Security Engineer, Detection

Google; United States; On-site; USD 123,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

Google is seeking a Security Engineer in the Detection domain to design and implement high-fidelity detections for critical infrastructure across compute, IAM, and network. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to automate detections and enable proactive defense.

The role spans threat hunting, incident response, and forensics, with global 24/7 coverage and a focus on reducing manual toil. The role is based in Reston, VA, and involves working with Google Cloud Platform integration,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 1 year of experience with security assessments, security design reviews, or threat modeling.
• 1 year of coding experience in one or more general-purpose languages.
• Experience with security engineering, computer and network security, and security protocols.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain high-fidelity detections across critical infrastructure focus areas, including compute (GKE), supply chain, IAM/API (LOAS, Cloud IAM), and network.
• Partner with program teams to deploy agentic detection engineering workflows, shifting defenses from "Detect and Respond" to machine-speed "Infer and Interrupt".
• Ground detection logic in factual threat data by leveraging proven exploit paths from Red teams, Orange teams, and the Vulnerability Reward Program (VRP).
• Reduce manual triage toil and operational burden by optimizing feedback loops between prevention, detection, and response.
• Participate in a 24/7 global operation that hunts for and responds to security events on Google's networks. Perform investigations on a wide variety of events from various sources to determine whether they pose a threat to Google.

Skills

Security engineering

Network security

Security protocols

Threat modeling

Coding in languages

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Security Engineer, Detection - Location

Reston, VA, USA

Experience Level

Early

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 1 year of experience with security assessments, security design reviews, or threat modeling.
• 1 year of coding experience in one or more general-purpose languages.
• Experience with security engineering, computer and network security, and security protocols.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in responding to security problems in target-rich environments, analyzing security alerts, and frontline security response.
• Expertise with signals development, threat hunting, and threat modeling.
• Expertise in the analysis of large data sets and intrusion detection systems.
• Knowledge of modern AI/ML frameworks and tools, including experience in prompt engineering.

About the Job

Our Security team works to create and maintain the safest operating environment for Google's users and developers. Security Engineers work with network equipment and actively monitor our systems for attacks and intrusions. In this role, you will also work with software engineers to proactively identify and fix security flaws and vulnerabilities.

The Detection team develops and maintains the signals, tools, and infrastructure that we use, constantly evolving them to match sophisticated attackers. As part of this team, you will be building advanced and novel detection mechanisms for attacker techniques, tactics, and procedures, developing systems to automate remediation, conducting threat hunting, and performing network and systems forensics, as well as malware and indicator analysis.

As a Security Engineer in the Infrastructure Detection domain, you will be at the forefront of securing Alphabet's backend platforms and hardware. You will bridge the boundary between Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and production (network, data center). Our outlook is to establish a self-defending enterprise where no adversary can exploit or abuse our global infrastructure undetected. You will help us transition from manual, reactive security models to proactive, highly automated, and AI-driven defense systems capable of sublinear coverage growth. You will help protect network boundaries, harden systems against attacks, and actively build the intelligent automation required to defend highly sensitive data at an unprecedented scale.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US Salary Range: $123,000 - $175,000 (USD) + 15% bonus target + equity + benefits.

Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain high-fidelity detections across critical infrastructure focus areas, including compute (GKE), supply chain, IAM/API (LOAS, Cloud IAM), and network.
• Partner with program teams to deploy agentic detection engineering workflows, shifting defenses from "Detect and Respond" to machine-speed "Infer and Interrupt".
• Ground detection logic in factual threat data by leveraging proven exploit paths from Red teams, Orange teams, and the Vulnerability Reward Program (VRP).
• Reduce manual triage toil and operational burden by optimizing feedback loops between prevention, detection, and response.
• Participate in a 24/7 global operation that hunts for and responds to security events on Google's networks. Perform investigations on a wide variety of events from various sources to determine whether they pose a threat to Google.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Google is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of the users we serve, creating a culture of belonging, and providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), expecting or parents-to-be, criminal histories consistent with legal requirements, or any other basis protected by law.

View Google's EEO Policy.

Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal.

Belonging at Google.

How we hire.

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Google is a global company, and in order to facilitate efficient collaboration and communication globally, English proficiency is a requirement for all roles unless stated otherwise in the job posting.

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Equity is granted exclusively and discretionarily by Alphabet Inc. on the basis of an agreement concluded between you and Alphabet Inc. Alphabet Inc. is your sole contractual partner with respect to equity grants. GSU grants are not guaranteed, are discretionary, are subject to approval by the Alphabet Inc. board of directors or its delegate, the terms of the relevant Alphabet Inc. stock plan, and your grant agreement. They have no impact on statutory payments. Current or past grants do not confer an acquired right.