and delivery of security controls, identification of new and changing requirements and in response to new and emerging threat.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Support projects and initiatives in an advisory capacity as a security SME
• Design secure architectures for networks, systems, applications, and cloud environments in line with business and regulatory requirements
• Ability to assess and architect guardrails for AI agents with tool-use/autonomous action capabilities
• Knowledge of securing LLM and generative AI deployments: prompt injection defences, output validation, data leakage prevention, model access controls
• Understanding of data governance for AI training data (sensitive data handling, PII redaction, data poisoning risks)
• Identify and provide requirements to projects and initiatives
• Review proposed technical solutions to ensure they meet security requirements (implementation governance)
• Produce and maintain architectural artefacts (designs, standards, patterns, reference architectures)
• Supply security requirements into projects and RFI/RFPs
• Evaluate and recommend security tools, technologies and vendors
• Drive improvements, support compliance through the execution of our security strategy
• Mentor engineering and IT teams on secure design principles
• Support and influence technical strategy

About you

• Experience of working to demonstrate compliance with Cloud Technologies (Azure, AWS, GCP) - Azure preferred however not essential.
• Experience with security frameworks: NIST CSF, ISO 27001/27002, CIS Controls, MITRE ATT&CK
• Familiarity with Zero Trust architecture principles
• Knowledge of secure SDLC and DevSecOps practices (SAST, DAST, container/image scanning, CI/CD security)
• Maintained awareness of emerging threats and vulnerability research.
• Working knowledge of the use of Enterprise Systems Management tools
• Familiarity in Agile development processes

The following demonstrable experience is essential (minimum of 5):

• Typically 7+ years in Information Security/IT, with 3+ years in an architecture-focused role
• Cloud Security - Adoption & migration, Governance
• Data Governance - DR, DLP, DRM, Data lifecycle Management
• App & Systems Development Security
• Asset Management including MDM
• Identity & Access management
• Network & Endpoint security
• Logging, Monitoring & Retention
• Threat intelligence, Automation & Orchestration
• Configuration & Vulnerability management

Relevant certifications (one or more preferred):

• CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
• SABSA (Sherwood Applied Business Security Architecture)
• CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional)
• CISM (Certified Information Security Manager)
• Cloud-specific certifications (AWS/Azure/GCP Security Specialty)

How we work

• Be Supportive: We care about others, value diversity and act thoughtfully - Our Architects work closely with colleagues in all positions, so the ability to form and maintain relationships and produce high quality written communication and documents is essential. We make things easier.
• Be Collaborative: We give, we share and we join in - Our architects are collaborative problem solvers. We take responsibility and practice extreme ownership by default when it comes to supporting others.
• Be Bold: We stand tall and challenge ourselves to think big - Our architects are always thinking about the big picture and looking for opportunities to enable our customers to do more. We don’t work in a silo and need to be prepared to live outside of our comfort zones.
• Be Exceptional: We exceed standards and expectations - Our architects set an example in everything they do and consistently look to go beyond MVP.

About us

We're a global law firm helping our clients achieve their goals wherever they do business. Our pursuit of innovation has transformed our delivery of legal services. With offices in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, we deliver exceptional outcomes on cross-border projects, critical transactions and high-stakes disputes.

Where local legislation permits, we will conduct relevant pre-engagement screening checks prior to your first day.

Agile Working

We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

Pre-Engagement Screening

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but is not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability, and references from previous employers.