Security Engineer, Insider Threat Detection & Response

OpenAI; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 260,000 - 405,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading AI research company in San Francisco is hiring a Security Engineer to build and secure transformational AI technologies. Responsibilities include innovating detection infrastructure, collaborating with various teams, and managing insider threat projects. Ideal candidates will have 5+ years in detection/response roles, familiarity with cloud infrastructure, and proficiency in scripting languages. Competitive compensation from $260K to $405K is offered.

Qualifications

• 5+ years experience in detection/response or insider-risk roles.
• Broad familiarity with macOS, Windows, Linux, and Kubernetes.
• Knowledge of modern adversary tactics and data exfiltration techniques.
• Proficiency in a scripting language (e.g., Python, Bash).
• Ability to manage and run projects independently.
• Motivated by securing transformative technology in AI.

Responsibilities

• Innovate on Detection and Response infrastructure.
• Develop and tune detection rules for effective operations.
• Drive projects related to insider threats.
• Collaborate with HR, Legal, and investigative teams.
• Use AI to improve OpenAI's Security posture.

Skills

Detection/Response experience

Familiarity with operating systems (macOS, Windows, Linux)

Knowledge of adversary tactics and attack paths

Proficiency with scripting languages

Project management skills

Risk reduction prioritization

Tools

Kubernetes

Cloud infrastructure

Job description

About the Team

Security is at the foundation of OpenAI's mission to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.

The Security team protects OpenAI's technology, people, and products. We are technical in what we build but are operational in how we do our work, and are committed to supporting all products and research at OpenAI. Our Security team tenets include: prioritizing for impact, enabling researchers, preparing for future transformative technologies, and engaging a robust security culture.

About the Role

As a Security Engineer you will join our OpenAI engineers and researchers in building, operating and securing transformational AI technologies. This role will focus on all aspects of Detection & Response but with a strong emphasis on detecting insider threats and influencing controls to safeguard OpenAI's most sensitive assets. In this role, you will:

• Innovate on Detection and Response infrastructure to engineer and automate end-to-end detection and investigation workflows.
• Develop, measure, and tune detection rules to ensure effective and sustainable operations.
• Drive projects across OpenAI's technology stack with a focus on insider threats, ranging from access abuse and intellectual property theft to novel risks emerging within AI infrastructure.
• Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders, including HR, Legal, and peer investigative teams, providing technical expertise and evidence to support investigations.
• Collaborate on cutting‑edge AI research, and use AI to improve OpenAI's Security posture.

You might thrive in this role if you:

• 5+ years experience working in a detection/response or insider-risk role. We are seeking mid‑level and senior candidates.
• You have broad familiarity with operating systems and platforms such as macOS, Windows, Linux, and Kubernetes, along with experience in cloud infrastructure.
• Knowledge of modern adversary tactics and attack paths, data exfiltration techniques, and have experience running and leading incidents.
• Proficiency with a scripting language (e.g. Python, Bash, PowerShell, or similar).
• Independently manage and run projects, balance preventative controls with user friction, and prioritize efforts for risk reduction.
• You're motivated by securing transformative technology and can adapt familiar security frameworks to new risks in AI infrastructure.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

For additional information, please see OpenAI's affirmative action and equal employment opportunity policy statement.

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

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We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.

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At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.

Compensation Range: $260K - $405K