Data Protection Jobs in Irvine, CA (NOW HIRING)

ABOUT THE TEAM
Anduril builds and operates the systems that protect our most sensitive work. We're a small, high-trust group with an outsized mandate - and this role is the first of its kind on the team, giving you the latitude to define data protection for Classified Systems from the ground up.
ABOUT THE JOB
As a Senior Data Protection Engineer on our Classified Systems team, you'll own how sensitive data is protected across some of the most secure environments in the country. This is an architecture-and-practice-building role: you'll dive deep into our environment, design the data protection architecture for Classified Systems, and work side by side with stakeholders and engineers to execute it - implementing the policies, controls, and processes that keep classified data handled correctly end to end.
This role is mission critical and broad in scope. You'll define how data protection and handling works as a practice - establishing the logical and physical controls, the processes, and the day-to-day standards that the rest of the organization relies on. Along the way you'll build the end-to-end solution, including the mitigations and automation that reduce risk and handle data spillages when they occur. If you want work that genuinely matters, gives you a blank canvas to architect from, and the mandate to see it through to execution, this is it.
WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Start by diving into our Classified Systems environment - mapping how sensitive data is created, stored, moved, and accessed today, and identifying where protection is needed most.
• Design the data protection architecture for Classified Systems - the controls, data flows, and safeguards that protect sensitive information end to end - and partner with stakeholders and engineers across our teams to execute it.
• Define the policies, processes, and standards for data protection and handling - both logical (access controls, classification, monitoring) and physical (storage, transport, and destruction of media) - and build the practice that operationalizes them.
• Deliver an end-to-end solution complete with mitigation - including the automation and incident response needed to handle data spillages and other data-protection events when they arise. Over time, you'll have the mandate to define how data protection at this scale should work, not just keep pace with it.

In this role, you will:

• Assess the Classified Systems environment and design a data protection architecture that secures sensitive data across its full lifecycle.
• Partner with stakeholders and engineers across our teams to execute the architecture and implement controls and policies - both logical (access, classification, monitoring) and physical (storage, transport, destruction of media).
• Define the processes and standards for data protection and handling and develop the practice that operationalizes them across the organization.
• Deliver an end-to-end solution complete with mitigation - including incident response and automation to handle data spillages and sensitive removal requests - while maintaining compliance obligations across security, legal, and customer-facing teams.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Active Top Secret/SCI security clearance (required; candidates must currently hold this clearance).
• 7+ years of experience spanning security engineering and security architecture, with a track record of both designing solutions and building them hands-on in production environments.
• Demonstrated experience both designing and implementing data protection or security architectures across diverse environments - endpoints, file shares, cloud storage, collaboration tools, and on-prem systems.
• Proficiency in scripting and automation (e.g., Python, PowerShell, Bash) to implement controls and operationalize data protection at scale.
• Deep understanding of data classification, handling, and lifecycle protection - including both logical and physical controls - in a classified or regulated environment.
• Proven ability to lead architecture and process work end to end in ambiguous, greenfield settings - setting technical direction, aligning stakeholders and engineers, and influencing without formal authority.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience supporting classified programs or working within a U.S. government / defense contractor security environment.
• Experience applying security and data governance frameworks (e.g., NIST 800-53/800-171, CMMC, zero-trust) to architecture and policy decisions.
• Experience designing and deploying data protection controls (e.g., DLP, encryption, access governance) and the detections that monitor them.
• Working knowledge of endpoint detection and response (EDR), DLP tooling, and cloud security posture.
• Experience standing up a new security or data protection practice and driving it across a cross-functional organization.
• Experience mentoring engineers and setting technical standards that outlast any single project.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISSP-ISSAP, CCSP, Security+, or equivalent architecture/governance credentials).

Clearance & Logistics
Because this role operates on classified systems, the following conditions apply:

• On-site work is required; this role cannot be performed remotely. Ability to obtain additional accesses (e.g., polygraph) may be required.
• Must be a U.S. citizen and able to meet all program access and eligibility requirements.
• Occasional on-call availability may be required to support time-sensitive data protection events.