Staff Application Security Engineer

Ladders; United States; Remote; USD 225,000 - 282,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity options

Company bonuses

401(k) plan with company matching

10+ paid holidays and flexible PTO

Parental leave

Comprehensive medical, dental, and VIS

Job summary

Ladders is seeking a Staff Application Security Engineer to define and execute a long-term strategy strengthening the software development lifecycle across engineering, product, and platform teams. The role emphasizes secure design decisions in a high-scale environment and expanding security into AI-enabled systems.

The position offers remote US-based work with competitive compensation and equity options. You will mentor engineers, drive secure-by-default components, and leverage automation to

Qualifications

• 10+ years in software engineering or application security.
• Expertise in code review, pentesting, and exploit development.
• Deep knowledge of secure architecture and authentication patterns.
• Hands-on experience securing AI-powered systems and an understanding of AI impact on security.
• Ability to influence stakeholders without formal authority.

Responsibilities

• Lead the multi-year application security strategy and translate it into actionable initiatives across teams.
• Shape roadmaps for Engineering, Product, and Platform to integrate security early in the development process.
• Establish secure design and code review standards for the department and adjacent teams.
• Mentor senior engineers and security champions to strengthen the program's resilience.
• Conduct security architecture reviews and threat modeling for complex, high-scale systems.
• Drive the adoption of secure-by-default building blocks to prevent common vulnerabilities.
• Use AI and automation to improve application security processes and increase efficiency across teams.

Skills

Ruby on Rails

Python

Tools

Ruby on Rails

Python

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Staff Application Security Engineer to join the team of a leader in the Business Services space.
This role will help define and execute a long-term application security strategy that strengthens the software development lifecycle across engineering, product, and platform teams. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical expertise, sound risk judgment, and the ability to influence secure design decisions in a complex, high-scale environment. This position will also help expand security best practices into AI-enabled systems while improving efficiency through automation and practical security tooling.
Location: Remote - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available
Compensation: $225,400 – $281,800 annually

Responsibilities

• Lead the multi-year application security strategy and translate it into actionable initiatives across teams
• Shape roadmaps for Engineering, Product, and Platform to integrate security early in the development process
• Establish secure design and code review standards for the department and adjacent teams
• Mentor senior engineers and security champions to strengthen the application security program's resilience
• Conduct security architecture reviews and threat modeling for complex, high-scale systems
• Drive the adoption of secure-by-default building blocks to prevent common vulnerabilities
• Use AI and automation to improve application security processes and increase efficiency across teams

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering or application security, with a proven track record leading application security strategy
• Expertise in code review, penetration testing, and exploit development, particularly in unfamiliar codebases
• Strong software development skills, especially in Ruby on Rails; Python experience is a plus
• Deep knowledge of secure architecture and authentication patterns, with experience building security building blocks
• Hands-on experience securing AI-powered systems and a clear perspective on AI's impact on application security
• Ability to make difficult risk decisions and influence stakeholders without formal authority

Benefits

• Equity options and company bonuses
• 401(k) plan with company matching
• At least 10 paid holidays and flexible PTO
• Parental leave and employee assistance programs
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Global travel coverage and life/AD&D/STD/LTD insurance

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.