Staff Engineer - Platform Security Engineering – Encryption and Tokenization

Government Employees Insurance Company; Bethesda (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

GEICO is seeking a Staff Engineer – Platform Security Engineering specializing in Encryption and Tokenization to design, implement, and maintain a robust data-protection platform. You will lead the creation of secure components, collaborate with multiple teams to meet regulatory requirements, and drive architectural decisions for scalable cryptographic solutions.

The role emphasizes security-first engineering, reliable production services, and mentorship across the team, with opportunities to

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of cryptographic encryption, tokenization, and Key Management Systems (KMS).
• Experience designing secure, scalable data protection solutions using open-source cryptography libraries and protocols (e.g., FPE, AEAD).
• Strong software engineering skills, with experience building production grade services (Go preferred).
• Working knowledge of key management technologies and libraries, such as Google Tink, PKCS#11, JCE, and OpenSSL.
• Experience operating stateful systems such as PostgreSQL, including replication and reliability considerations.
• Proven problem-solving skills with a security first mindset and proactive approach to risk mitigation.
• Experience applying site reliability engineering (SRE) practices, including monitoring, alerting, and incident response (Grafana, Prometheus, Open Telemetry, eBPF).
• Experience building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure as code (e.g., Bazel, Terraform, Argo CD/Workflows/Rollouts).
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to engineers and partner teams.
• Familiarity with hardware security modules (HSMs) and cryptography standards.
• Experience: 6+ years of experience in security or software engineering with a focus on encryption, tokenization, key management, or cryptography.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and evolution of encryption, tokenization, and key management solutions within a defined platform or product domain.
• Drive hands-on implementation of secure data protection capabilities, contributing directly to production-ready systems while setting technical direction for the team.
• Ensure the quality, reliability, and operational excellence of encryption and tokenization services, including high availability, disaster recovery, observability, and auditable logging.
• Partner closely with compliance, security, data governance, and application teams to ensure cryptographic solutions align with company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to architectural decisions by proposing scalable, resilient designs for key management systems and data protection workflows.
• Apply knowledge of modern cryptography trends and standards to improve platform security and inform technical decisions.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to engineers on the team, helping raise the bar on secure coding, design quality, and operational practices.
• Collaborate with product and engineering stakeholders to integrate encryption and tokenization solutions that support business and platform goals.
• Identify opportunities to improve performance, cost efficiency, and developer experience within the encryption and key management ecosystem.

Skills

cryptographic encryption

tokenization

Key Management Systems

Go

PostgreSQL

SRE practices

CI/CD pipelines

infrastructure as code

communication skills

cryptography standards

HSMs

cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science or equivalent

Tools

Google Tink

PKCS#11

JCE

OpenSSL

Bazel

Terraform

Argo CD/Workflows/Rollouts

Grafana

Prometheus

Open Telemetry

eBPF

Job description

Why Join GEICO? At GEICO, we offer a rewarding career where your ambitions are met with endless possibilities. Every day we honor our iconic brand by offering quality coverage to millions of customers and being there when they need us most. We thrive on relentless innovation to exceed our customers' expectations while making a real impact on local communities nationwide. Founded in 1936, GEICO is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and one of the largest auto insurers in the United States. When you join our company, we want you to feel valued, supported, and proud to work here. That’s why we offer the GEICO Pledge: Great Company, Great Culture, Great Rewards, and Great Careers. GEICO’sPlatform Security Engineering organization has an exciting opportunity for an accomplishedStaff Engineer – Platform Security Engineering – Encryption and Tokenization. This individual will be crucial in the design, implementation, and maintenance of a robust Encryption and Tokenization platform, ensuring the protection of sensitive data throughout the organization.

Position Description

As a Staff Engineer, you will work closely with engineers and partner teams to design, build, and evolve secure data protection platforms, enhancing existing systems and applying your expertise in encryption and tokenization to solve complex technical problems. You will lead the design and delivery of key components within the platform security domain, contributing directly to production‑ready implementations while helping shape technical direction, execution plans, and engineering practices that enable reliable product delivery and support new platform capabilities.

Position Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and evolution of encryption, tokenization, and key management solutions within a defined platform or product domain.
• Drive hands‑on implementation of secure data protection capabilities, contributing directly to production‑ready systems while setting technical direction for the team.
• Ensure the quality, reliability, and operational excellence of encryption and tokenization services, including high availability, disaster recovery, observability, and auditable logging.
• Partner closely with compliance, security, data governance, and application teams to ensure cryptographic solutions align with company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to architectural decisions by proposing scalable, resilient designs for key management systems and data protection workflows.
• Apply knowledge of modern cryptography trends and standards to improve platform security and inform technical decisions.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to engineers on the team, helping raise the bar on secure coding, design quality, and operational practices.
• Collaborate with product and engineering stakeholders to integrate encryption and tokenization solutions that support business and platform goals.
• Identify opportunities to improve performance, cost efficiency, and developer experience within the encryption and key management ecosystem.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of cryptographic encryption, tokenization, and Key Management Systems (KMS).
• Experience designing and implementing secure, scalable solutions for data at rest encryption, using open-source cryptographic libraries and protocols (e.g., FPE, AEAD).
• Strong software engineering skills, with experience building production grade services (Go preferred).
• Working knowledge of key management technologies and libraries, such as Google Tink, PKCS#11, JCE, and OpenSSL.
• Experience operating stateful systems such as PostgreSQL, including replication and reliability considerations.
• Proven problem-solving skills with a security first mindset and proactive approach to risk mitigation.
• Experience applying site reliability engineering (SRE) practices, including monitoring, alerting, and incident response (Grafana, Prometheus, Open Telemetry, eBPF).
• Experience building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure as code (e.g., Bazel, Terraform, Argo CD/Workflows/Rollouts).
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to engineers and partner teams.
• Familiarity with hardware security modules (HSMs) and cryptography standards.
• Experience: 6+ yearsof experience in security or software engineering with a focus onencryption, tokenization, key management, or cryptography.
• Experience: 3+ yearsof experience contributing to system design, architecture, and security focused solutions.focused solutions.
• Experience: Experience working withopensource security or cryptography frameworks.source security or cryptography frameworks.
• Experience: Building and operating systems incloud environments(AWS, GCP, Azure preferred).
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, or equivalent work experience with a focus on security and cryptography.

Annual Salary $110,000.00 - $230,000.00 The above annual salary range is a general guideline. Multiple factors are taken into consideration to arrive at the final hourly rate/ annual salary to be offered to the selected candidate. Factors include, but are not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, the selected candidate’s work experience, education and training, the work location as well as market and business considerations. GEICO will consider sponsoring a new qualified applicant for employment authorization for this position.

The GEICO Pledge: Great Company: Protecting customers through life’s twists and turns with innovation and integrity. Great Careers: Personalized development programs, mentorship, and certification assistance. Great Culture: Inclusive and collaborative culture rooted in shared success. Great Rewards: Competitive pay, benefits, and flexibility to support your well-being and future.

The equal employment opportunity policy of the GEICO Companies provides for a fair and equal employment opportunity for all associates and job applicants regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, familial status, disability or genetic information, in compliance with applicable federal, state and local law. GEICO hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. GEICO reasonably accommodates qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to receive equal employment opportunity and/or perform the essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship to the Company. This applies to all applicants and associates. GEICO also provides a work environment in which each associate is able to be productive and work to the best of their ability. We do not condone or tolerate an atmosphere of intimidation or harassment. We expect and require the cooperation of all associates in maintaining an atmosphere free from discrimination and harassment with mutual respect by and for all associates and applicants.

At GEICO,we offer a rewarding career where your ambitions are met with endless possibilities. Every day we honor our iconic brand by offering quality coverage to millions of customers and being there when they need us most. We thrive on relentless innovation to exceed our customers' expectations while making a real impact on local communities nationwide. Founded in 1936, GEICO is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and one of the largest auto insurers in the United States.

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