Software Engineer, Security

Cohere; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 325,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Lunch stipend

Health and dental benefits

RRSP matching/401K

Parental leave

Education & learning stipend

6 weeks vacation

Travel to other offices

Job summary

Cohere is seeking a Senior Software Engineer with a security focus to own and ship production security features for North's architecture. You will implement secure authentication, token management, and data protection across Kubernetes deployments, collaborating with cross-functional teams to raise security standards.

You should have 5+ years building user-facing security features, deep OIDC/OAuth and JWT expertise, and hands-on Kubernetes experience.

Qualifications

• 5+ years building user-facing security features in production systems.
• Ship production Python confidently and frequently.
• Deep understanding of OIDC/OAuth 2.0, JWT validation, and token lifecycle management.
• Hands-on Kubernetes experience in development and production.
• Experience across GCP, AWS, Azure, or hybrid/multi-cloud deployments.
• Able to communicate security concepts to non-security engineers and stakeholders.
• Experience with AI/ML systems or LLM-based applications.

Responsibilities

• Software Development: build security features like OIDC/OAuth flows and session management for North's architecture.
• Secure Coding: write secure code for tokens, user claims, and sensitive data with JWT validation.
• Authentication and Data Protection: implement login, token management, and authorization checks.
• Tool Integration: bring in tools to enhance North's security capabilities.
• DevSecOps: design secret management within Kubernetes and RBAC controls.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: communicate security best practices to non-security teams.

Skills

5+ years security features

Python

OIDC/OAuth 2.0

JWT validation

Kubernetes

Multi-cloud (GCP/AWS/Azure)

Security communication

AI/ML systems experience

Tools

Kubernetes

OAuth libraries

CI/CD tooling

Job description

Who are we?

Cohere is the leading security-first enterprise AI company. We build cutting-edge foundation AI models and end-to-end products that are designed to solve real-world business problems.

Who are we?

Cohere is the leading security-first enterprise AI company. We build cutting-edge foundation AI models and end-to-end products that are designed to solve real-world business problems.

We’re training and deploying frontier models for enterprises who are building AI systems. We believe that our work is instrumental to the widespread adoption of AI and we are looking for folks that want to be part of that.

We obsess over what we build. Each one of us is responsible for contributing to increasing the capabilities of our models and the value they drive for our customers. Cohere is a team of researchers, engineers, designers, and more, who are all passionate about their craft.

We are a global technology company headquartered in Toronto with key offices in London, New York City, San Francisco, Montreal, Paris, Berlin and Seoul. Join us!

About The Role

Are you passionate about secure-by-design software engineering? Do you want to be at the forefront of AI innovation and enterprise security? Cohere's North team is seeking a Software Engineer with a focus on security to join our mission and make a significant impact. This isn't a review-and-advise role, you'll own and ship production security features that customers rely on every day.

Your Role

As a Senior Software Engineer with a security focus, you'll play a pivotal role in building and securing North's architecture. Your responsibilities will include:

• Software Development: Contributing to the core development of security features such as OIDC/OAuth flows and session management, ensuring North's AI agents are secure
• Secure Coding: Writing secure code to handle OIDC tokens, user claims, and sensitive data, adhering to best practices for JWT validation and encryption
• Authentication and Data Protection: Implementing authentication mechanisms including user login, token management, and authorization checks to maintain data integrity
• Tool Integration: Pulling in new tools to enhance North's security capabilities
• DevSecOps: Design and implement secret management within Kubernetes clusters, including encryption and RBAC
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Demonstrate strong soft skills to communicate security best practices to stakeholders in a clear and concise manner

You May Be a Good Fit If

• Have 5+ years building user-facing security features in production systems
• Ship production Python confidently and frequently
• Understand OIDC/OAuth 2.0, JWT validation, and token lifecycle management deeply—not just conceptually
• Have hands-on experience with Kubernetes in both development and production environments
• Have worked across GCP, AWS, Azure, or hybrid/multi-cloud deployments
• Are comfortable working across the stack
• Communicate security concepts clearly to non-security engineers and stakeholders
• Thrive in fast-moving environments where priorities evolve
• Experience working with AI/ML systems or LLM-based applications

Full-Time Employees At Cohere Enjoy These Perks

• A weekly lunch stipend of $75/£75 or equivalent in your local currency for lunch.
• Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget for mental health.
• RRSP matching, 401K, Pension Scheme.
• 100% Parental Leave top-up for up to 6 months, for either parent.
• Annual enrichment benefits: Arts & culture, fitness/wellness, quality time, and a workspace improvement credit.
• Education & learning stipend for conferences, courses, and coaching.
• 6 weeks of paid vacation (30 working days!)
• Budget for traveling to other offices if you are remote, plus an annual company offsite.

How And Where We Work

• Cohere is remote-friendly, but we also have offices in Toronto, London, New York City, San Francisco, Montreal, Paris, Berlin and Seoul with more opening soon.
• For those in the office: a daily lunch program, plenty of snacks, and regular community and social events.
• For those not near an office: a co-working benefit so you can work alongside others in your city.
• Everyone receives a $500 home office stipend to set up your workspace properly.

If any of the above doesn’t line up exactly with your experience, we still encourage you to apply.

We strive to create an inclusive work environment for all; we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal opportunities. Should you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please submit an Accommodations Request Form, and we will work together to meet your needs.

We may use AI-enabled tools to screen and assess applicants against the criteria for this position. This helps our recruiters identify potentially qualified candidates, but it doesn't limit the applications our recruiters may review or consider.

Beware of Scams: Cohere will never ask for payment or third-party services (e.g., CV writing) as part of our hiring process. All legitimate roles are listed on the Cohere careers page and LinkedIn only, with all communications from Cohere employees coming from an @cohere.com or @cw.cohere email alias. If jobs are viewed on other sites then please verify these through our official careers page.

Compensation Range: $180K - $325K