Senior Security Engineer

Upstart; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 164,800 - 228,400; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Generous 401(k) matching

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Affordable healthcare

Paid family leave

Wellness allowance

Job summary

An innovative lending technology firm is seeking a Senior Security Engineer to enhance security practices and build software solutions. The role requires ownership of security initiatives, mentoring, and improving system resilience. Candidates must have strong skills in security reviews and coding for security purposes. This position offers remote work flexibility with competitive compensation and a generous benefits package, including stock options and wellness allowances.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of owning security initiatives end to end.
• Experience performing security reviews and driving actionable outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to investigate and remediate complex security issues across domains.

Responsibilities

• Architect and build software solutions that accelerate security.
• Elevate security maturity across the organization through mentoring.
• Serve as a senior technical authority during high-severity incidents.

Skills

Security initiative ownership

Security reviews

Complex issue remediation

Code development for security

AI tool utilization

Tools

Kubernetes

Security orchestration tools

Job description

About Upstart

At Upstart, we’re united by a mission that matters: to radically reduce the cost and complexity of borrowing for all Americans. Every day, we bring creativity, experimentation, and advanced AI to reshape access to credit, helping millions move forward financially with clarity and confidence.

As the leading AI lending marketplace, we partner with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology that’s both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 1,800 signals, powering smarter, fairer decisions for millions of customers. But the numbers only hint at the impact. Every idea, every voice, and every contribution moves us closer to a world where credit never stands between people and their financial progress.

We’re proudly digital-first, giving most Upstarters the flexibility to do their best work from wherever they thrive, alongside teammates across 80+ cities in the US and Canada. Digital-first doesn’t mean distant. We’re intentional about in-person connection through team onsites, planning sessions, and moments that spark creativity and trust. And whether you choose to work primarily from home or collaborate in-person from one of our offices in Columbus, Austin, the Bay Area, or New York City (opening Summer 2026), you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you.

If you’re energized by tackling meaningful problems, excited to innovate with purpose, and motivated by work that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you.

The Team

Upstart’s Information Security team is dedicated to advancing security practices that enhance the safety of our products, customers, and partners. We believe security should empower innovation, move at the speed of the business, and be built in from the ground up. Our mission is to protect Upstart’s products and enterprise while enabling teams to move quickly and safely through strong collaboration, automation, and thoughtful security design.

As a Senior Security Engineer at Upstart, you will be responsible for identifying risk, building controls to mitigate risk, and developing solutions to help Upstarters avoid incurring unnecessary risk. You'll use your skills to lead cross‑functional initiatives, assess business plans and applications, and build software that solves security problems proactively.

Position Location: Remote, San Mateo, Columbus, Austin

Time Zone Requirements: This team operates on the East/West Coast time zones.

Travel Requirements: This team has regular on‑site collaboration sessions. As a digital‑first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to still spend high‑quality time in‑person collaborating via regular onsite sessions. The cadence varies – most teams meet once or twice per quarter for 2‑4 consecutive days at a time.

How you’ll make an impact:

• Architect and build software solutions (Workflows, Services, and internal tools) that accelerate security
• Elevate security maturity across the organization by mentoring engineers, influencing leadership through clear risk metrics, and fostering a culture where security enables innovation
• Continuously improve systems by learning from real‑world signals such as false positives, operational feedback, and evolving threats
• Serve as a senior technical authority during high‑severity incidents, driving root cause analysis and durable architectural improvements

What we’re looking for:

• Minimum requirements:
  • Proven track record of owning security initiatives end to end, including post‑launch validation, monitoring, and iterative improvement
  • Experience performing security reviews (e.g., design reviews, threat modeling, architecture assessments) and driving actionable outcomes
  • Demonstrated ability to identify, investigate, and remediate complex security issues across one or more domains
  • Experience developing code and building services to enhance unique security needs
  • Demonstrated ability to leverage AI‑assisted tools (e.g., code generation, analysis, or investigation tools) to improve productivity while maintaining security and quality standards
• Preferred qualifications:
  • Experience working with diverse data domains (e.g., analytics, reporting, business operations, or people data)
  • Experience assessing security risks in AI/ML systems (e.g., prompt injection, model misuse, data poisoning, access control around models)
  • Experience building applications hosted in a K8s environment
  • Experience with security orchestration tools for automating processes that are adopted beyond a single team
  • Experience partnering with Legal, Risk, Compliance, and Audit teams to operationalize security controls in regulated environments

United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range

$164,800—$228,400 USD

What you’ll love

• Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
• Generous 401(k) plan with Upstart matching $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 per year
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees
• Affordable medical, dental, and vision coverage, with multiple plan options – Upstart covers 90% to 100% of the cost depending on the plans you choose
• Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans
• Income protection benefits, including company‑paid Basic Life, AD&D and Short‑ and Long‑Term Disability coverage, with options to purchase supplemental coverage
• Paid time off, sick and safe time, and company holidays
• Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments
• Family‑centered benefits through Carrot and Cleo, supporting fertility, parenthood, and caregiving
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering mental health support and life‑centered resources
• Financial wellness resources, including access to financial planning tools and a financial concierge service
• Annual wellness allowance to support your physical and emotional well‑being and personal development, based on what matters most to you
• Annual productivity allowance to invest in relevant tools and resources you need to do your best work, no matter where you work from
• Connection and community through team events and onsite, all‑company updates, and employee resource groups (ERGs)
• Onsite perks, including catered lunches and fully stocked micro‑kitchens when working from one of our four offices, located in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus and New York City (opening Summer 2026).

Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Just as we are dedicated to improving access to affordable credit for all, we are committed to inclusive and fair hiring practices.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre‑employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please email [e-mail]