Application Security Engineer, Information Security

Ascensus; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascensus is seeking an Application Security Engineer to own and advance the secure software development program across its web and API platforms. You will embed with scrum teams, advise on security controls, and drive best practices in DevSecOps to protect data and maintain system integrity.

Responsibilities include architecture reviews, threat modeling, security testing in CI/CD, and enforcing coding standards. Strong collaboration with leadership and cross-functional teams is essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years in secure software development or DevSecOps.
• Ability to define software security and privacy requirements.
• Understanding of threat modeling, risk, and mitigation.
• Experience with SDLC security practices and secure coding standards.
• Experience integrating security testing into CI/CD pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Protect confidential data and ensure secure handling.
• Consult scrum teams on security controls and secure SDLC.
• Participate in sprint planning to embed security requirements.
• Perform architecture reviews and threat modeling.
• Support SAST/DAST and manage security tests in CI/CD.
• Guide remediation and monitor security policy compliance.

Skills

Secure Software Development

DevSecOps

CI/CD integration

SAST/DAST/SCA

Threat modeling

Security testing tools

OWASP Top 10

Application security tools

Tools

Burp Suite

Fiddler

ZAP

Wireshark

Metasploit

SAST/DAST tools

API Gateway

WAF

Job description

Ascensus is the leading independent technology and service platform powering savings plans across America, providing products and expertise that help nearly 16 million people save for a better today and tomorrow.

Section 1: Position Summary

Reporting to the BISO, the Application Security Engineer is responsible for the application security program. This position requires a passion for data protection, possesses a combination of either application development and/or security experience, strong communication and organizational skills, collaborative abilities, self-motivation, innovation, efficiency and attention to detail. This position willperforma variety of application security responsibilities across Ascensus and be the primary resource forour application security program. This role serves as a trusted application security advisor to Ascensus scrum teams to drive best practices for application security, to help ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our web and application program interfaces (API).The Application Security Engineeris deeply involved with our application scrum teams and is instrumental in helping define the strategy to meet the information security organizations high level goals, while still being embedded within the scrum team processes and serve as a subject matter expert in secure development practices. This is a critical role at Ascensus requiring strategic thinking, taking initiative, and proactive interaction at many levels. This role will receive strong support of the Head of Technology and the Information Security Leadership, to effectively execute on defined organizational goals and strategic plans.

Section 2: Job Functions, Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for protecting, securing, and proper handling of all confidential data held by Ascensus to ensure against unauthorized access, improper transmission, and/or unapproved disclosure of information that could result in harm to Ascensus or our clients.
• Our I-Client service philosophy and our Core Values of People Matter, Quality First and Integrity Always® should be visible in your actions on a day to day basis showing your support of our organization
• In conjunction with security and development leadership develops a comprehensive, agile, and innovative DevSecOps approach that supports all phases of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), identifies and effectively manage risk.
• Provide security consultation to scrum teams, application owners, and technology teams on relevant security controls and secure SDLC process
• Participate in sprint planning meetings and various decision-making sessions to ensure that security requirements and considerations are built into the development practices
• Conduct application security analysis, including architecture review, analysis of data flows, penetration testing support, and threat modeling
• Build and monitor compliance with application security policies, coding standards, and security controls in support of mitigating threats
• Responsible for the deployment and integration of services to support SAST, DAST and SCA functions. Assist development teams in performance of static and dynamic testing, triage findings and provide remediation guidance where necessary
• Assist with other tasks and projects as assigned

Supervision

• N/A

Section 3: Experience, Skills, Knowledge Requirements

Secure Software Development

• A minimum of 4 years’ experience in Secure Software Development and/or DevSecOps (preferred)
• Ability to define software security and privacy requirements
• Solid understanding of threat modeling, risk, and mitigation from internal and external threats
• Experience with development of system security architecture diagrams and security architecture specification per security architecture standards
• Experience performing software security design reviews
• Experience running security testing tools into a CI/CD pipeline including tools such as Static and Dynamic Application Security
• Testing (SAST/DAST) and Software Composition Analysis (SCA)
• Experience with application testing tools (e.g., Burp Suite, Fiddler, Zap, Wireshark, Metasploit)
• Experience with configuration WAF, API Gateway, API Security Tools
• Solid understanding of the most common application and API security risks (OWASP Top 10, SANS/CWE Top 25)
• Solid understanding of application, database and network vulnerability testing principles
• Working knowledge of the Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle (SDL), OWASP Software Assurance Maturity Model (SAMM), or Building Security in Maturity Model (BSIMM)
• Experience with assessing secure adoption of third-party components such as open source or commercial software
• .NET/Java Experience a plus

Information Security

• Understanding of information security frameworks such as ISO27001, NIST, CSA and operating in a environment regulated against FFIEC, SEC and/or HIPAA requirements
• Solid understanding f authentication and authorization systems
• Solid understanding of cryptographic standards(e.g., encryption, hashing, key management, digital signatures, etc.)
• Ability to provide vulnerability remediation guidance and mentoring to product development software engineers
• Ability to translate security risks to business impact
• Experience running or managing vulnerability assessments using automated tools (e.g., Nessus, Qualys, etc) as well as managing penetration testing engagements.
• Understanding of privacy regulations as it relates to the handling and protection of information.
• Experience with fraud detection and analysis as it relates to custom developed applications

DevSecOps

• Experience integrating automated testing tools into a CI/CD pipeline
• Experience in implementing Cloud security controls following owing Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) or Cloud Service Provider (CSP) best practices (Azure, AWS, etc.)
• Experience implementing and supporting security automation tools (e.g., K8 and CSP platform configuration, hardening, and monitoring).

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer