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Security Engineering Jobs in Seattle, WA (NOW HIRING)

Senior Manager, Security Engineering

Seattle, WA · Hybrid

$130K - $178K/yr

Own McKinstry's security engineering program - leading the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of security and security AI capabilities, controls, and automation across the ...

Senior Manager, Security Engineering

Seattle, WA · On-site

$130K - $178K/yr

They are seeking a Senior Manager, Security Engineering to lead the design and governance of security engineering capabilities across various domains including application and AI security.

Senior Manager, Security Engineering

Seattle, WA · On-site

$130K - $178K/yr

This role manages and develops a Security Engineering team that includes a dedicated AI Security Engineer - and actively represents the security engineering function on McKinstry's Security, Legal ...

Senior Manager, Security Engineering

Seattle, WA · On-site

$130K - $178K/yr

They are seeking a Senior Manager, Security Engineering to lead and govern security engineering capabilities across various domains, ensuring that security is embedded in design and implementation ...

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Security Engineering information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$70K

$174K

$234K

How much do security engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for security engineering in Seattle, WA is $173,958.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $162,800.00 and $180,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges Security Engineers face when working with cross-functional teams?

Security Engineers often collaborate closely with developers, IT operations, and compliance teams to ensure that security best practices are integrated throughout the organization. One common challenge is bridging the knowledge gap between security requirements and business objectives, as other teams may not always understand the implications of security vulnerabilities. Security Engineers must balance advocating for robust security measures while supporting the team's need for agility and innovation. Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset are essential for addressing these challenges and fostering a security-focused culture across departments.

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

Security engineering roles can reach or exceed $500,000 annually for senior or specialized positions, especially in high-demand industries or with extensive experience, advanced certifications, and leadership responsibilities. Achieving this level often requires expertise in areas like threat management, secure architecture, or penetration testing, along with a strong professional network and continuous skill development.

What would a security engineer do?

A security engineer designs, implements, and maintains security systems to protect an organization’s networks, systems, and data from cyber threats. They analyze vulnerabilities, develop security protocols, and often use tools like firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption. Certifications such as CISSP or CEH and strong technical skills are common requirements in this role.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior security engineers, security architects, and cybersecurity managers with extensive experience, advanced certifications (such as CISSP or CISA), and expertise in areas like cloud security or threat management can earn $300,000 or more annually. These roles often require strong technical skills, leadership abilities, and a track record of managing complex security systems.

What is the difference between Security Engineering vs Security Analyst?

AspectSecurity EngineeringSecurity Analyst
Required CredentialsCertifications like CISSP, CEH, Security+; Bachelor's in CS or related fieldCertifications like Security+, GIAC, CISSP; Bachelor's in CS, IT, or related field
Work EnvironmentDesigning and implementing security systems, working with development teamsMonitoring security alerts, analyzing threats, responding to incidents
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, cybersecurity firms, large enterprisesAny organization with IT infrastructure, government, finance, healthcare

Security Engineering focuses on designing, building, and maintaining security systems, while Security Analysts monitor and respond to security threats. Both roles require similar certifications and often work within the same industries, but their core responsibilities differ: one creates security solutions, the other manages security operations.

What is security engineering?

Security engineering is a field focused on designing, implementing, and maintaining systems and processes that protect computer systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, attacks, and other security threats. Security engineers analyze potential vulnerabilities, develop security protocols, and respond to incidents to ensure the safety and integrity of digital assets. They work with a range of technologies, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, encryption, and access controls, often collaborating with IT and development teams to integrate security best practices throughout an organization’s infrastructure.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Senior security engineers or security architects with extensive experience, advanced certifications, and specialized skills can earn salaries approaching or exceeding $500,000 annually, especially in high-demand industries or senior leadership roles. These positions often require deep knowledge of cybersecurity tools, threat management, and strategic planning, along with a track record of managing complex security systems.

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

To thrive as a Security Engineer, you need expertise in network security, threat analysis, vulnerability assessment, and typically a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with security tools like SIEM platforms, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and certifications such as CISSP or CEH are commonly required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective communication help you anticipate risks and work collaboratively to safeguard systems. These skills are crucial for protecting organizational assets, mitigating cyber threats, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
What job categories do people searching Security Engineering jobs in Seattle, WA look for? The top searched job categories for Security Engineering jobs in Seattle, WA are:
Infographic showing various Security Engineering job openings in Seattle, WA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $173,958 per year, or $83.6 per hour.

Senior Manager, Security Engineering

McKinstry

Seattle, WA • Hybrid

$130K - $178K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 1 hour ago


McKinstry rating

9.7

Company rating: 9.7 out of 10

Based on 19 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Build the future, spark innovation and align your career with purpose.

McKinstry is innovating the waste and climate harm out of the built environment and creating lasting impact. Together, we're building a thriving planet.

Buildings are a leading contributor to the climate crisis, generating nearly 40% of total global energy-related carbon emissions. We're making a lasting impact on our industry and within our communities by addressing the climate, affordability and equity crises through:

  • renewables and energy services
  • engineering and design
  • construction and facility services

To get where we're going, we need big thinkers, problem solvers and collaborative mindsets. Does that sound like you?               

The Opportunity with McKinstry

We are seeking a Senior Manager, Security Engineering to serve as McKinstry's senior owner of security engineering - a role that sits at the intersection of hands-on technical depth and forward-looking people leadership. This is a critical, senior-level position responsible for designing, building, and governing McKinstry's security engineering capabilities across application security, security architecture, network security, and the rapidly evolving domain of AI security.

This role owns the question "is security built in?" While the CISO sets vision and engages at the board and executive level, the Senior Manager, Security Engineering ensures McKinstry's security is embedded by design: applications are built securely from the start, architecture decisions are reviewed and signed off with a security lens, network infrastructure is hardened and consistently governed, and AI-driven systems are assessed for the unique risks they introduce.

This role manages and develops a Security Engineering team that includes a dedicated AI Security Engineer - and actively represents the security engineering function on McKinstry's Security, Legal, and Governance committees for AI Security, with regular C-suite briefings on program status and risk posture.

This role is ideal for a seasoned security engineer or architect who is ready to step into formal people leadership - someone who can hold their own technically across application, network, cloud, and AI security domains, while driving a team and a program forward with clarity and accountability.

In this role, you will:

        Own McKinstry's security engineering program - leading the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of security and security AI capabilities, controls, and automation across the organization.

        Lead the application security program, embedding secure-by-design principles across the SDLC and partnering with development and product teams to shift security left.

        Set and enforce McKinstry's security architecture standards, conducting threat modeling and providing security sign-off on new systems, platforms, and cloud deployments.

        Govern network security posture across on-premises, Azure, and hybrid environments, partnering with IT Infrastructure and Cloud Engineering on segmentation, firewall policy, and SASE.

        Manage and develop the AI Security Engineer, directing AI/ML security assessments, MCP server security reviews, and AI agent risk evaluations across the organization.

        Sit on McKinstry's Security, Legal, and Governance committees for AI Security and deliver regular security engineering updates to the C-suite.

 

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Security Leadership & Executive Partnership

        Partner with the CISO to shape McKinstry's security engineering strategy, ensuring the engineering program is aligned to organizational risk priorities and business objectives.

        Sit on McKinstry's Security, Legal, and Governance committees for AI Security - representing the security engineering perspective and ensuring AI risk is appropriately governed.

        Deliver regular security engineering updates to the C-suite, translating technical program status, risk posture, and investment needs into clear business language.

        Represent the security engineering function in cross-functional leadership forums, architecture review boards, and executive-level discussions.

        Contribute to board-level security reporting, including updates on engineering program health, vulnerability trends, architecture maturity, and AI security posture.

        Translate McKinstry's business and product growth objectives into security engineering requirements, ensuring security scales with the organization.

Core Domains of Responsibility:

This role leads the organization's security engineering capabilities across these core domains:

Security Engineering & Design

      Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the organization's security engineering capabilities, controls, and automation

      Own the security engineering roadmap, translating strategic risk priorities into actionable technical initiatives

      Drive integration of security tooling, APIs, and automation pipelines across the security stack (SIEM, EDR, SOAR, vulnerability management)

      Establish and maintain engineering standards, peer review processes, and quality gates for security solutions

Application Security

      Lead the application security program, embedding secure-by-design principles across the software development lifecycle (SDLC)

      Define and enforce secure coding standards, SAST/DAST tooling, dependency scanning, and code review requirements

      Conduct and oversee application security assessments, penetration testing coordination, and remediation tracking

      Partner with development and product teams to deliver security training and shift-left security practices

Security Architecture

      Develop and maintain the organization's security reference architecture, aligned to Zero Trust, defense-in-depth, and least-privilege principles

      Review and provide security sign-off on architecture designs for new systems, platforms, integrations, and cloud deployments

      Lead threat modeling exercises for high-risk systems, new product features, and major infrastructure changes

      Ensure security architecture decisions are documented, communicated, and embedded into engineering standards

Network Security

      Oversee the security posture of network infrastructure, including segmentation, perimeter controls, and secure remote access

      Ensure network security standards are applied consistently across on-premises, cloud (Azure), and hybrid environments

      Partner with IT Infrastructure and Cloud Engineering on firewall policy, VPN, SASE, and micro-segmentation initiatives

      Review and approve network architecture changes with a security lens, maintaining current network security documentation

AI Security Leadership

      Manage and develop Security Engineers, providing technical direction and leadership direction, including hiring coaching, performance management and career development

      Maintain working knowledge of the OWASP AI Security Top 10 and apply it to the organization's AI system risk reviews

      Provide security oversight for Model Context Protocol (MCP) server deployments, including access controls, data exposure risks, and integration security

      Ensure AI agent architectures are reviewed for security risks including prompt injection, data leakage, and unintended autonomous actions

      Incorporate AI security alerting and monitoring requirements into the broader security operations and detection strategy

      Stay current with emerging AI Security technologies and vulnerabilities

What You Need to Succeed at McKinstry

You don't need to check every box below. We value significant relevant experience and encourage applicants who meet several of the qualifications to also apply. All applications will be reviewed, and the most qualified candidates will be considered for the next steps.

Experience

      10+ years of experience in cybersecurity, with 7+ years in security engineering, application security, or security architecture roles

      7+ years in a people management or technical lead capacity within a security engineering or product security function

      Demonstrated experience delivering security engineering programs across multiple domains (application, network, cloud)

Technical Expertise

      Familiarity of AI agent security risks including prompt injection, unintended autonomy, and data exposure in agentic workflows

      Strong hands-on background in application security - SDLC integration, SAST/DAST tooling, secure code review, and penetration testing coordination

      Proficiency in security architecture design and documentation, including Zero Trust, defense-in-depth, and least-privilege frameworks

      Working knowledge of network security controls, segmentation, firewall policy, VPN, and SASE architectures

      Experience with cloud security engineering in hybrid environments - Azure expertise strongly preferred

      Familiarity with scripting and automation relevant to security engineering (Python, PowerShell, Bash, or equivalent)

      Working knowledge of the OWASP AI Security Top 10 and AI/ML system risk assessment approaches

      Familiarity with Model Context Protocol (MCP) server architecture and associated security considerations

Governance & Frameworks

      Working knowledge of NIST CSF, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and applicable regulatory and compliance requirements

      Experience with threat modeling methodologies (STRIDE, PASTA, or equivalent) applied to complex system designs

Certifications (Preferred)

      CISSP or CISM - required or in progress

      CSSLP, GWEB, or equivalent application security certification a strong plus

      Cloud security certifications (e.g., AZ-500, CCSP) valued

Leadership & Communication

      Proven ability to manage, mentor, and grow technical security engineering talent

      Strong communication skills - able to translate engineering risk into business impact for executive and non-technical audiences

      Collaborative mindset with experience partnering across development, infrastructure, and product teams

      Some travel required to job sites, vendor meetings, or industry conferences

PeopleFirst Benefits

When it comes to the basics, we have you covered:

  • Competitive pay
  • 401(k) with employer match and profit-sharing plan
  • Paid time off and holidays
  • Comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision with low or zero deductible options and low out of pocket maximums

People come first at McKinstry, and we go beyond the basic benefits with:

  • Family formation benefits, including adoption and IVF assistance
  • Up to 16 weeks paid parental leave
  • Transgender inclusive benefits
  • Commuter benefits
  • Pet insurance
  • "Building Good" paid community service time
  • Learning and advancement opportunities via McKinstry University
  • McKinstry Moves onsite gyms or reimbursement for remote workers

See benefit plan documents for complete details.

If you're driven by our vision to build a thriving planet together, McKinstry is the place to build your career.

The pay range for this position is $137,880 - $240,400 per year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Base pay information is based on market location. A bonus may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered.

The McKinstry group of companies are equal opportunity employers. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, race, color, creed, marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other basis protected by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including, but not limited to employment, advancement, assignment, and training. This commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity is made equally as a social responsibility and as an economic and business necessity.

McKinstry is a drug-free workplace. Employment iscontingent upon successfully passing a pre-employment drug and alcohol test, complying with the requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act and a Confidentiality Agreement, in addition to successful outcomes of background and reference checks.

Applicants for this role will only be considered if they possess current US Work Authorization, and do not require employer-sponsored VISA support to begin or remain in this role.

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