Software Engineer, Security & Privacy

Kira Learning.Com; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Flexible PTO

Equity

Job summary

Kira Learning seeks a Security Engineer to safeguard student data and secure backend systems. You will architect, design and write secure backend services handling sensitive educational data, with a focus on authentication, authorization, and encrypted storage.

The role is full-time, hybrid with offices in New York or San Francisco; you will collaborate with cross-functional and international teams to implement security best practices across the SDLC.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or equivalent technical experience.
• 6+ years of software engineering experience with focus on data protection and privacy.
• Experience with Java, JavaScript/TypeScript and/or React.
• Knowledge of AWS security services and CDK configurations for secure production environments.
• Strong knowledge of encryption technologies and authentication protocols.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain secure software for core platform functionalities, focusing on authentication and authorization systems.
• Implement data handling policies compliant with FERPA, COPPA, and international regulations.
• Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments of systems and integrations.
• Translate legal requirements into technical solutions and ensure secure AI hosting and development.

Skills

Java

JavaScript

TypeScript

React

AWS security

CDK

Security frameworks

Encryption

Data privacy

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or Information Security

Masters preferred

Tools

None specified

Job description

About Kira Learning

We live in a world where technology is rapidly changing the educational experiences of students and teachers everywhere, and we have the opportunity to shape how this change takes place. It is Kira Learning’s mission to harness transformative AI technologies to make world-class teaching and learning accessible to everyone.

Kira is a rapidly growing startup backed by top‑tier Venture Capital funds including New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Andrew Ng’s AI Fund.

About the Role

As a security engineer at Kira, you will play a crucial role in safeguarding sensitive K‑12 student data within our platform and you will help ensure that our database architecture, infrastructure, codebase and development practices are secure and reliable for all of our users. This role is perfect for someone who is passionate about the intersection of systems, privacy, and data security. You will architect, design and write backend systems for handling some of the most sensitive data in the education space.

This is a full‑time position that requires flexibility with work hours and availability outside of regular business hours. We have offices in San Francisco, CA and New York City, NY and we ask that employees work from one of the two locations.

Location

New York, NY or San Francisco, CA

This is a hybrid role, reporting to the office four days per week. Each person may work from home one day per week on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

Responsibilities, Qualifications, and Benefits

• Design, develop, and maintain secure software for core platform functionalities, particularly focusing on authentication and authorization systems, secure communication channels between services (e.g., API security), and secure data storage and access controls.
• Develop and implement data handling policies and procedures in compliance with legal and ethical standards such as FERPA, COPPA and international regulations, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of user data.
• Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments of our systems and third‑party integrations.
• Translate legal requirements into technical solutions.
• Ensure our AI applications are hosted and developed with proper security measures in mind.
• Collaborate with engineers to ensure security best practices are integrated throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Implement and manage encryption protocols for data at rest and in transit.
• Design and oversee secure data migration processes between systems.
• Develop and maintain incident response plans for potential data breaches.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or equivalent technical experience. Masters preferred.
• 6+ years of experience in software engineering, with a focus on data protection and privacy.
• Knowledge developing and debugging in Java, Javascript, Typescript and/or React.
• Knowledge of AWS security services and CDK configurations and features for secure production environments.
• Strong knowledge of security frameworks, encryption technologies, and authentication protocols.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to collaborate with cross‑functional teams.
• Demonstrated capacity to clearly and concisely communicate about complex technical, architectural, and/or organizational problems, including to non‑technical employees, and propose thorough iterative solutions.
• Take responsibility for problems from beginning to end, and are prepared to acquire any missing knowledge necessary to get the job done.
• Ability to be nimble, scrappy and adaptable. Can roll with the punches and thrive in a fast‑paced, early‑stage startup environment.
• A positive, can‑do attitude. You’re not deterred by minor setbacks and are able to swiftly overcome ambiguity.
• (Preferred) Experience working with international engineering teams across time zones.
• Competitive compensation and equity. For applicants in the US, the salary range for this role is $170,000 – $230,000, depending on relevant considerations like professional experience and related skill sets.
• Medical, dental, vision, including a medical insurance plan with 100% coverage of employee premiums.
• Flexible PTO policy and company holidays.
• And more to come!

Background Check

Kira Learning will make a conditional job offer in line with local, state and federal laws, and a subsequent criminal, education, and employment history background check will then be issued.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

At Kira Learning, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Kira believes that diversity and inclusion among our employees are critical to our success as a company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. Selection for employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.