Principal Application Security Engineer

Ladders; United States; On-site; USD 172,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Generous PTO

Professional development

Job summary

Ladders is seeking a Principal Application Security Engineer to lead security across modern software delivery environments, embedding secure-by-design practices from design through deployment. You will partner with engineering to strengthen secure coding, threat modeling, API protection, and CI/CD security.

This role supports AI security initiatives and aims to reduce friction in the software lifecycle. Location: Remote - US-based candidates only; no visa sponsorship.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in Application Security Engineering, with software development background.
• Expertise in secure architecture, coding practices, and threat modeling.
• Proficiency in authentication, authorization, API security, and OWASP Top 10.
• Hands-on security in stacks such as C#, Java, Python, or Go.
• Experience integrating security into CI/CD pipelines and developer workflows.

Responsibilities

• Lead secure code reviews, threat modeling, and design assessments for applications and APIs.
• Drive continuous improvement of application security controls in CI/CD environments.
• Identify and remediate control gaps and engineering friction in the software lifecycle.
• Define and advocate for secure coding standards and practices across the organization.
• Influence engineering design decisions and embed security in software development.
• Advance AI security practices and promote responsible AI use in engineering processes.
• Design and tune application-layer protections in partnership with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Secure coding

Threat modeling

API security

CI/CD security

Security architecture

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Principal Application Security Engineer to join the team of a leader in the Information Technology space.

This role will lead application security efforts across modern software delivery environments, helping ensure secure-by-design practices are embedded from design through deployment.

The position will partner closely with engineering teams to strengthen secure coding, threat modeling, API protection, and CI/CD security controls.

It also plays an important role in advancing AI security practices and reducing friction while improving the overall security posture of the software lifecycle.

Location: Remote - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available

Compensation: $172,000 – $240,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Lead secure code reviews, threat modeling, and design assessments for applications and APIs
• Drive continuous improvement of application security controls in CI/CD environments
• Identify and remediate control gaps and engineering friction in the software lifecycle
• Define and advocate for secure coding standards and practices across the organization
• Influence engineering design decisions and embed security in software development
• Advance AI security practices and promote responsible AI use in engineering processes
• Design and tune application-layer protections in partnership with cross-functional teams

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in Application Security Engineering, ideally with a background in software engineering or development
• Expertise in secure application architecture, coding practices, and threat modeling
• Proficiency in authentication, authorization, API security, and common application vulnerabilities including OWASP Top 10
• Hands-on experience securing applications in modern tech stacks such as C#, Java, Python, or Go
• Experience integrating security into CI/CD pipelines and developer workflows

Benefits

• Access to comprehensive health benefits and wellness programs
• Generous PTO policy and flexible work options
• Professional development opportunities, including certifications and training
• Employee assistance programs and mental health resources
• Inclusive workplace culture that fosters diversity and equity

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.