Staff AI Security Engineer

Socket.dev; Bellevue (WA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 248,000; Full time

Job summary

Okta is building the future of secure, enterprise-grade AI Agents. We seek a Staff AI Security Engineer to define the technical vision, architecture, and hands-on controls for AI models and autonomous systems.

You will mentor engineers and partner with cross-functional teams to create secure, scalable security infrastructure. You will drive security architecture for enterprise AI deployments, lead threat modeling, and develop reusable security patterns for rapid, safe AI feature delivery across

Qualifications

• AI security expertise and knowledge of the AI threat landscape.
• 8+ years of security engineering or backend software development.
• Proficient in Python or Go with hands-on cloud experience.
• Experience securing agentic frameworks and sandboxed environments.
• Ability to design scalable cloud infrastructure and API security.
• Track record of building developer-first security tools.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Design enterprise AI guardrails and controls for agentic workflows.
• Establish security architectures for local and hosted agents.
• Develop secure design patterns and developer tools.
• Lead threat modeling and security reviews.
• Build systems to discover and assess AI usage and data flows.
• Design and operate internal AI security platforms; mentor teams.

Skills

AI security expertise

Backend software development

Python or Go

Cloud platforms (AWS/GCP)

Security architecture

Threat modeling

Mentoring / technical leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Security, or equivalent

Tools

LangChain

Strands

Claude Agent SDK

Sandboxed environments

Job description

Secure Every Identity, from AI to Human

Identity is the key to unlocking the potential of AI. Okta secures AI by building the trusted, neutral infrastructure that enables organizations to safely embrace this new era. This work requires a relentless drive to solve complex challenges with real-world stakes. We are looking for builders and owners who operate with speed and urgency and execute with excellence.

This is an opportunity to do career-defining work. We're all in on this mission. If you are too, let's talk.

The Staff AI Security Engineer Opportunity

Identity is the key to unlocking the potential of AI. Okta secures AI by building the trusted, neutral infrastructure that enables organizations to safely embrace this new era. This work requires a relentless drive to solve complex challenges with real-world stakes. We are looking for builders and owners who operate with speed and urgency and execute with excellence.

This is an opportunity to do career-defining work. We're all in on this mission. If you are too, let's talk.

At Okta, we’re building the future of secure, enterprise-grade AI Agents. We’re looking for a Staff AI Security Engineer to join our dedicated Security team. In this role, you will define the technical vision, architecture, and hands‑on security controls for AI models, agentic workflows, and autonomous systems across Okta. This is a senior individual contributor role for a hands‑on engineer who can design scalable AI security infrastructure, mentor engineers, and partner with cross‑functional teams to build secure \"paved roads\" for AI innovation.

What you’ll be doing

• Secure AI Implementations: Design and deploy enterprise AI guardrails, gateways, and other controls to protect our agentic workflows from emerging threats


• Agent Hardening & Sandboxing: Establish security architectures for local and hosted agents to mitigate tool-calling, prompt injection, goal misalignment, and data exfiltration risks.


• Define Paved Roads & Security Standards: Develop secure design patterns and developer tools that allow engineering teams to build and deploy AI features safely and quickly.


• Threat Modeling for AI Workflows: Lead threat modeling and security reviews for agentic AI systems, enterprise deployments, and agent ecosystems.


• AI Discovery & Visibility: Build systems to discover, inventory, and assess AI usage and data flows across the enterprise


• Agentic Platform Infrastructure: Design and operate internal AI security platforms and develop integrated AI capabilities that automate complex security operations.


• Technical Leadership & Mentorship: Drive technical alignment across product, security, and infrastructure teams. Mentor engineers and security practitioners across domains

What you’ll bring to the role

• AI Security Expertise: Deep knowledge of the AI threat landscape, including OWASP, MITRE ATLAS, NIST AI RMF with practical experience prompt injection, excessive agency, and other AI-related threats.


• Software Engineering: 8+ years of experience in security engineering or backend software development, with strong coding proficiency in Python or Go and hands‑on cloud experience.


• Agentic Framework Knowledge: Experience securing or auditing agentic frameworks (such as LangChain, Strands, Claude Agent SDK, or custom tool-calling agents) operating within sandboxed environments.


• Architectural Expertise: Proven ability to design scalable cloud infrastructure (AWS/GCP), API gateways, proxy architectures, and access controls for enterprise systems.


• Paved Road Construction: Track record of building developer‑first security tools and platform controls that maintain engineering velocity.


• Technical Leadership: Strong communication skills with a history of driving technical strategy, influencing engineering leaders, and mentoring engineers.


• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Security, or equivalent practical experience

#LI-SM1

#LI-Hybrid

The annual base salary range for this position for candidates located in the San Francisco Bay area is between: $180,000 — $247,500 USD

Below is the annual base salary range for candidates located in California (excluding San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado, Illinois, New York and Washington. Your actual base salary will depend on factors such as your skills, qualifications, experience, and work location. In addition, Okta offers equity (where applicable), bonus, and benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), flexible spending account, and paid leave (including PTO and parental leave) in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. To learn more about our Total Rewards program please visit: https://rewards.okta.com/us.

The annual base salary range for this position for candidates located in California (excluding San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Washington is between: $161,000 — $221,000 USD

The Okta Experience

• Supporting Your Well-Being


• Driving Social Impact


• Developing Talent and Fostering Connection + Community

We are intentional about connection. Our global community, spanning over 20 offices worldwide, is united by a drive to innovate. Your journey begins with an immersive, in‑person onboarding experience designed to accelerate your impact and connect you to our mission and team from day one. Okta is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, or status as a protected veteran. We also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and convictions records, consistent with applicable laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to complete any part of the job application, interview process, or onboarding please use this Form to request an accommodation. Notice for New York City Applicants & Employees: Okta may use Automated Employment Decision Tools (AEDT), as defined by New York City Local Law 144, that use artificial intelligence, machine learning, or other automated processes to assist in our recruitment and hiring process. In accordance with NYC Local Law 144, if you are an applicant or employee residing in New York City, please click here to view our full NYC AEDT Notice.