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Principal Security Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

As our Principal Security Engineer, you will be the primary security authority across the entire platformspanning infrastructure, runtimes, APIs, model lifecycle, and customer-facing services.

We are seeking a Principal Security Engineer to join our team and lead the evolution of AI cybersecurity defense, including incident response strategy and AI-driven security automation. As a senior ...

$140K - $240K/yr

We\'re hiring a Principal Security Engineer to lead product security across the platform. Your job is to make security a property of the architecture itself, not a control bolted on afterward, across ...

Role Summary We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Security Engineer to oversee the strategy, engineering, and modernization of the organization''s global firewall infrastructure. This senior ...

The Principal Security Engineer provides technical leadership in defining architecture, standards, and strategy for securing enterprise and managed services platforms, ensuring security is embedded ...

The Principal Security Engineer will provide technical leadership in security, defining architecture and standards while ensuring security is integrated into platform design and operations as the ...

Block is a company focused on economic empowerment, and they are seeking a Principal Security Engineer to lead software security initiatives. The role involves setting technical strategies, driving ...

Principal Security Engineer

Englewood, CO · On-site

$180K - $220K/yr

As Principal Security Architect, you'll own the technical security strategy across our enterprise IT and SaaS environments, partnering closely with engineering, infrastructure, product security, and ...

The Role As a Principal Security Engineer focused on Software Security Engineering at Block, you will be a technical leader reporting to the CISO responsible for setting the bar for security ...

Role Summary The Principal Security Engineer provides technical leadership across the security domain, defining architecture, standards, and strategy for securing enterprise and managed services ...

As a Principal Security Engineer at JPMorganChase within the Cybersecurity and Technology Controls organization, you lead at least one technical area with a security engineering focus, and drive ...

Principal Security Engineer

Natick, MA · On-site

$160K - $209K/yr

Learn More: We're looking for a hands-on, highly collaborative Principal Security Engineer to secure our software delivery pipeline. You'll take ownership of protecting our CI/CD processes ...

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Principal Security Engineer information

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$74K

$147.2K

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How much do principal security engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal security engineer in the United States is $147,220.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,500.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by Principal Security Engineers in aligning security initiatives with business objectives?

Principal Security Engineers often encounter the challenge of balancing robust security measures with the need for business agility and growth. They must effectively communicate technical risks to non-technical stakeholders and advocate for security investments without hindering innovation or productivity. This role requires a proactive approach to integrating security early in the development lifecycle, collaborating closely with product, engineering, and executive teams to ensure that security strategies support overall business goals while mitigating threats.

What are Principal Security Engineers?

Principal Security Engineers are senior-level professionals responsible for overseeing the security architecture and strategy of an organization’s information systems. They lead the design, implementation, and maintenance of security protocols, ensuring compliance with industry standards and protecting against cyber threats. These engineers often mentor junior staff, conduct risk assessments, and collaborate with other departments to align security measures with business goals. Their expertise is critical for safeguarding sensitive data and ensuring the overall cybersecurity posture of the organization.

What is the difference between Principal Security Engineer vs Security Architect?

AspectPrincipal Security EngineerSecurity Architect
Required CredentialsCertifications like CISSP, CISM, CEH; Bachelor's or Master's in Cybersecurity or related fieldsSimilar certifications; often holds CISSP, SABSA, or TOGAF; background in security design
Work EnvironmentHands-on security implementation, incident response, vulnerability assessmentsDesigning security frameworks, creating security architecture, strategic planning
Employer & Industry UsageUsed across tech, finance, healthcare; focuses on security operationsCommon in large enterprises, consulting firms; focuses on security design
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding roles, responsibilities, career pathsDesigning security solutions, architecture planning

While both roles require strong cybersecurity credentials and involve security strategies, the Principal Security Engineer is more hands-on with security operations and incident response. In contrast, the Security Architect focuses on designing security frameworks and architecture to protect organizational assets.

Can you make $500,000 a year in cyber security?

Principal Security Engineers with extensive experience, advanced certifications, and expertise in areas like cloud security or threat management can potentially earn $500,000 or more annually, especially in high-cost-of-living regions or senior leadership roles. Achieving this level often requires a combination of technical skill, strategic responsibility, and industry reputation.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Principal Security Engineers and other senior cybersecurity professionals often earn $300,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced certifications like CISSP or CISM, and expertise in areas such as cloud security, threat management, or security architecture. Compensation varies by industry, location, and company size, with senior roles in high-demand sectors typically reaching or exceeding this level.

What does a principal security engineer do?

A principal security engineer designs, implements, and manages security systems to protect an organization’s information assets. They lead security initiatives, conduct risk assessments, and develop policies, often utilizing tools like intrusion detection systems and security frameworks. This role typically requires advanced knowledge of cybersecurity principles and relevant certifications such as CISSP or CISM.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Principal Security Engineer, and why are they important?

To excel as a Principal Security Engineer, you need deep expertise in cybersecurity principles, risk management, and network/system architecture, often backed by a degree in computer science or a related field and extensive industry experience. Familiarity with tools such as SIEM platforms, vulnerability scanners, incident response systems, and certifications like CISSP or OSCP is typically required. Exceptional problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills set individuals apart in this role. These skills ensure robust security strategies, effective team guidance, and the ability to address complex threats in dynamic enterprise environments.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

A Principal Security Engineer can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced certifications, and leadership responsibilities in cybersecurity. High compensation often reflects expertise in areas like threat management, security architecture, and the use of specialized tools, typically in large organizations or high-demand sectors.
More about Principal Security Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Principal Security Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Principal Security Engineer job openings:
What states have the most Principal Security Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Principal Security Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Principal Security Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Security Engineer jobs are:
Infographic showing various Principal Security Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,220 per year, or $70.8 per hour.

Principal Security Engineer

Akamai

Cambridge, MA • On-site, Remote

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 29 days ago


Job description

Do you want to own the security posture of a globally distributed AI inference platform from the ground up?

Are you driven to solve security challenges that span traditional infrastructure and the emerging AI threat landscape?

Join the Akamai Inference Cloud Team!

The Akamai Inference Cloud team is part of Akamai\'s Cloud Technology Group. We design, implement, and operate AI platforms enabling customers to run inference models with unmatched performance, compliance, and economics. As our Principal Security Engineer, you will be the primary security authority across the entire platformspanning infrastructure, runtimes, APIs, model lifecycle, and customer-facing services.

Partner with the best

As a Principal Security Engineer, you\'ll define and drive security strategy end to end. You will lead security architecture decisions across multiple engineering teams, establish threat models and standards, and serve as the accountable owner for the platform\'s security posture. This role bridges traditional infrastructure security with AI-specific concerns including model safety, runtime isolation, and adversarial resilience.

As a Principal Security Engineer, you will be responsible for:

  • Defining and owning the security architecture spanning Kubernetes infrastructure, inference runtimes, control plane APIs, and model lifecycle pipelines
  • Establishing threat models, security standards, and hardening guidelines across all platform teams and ensuring consistent adoption through reviews and automated enforcement
  • Leading security design reviews for critical systems including model serving environments, multi-tenant isolation, authentication and authorization frameworks, and data handling pipelines
  • Driving AI-specific security initiatives including defense against prompt injection, model extraction, adversarial inputs, data poisoning, and model supply chain attacks
  • Owning compliance readiness for regulatory frameworks (ISO27001, SOC 2, GDPR), and emerging AI governance standards, partnering with legal and compliance teams
  • Developing and maturing the platform\'s security incident response capabilities including detection, investigation, and remediation playbooks for both traditional and AI-specific threats
  • Collaborating with Akamai\'s broader security organization to align inference platform security practices with enterprise standards and share learnings across product lines

Do what you love

To be successful in this role you will:

  • Have 8 years of relevant experience and a Bachelor\'s degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Security Engineering, or a related field
  • Demonstrate deep expertise across application security, infrastructure security, and cloud-native security with experience as a security technical lead or architect
  • Show hands-on experience with AI/ML security challenges including model serving attack surfaces, prompt injection mitigation, and adversarial robustness
  • Have proven ability to define security architecture and threat models for complex distributed systems spanning multiple engineering teams
  • Demonstrate experience with compliance frameworks and the ability to translate regulatory requirements into engineering controls
  • Show proficiency in Python, Go, or similar languages with experience building security tooling, automation, or detection systems

#AIC

About us

At Akamai, we make life better for billions of people, trillions of times a day.
Whether you\'re streaming live events, scrolling social media, watching your favorite series, or managing your savings, we\'re the engine behind the scenes. We provide the world\'s most distributed platform from Cloud to Edge to help the giants of the digital world work faster and stay more secure, making the internet a better experience for everyone.
Our focus is simple:
Cloud and Edge: Running apps closer to users for instant performance.
Security: Neutralizing threats before they ever reach your data.
Content Delivery: Scaling the world\'s biggest moments without a glitch.
AI: Enabling our customers to build, secure, and scale AI apps on the world\'s most distributed cloud platform.
At Akamai, we don\'t just support the internet; we power and protect it, because behind every great digital experience is a massive hidden challenge. And we\'re the ones who solve it. When millions of people hit play or pay, Akamai ensures it just works.

Benefits at Akamai: We support your health, well-being, finances, and life beyond work. See our benefits.

FlexBase adapts to your job\'s needs

Akamai\'s FlexBase program is yet another way we show our commitment to providing employees with an exceptional workplace experience. It\'s not about telling employees where to work; it\'s about supporting employees to do their best work.
We trust our incredible employees to work in ways that suit them best: at home, in an office, or a combination of both.

Connect with us on social and see what life at Akamai is like! 

Compensation

Akamai is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. For US based candidates only - the base salary for this position ranges from $132,100 - $237,900/year; a candidate’s salary is determined by various factors including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and location. Compensation for candidates outside the US will vary. The compensation package may also include incentive compensation opportunities in the form of annual bonus or incentives, equity awards and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). Akamai provides industry-leading benefits including healthcare, 401K savings plan, company holidays, vacation (in the form of PTO), sick time, family friendly benefits including parental leave and an employee assistance program including a focus on mental and financial wellness; Eligibility requirements apply.