Lead Security Engineer

Qualis; New York (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualis is building a core founding security team for a cloud-native cybersecurity startup focused on AI-native risk protection. You will own and strengthen security across a modern Kubernetes-based infrastructure and collaborate with engineering to deploy secure-by-default systems.

The role emphasizes hands-on security automation, incident response readiness, and the ability to shape security strategy as the platform scales.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in Infrastructure Security, Platform Engineering, or Security Operations.
• Hands-on experience securing Kubernetes environments, including RBAC, network policies, admission control, and secrets management.
• Experience designing and operating SIEM, SOAR, and detection & response capabilities.
• Strong coding ability and experience building automation or security tooling.
• Proven incident response experience, including working cross-functionally during high-pressure situations.

Responsibilities

• Own and strengthen the security posture across a modern cloud-native infrastructure.
• Build and improve detection, monitoring, and incident response capabilities.
• Design and manage identity, secrets, credential, and access management systems.
• Partner closely with engineering to implement secure-by-default infrastructure, IAM, network segmentation, and access controls.
• Help define the security strategy for next-generation AI and agentic systems as the platform evolves.
• Play a key role in building a scalable security function as the company grows.

Skills

Kubernetes security

RBAC policies

SIEM SOAR

Automation tooling

Incident response

Job description

This is an exciting opportunitiy to be apart of the core founding securityteam for a well funded AI-native cybersecurity start up focused on Digital Risk Protection. It's platform deploys millions of ai agents into enterprise environments to detect threats, deepfakes, impersonations or malicious activity. This will be apart of the core founding security team offering a lot of opportunity to build security programs from the ground up.

Role;

• Own and strengthen the security posture across a modern cloud-native infrastructure.
• Build and improve detection, monitoring, and incident response capabilities.
• Design and manage identity, secrets, credential, and access management systems.
• Partner closely with engineering to implement secure-by-default infrastructure, IAM, network segmentation, and access controls.
• Help define the security strategy for next-generation AI and agentic systems as the platform evolves.
• Play a key role in building a scalable security function as the company grows.

Requirements;

• 3+ years of experience in Infrastructure Security, Platform Engineering, or Security Operations.
• Strong hands-on experience securing Kubernetes environments, including RBAC, network policies, admission control, and secrets management.
• Experience designing and operating SIEM, SOAR, and detection & response capabilities.
• Strong coding ability and experience building automation or security tooling.
• Proven incident response experience, including working cross-functionally during high-pressure situations.