Security Engineer

About this role

ABOUT US Vast.ai https://vast.ai’s cloud powers AI projects and businesses all over the world. We are democratizing and decentralizing AI computing—reshaping our future for the benefit of humanity. We are a growing and highly motivated team dedicated to an ambitious technical plan. Our structure is flat, our ambitions are out‑sized, and leadership is earned by shipping excellence. We seek engineers with strong intrinsic drive, a true passion for advancing the state of the art, and a mix of architecture, coding, and communication skills. LOCATION: On-site at our office in Westwood, Los Angeles. ABOUT THE ROLE We are seeking a skilled Security Engineer to join our dynamic team. We hire people with broad skill sets who also exhibit deep expertise. The ideal candidate will have experience in both offensive and defensive security, strong software development skills, and deep knowledge of Linux systems and containerization. This role provides the opportunity to work on cutting-edge GPU cloud technologies, tackle complex security challenges at scale, and directly enhance the resilience and trustworthiness of our infrastructure and services. YOU ARE - A problem-solver who thrives in a fast-paced environment - Committed to continuous improvement and staying updated with the latest security practices and cloud technologies - A team player with strong communication skills, able to bridge the gap between development and security RESPONSIBILITIES - Collaborate with Operations Team: Partner with our operations team to ensure compliance with relevant standards such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR - Secure Architecture Design: Develop and implement secure architectures for our GPU cloud platform - Security Assessments: Conduct security assessments, threat modeling, code reviews, and penetration testing - Security Improvements: Develop and implement security fixes and improvements in collaboration with engineering teams - Security Tools Management: Implement and manage security tools and systems, including SIEM, WAF, and EDR - Documentation: Create and maintain security documentation, including policies, procedures, and technical guidelines - Security Training: Provide security guidance and training to engineering teams to foster a security-first culture - Incident Response: Participate in incident response activities and contribute to post-incident analysis and improvements REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS - Educational: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field. - Programming: Strong programming skills in at least one language, ideally Python or C. - Linux and Virtualization: Extensive knowledge of Linux kernel internals, containerization technologies, and virtualization - Isolation Techniques: Deep understanding of workload and network isolation techniques in multi-tenant environments - Cloud Security: Experience in securing and hardening cloud infrastructure, particularly in environments with untrusted workloads - Network and Application Security: Strong background in network security, application security, and cloud-native security practices - Security Testing Tools: Experience with security testing tools and methodologies, such as OWASP, Burp Suite, and static/dynamic analysis tools - Cybersecurity Frameworks: Familiarity with common cybersecurity frameworks, including SOC 2, NIST, and CIS Controls PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - Security Certifications: Relevant security certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, or OSCP. - DevSecOps Experience: Experience with DevSecOps practices and tools in cloud environments. - Regulatory Compliance: Familiarity with regulatory compliance requirements for operating cloud services. - GPU Security: Experience with GPU programming and an understanding of GPU-specific security concerns. BENEFITS - Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and life insurance - 401(k) with company match - Meaningful early-stage equity - Onsite meals, snacks, and close collaboration with founders/tech leaders - Ambitious, fast-paced startup culture where initiative is rewarded