Staff Engineer, Cloud Security

Toast, Inc.; United States; Hybrid; USD 151,000 - 309,000; Full time

Job summary

Toast, Inc. is seeking a Staff Engineer, Cloud Security to shape the security direction of Toast's cloud platform. You will build and operate tooling, mentor engineers, and influence roadmaps across R&D. The role is hands-on with leadership responsibilities in AWS environments and CNAPP/CSPM programs.

Join a security-focused team that collaborates with Platform, Infrastructure, and product engineering to reduce risk through design, automation, and secure defaults in pipelines and deployments.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in security engineering with cloud focus.
• Deep AWS security experience at scale (IAM, Organizations, networking, logging).
• Experience deploying CNAPP or CSPM tooling (Orca, Wiz, Upwind).
• Experience container security (EKS) and Kubernetes security.
• Threat modeling and architecture reviews for cloud services.
• Security incident response in cloud environments.
• Proficiency with IaC (Terraform) and automation languages (Python/Go).
• Track record leading cross-team initiatives and multi-year security roadmaps.
• Clear written and verbal communication of risk and tradeoffs to engineers and leaders.

Responsibilities

• Own and operate CNAPP, tuning coverage, integrations, and turning findings into prioritized work for engineering teams.
• Lead CSPM across AWS organization and accounts, defining standards and measuring adherence.
• Drive IAM improvements, least privilege, and reducing standing access.
• Secure container environments, including image, workload security, and runtime protection.
• Build secure defaults into infrastructure as code and deployment pipelines.
• Perform secure architecture reviews and threat modeling for cloud services.
• Partner with SOC on cloud detection, logging, and investigation readiness.
• Run cloud vulnerability and misconfiguration remediation programs with engineering owners.
• Participate in security incident response, including on-call coverage and investigations.
• Set multi-year cloud security direction and mentor engineers on the team.
• Build relationships with Platform, Infrastructure, and product leaders to influence priorities.

Skills

AWS cloud security

CNAPP tooling

CSPM platforms

IAM / least privilege

Kubernetes security

Threat modeling

Security incident response

Infrastructure as code

Python or Go

Leadership without authority

Tools

Orca

Wiz

Upwind

EKS

Job description

Toast creates technology to help restaurants and local businesses succeed in a digital world, helping business owners operate, increase sales, engage customers, and keep employees happy.

The Product & Platform Security team at Toast protects the cloud infrastructure and services that restaurants depend on every day. We are looking for a Staff Engineer, Cloud Security to expand the scope and coverage of our cloud security capabilities. You will join an existing cloud security team and take a role in setting direction for how Toast secures its cloud environments. This is a hands-on role with technical leadership responsibilities: you will build and operate security tooling and controls yourself, while also shaping strategy, mentoring teammates, and influencing the roadmaps of engineering teams across R&D.

Our footprint is primarily AWS. You will work closely with Platform and Infrastructure teams in R&D, and with Defense & Response and other Security Engineering teams within Trust & Security.

A day in the life (Responsibilities)

• Own and operate our Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP), including tuning, coverage, integrations, and turning findings into prioritized, actionable work for engineering teams.
• Lead cloud security posture management (CSPM) across our AWS organization and accounts, defining standards and measuring adherence over time.
• Drive identity and access management improvements, including least privilege, role and permission design, and reducing standing access.
• Secure our container environments, from image and workload security to cluster configuration and runtime protection.
• Build guardrails and secure defaults into infrastructure as code and deployment pipelines, so that teams get secure configurations by default rather than through review.
• Perform secure architecture reviews and threat modeling for new and existing cloud services and platform capabilities.
• Partner with our SOC on cloud detection coverage, logging, and investigation readiness.
• Run and improve cloud vulnerability and misconfiguration remediation programs, working with engineering owners to drive risk down.
• Participate in security incident response, including on-call coverage, and lead the cloud side of investigations and follow-up work.
• Set the multi-year direction for cloud security at Toast, and mentor and uplevel other engineers on the team.
• Build trusted relationships with Platform, Infrastructure, and product engineering leaders, and influence their priorities through data and clear risk communication.

What you’ll need to thrive (Requirements)

• 8+ years of experience in security engineering, infrastructure, or software engineering, with significant time focused on cloud security.
• Deep, hands-on experience securing AWS environments at scale, including IAM, Organizations, networking, logging, and core security services.
• Experience deploying and operating cloud security tooling, such as CNAPP or CSPM platforms (for example Orca, Wiz, or Upwind).
• Experience with container and Kubernetes security (for example EKS).
• Experience performing threat modeling and security architecture reviews for cloud services and platform capabilities.
• Experience responding to security incidents in cloud environments.
• Proficiency with infrastructure as code (for example Terraform) and in at least one programming language used for automation (for example Python or Go).
• A track record of leading cross-team technical initiatives and influencing engineering teams without direct authority.
• History of setting technical direction for a security domain, including a multi-year roadmap and the decisions behind it
• Clear written and verbal communication, including explaining risk and tradeoffs to engineers and leaders.

What will help you stand out (Nonessentials/Nice to Haves)

• Experience with GCP, Azure, or other cloud platforms.
• Experience with cloud detection engineering or incident response in cloud environments.
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks relevant to payments and SaaS, such as PCI DSS or SOC 2.
• Relevant certifications, such as AWS Certified Security Specialty or CCSP.
• Experience mentoring engineers or growing a security function.

AI at Toast

At Toast, one of our company values is that we're hungry to build and learn. We believe learning new AI tools empowers us to build for our customers faster, more independently, and with higher quality. We provide these tools across all disciplines, from Engineering and Product to Sales and Support, and are inspired by how our Toasters are already driving real value with them. The people who thrive here are those who embrace changes that let us build more for our customers; it’s a core part of our culture.

Our Total Rewards Philosophy

We strive to provide competitive compensation and benefits programs that help to attract, retain, and motivate the best and brightest people in our industry. Our total rewards package goes beyond great earnings potential and provides the means to a healthy lifestyle with the flexibility to meet Toasters’ changing needs. Learn more about our benefits at https://careers.toasttab.com/toast-benefits.

The base salary range for this role is listed below. The starting salary will be determined based on skills, experience, and geographic location. In addition to base salary, our total rewards components include cash compensation (overtime, bonus/commissions if eligible), equity, and benefits. You can learn more about how we align pay with local labor markets in our Geographic Pay Zone Philosophy.

• Zone A $193,000-309,000 USD
• Zone B $168,000-269,000 USD
• Zone C $151,000-242,000 USD

How Toast Uses AI in its Hiring Process

Throughout the hiring process, our goal is to get to know you. We use AI tools to support our recruiters and interviewers with tasks like note-taking, summarization, and documentation of interviews to ensure they can be fully focused on your conversation. All hiring decisions are made by people. We ask that you complete interviews and assessments on your own, without real-time AI tools, recording, or transcription bots, unless we tell you otherwise in advance. To learn more: https://careers.toasttab.com/ai-in-hiring

Our Approach to Hybrid Working

We embrace a hybrid work model that fosters in-person collaboration while valuing individual needs. Our goal is to build a strong culture of connection as we work together to empower the hospitality community, regardless of location. Please visit the Locations page on our career site to learn more about our in-office expectations by region: https://careers.toasttab.com/locations-toast

People Are the Secret Ingredient in Our Recipe for Success

At Toast, our employees are our secret ingredient—when they thrive, we thrive. The restaurant industry brings together people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, and we value that same breadth at Toast. We strive to build a culture grounded in authenticity, respect, and humility, where every Toaster has a real opportunity to grow, contribute, and do their best work—raising the bar in delivering exceptional experiences for our customers and each other.

For roles in the United States, it is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.