Security engineer, detection and response
About this role
Security practitioners who thrive on building defenses for novel distributed systems will find a strong fit in this position. The security team at WRITER protects the AI infrastructure that enables enterprises to orchestrate AI-powered work. This person will design sophisticated detection systems that identify attacks targeting the AI platform, training data, and model deployments while creating automated response capabilities that scale with the company's growth.
Operating as the operational arm of the security function, the engineer translates threat intelligence into real-time detections and coordinates incident response across multiple teams. The role exists to defend AI and AGI systems against evolving adversaries, hunting for sophisticated attacks across GPU clusters and distributed training environments. Success requires a combination of hands-on security engineering and strategic thinking to stay ahead of threats that lack traditional textbooks.
What you will do
- Design and implement detection strategies that identify AI-specific threats including prompt injection, model extraction, data poisoning, adversarial examples, and unauthorized access to training datasets across distributed infrastructure.
- Build automated response playbooks and orchestration workflows that contain threats without human intervention to reduce mean time to response.
- Lead security incident response coordination across all teams when AI infrastructure or models are compromised, conducting forensic investigations and drafting incident communications.
- Hunt proactively for sophisticated threats across GPU clusters and training infrastructure by analyzing model outputs and reproducing vulnerabilities.
- Build detection-as-code frameworks with version control and automated deployment while onboarding telemetry from AI training infrastructure and inference endpoints.
- Collaborate cross-functionally as the operational security partner to translate threat research into production detections and enable responsible AI development.
- Maintain a 24/7 on-call rotation for critical AI security incidents while continuously improving detection coverage and automation capabilities.
What you need
- Three to five or more years of experience in security operations, detection engineering, or incident response with a track record of identifying and stopping attacks in production environments.
- Strong programming skills in Python, KQL, SPL, or similar languages to build custom detection logic and automate response workflows.
- Experience with SIEM platforms, detection technologies, and forensic investigation techniques in complex distributed environments.
- Self-directed execution mindset with a track record of securing high-value intellectual property and identifying critical security gaps through proactive threat hunting.
- Deep alignment with WRITER's values of connecting across teams, challenging assumptions, and owning the protection of the AI platform with accountability.
Benefits
- Generous PTO, plus company holidays
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family
- Paid parental leave for all parents (16 weeks)
- Fertility and family planning support
- Early-detection cancer testing through Galleri
- Flexible spending account and dependent FSA options
- Health savings account for eligible plans with company contribution
- Annual work-life stipends for wellness and learning and development
- Company-wide off-sites and team off-sites
- Competitive compensation, company stock options and 401k
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
Where is this role located?
This role can be based out of the San Francisco or Seattle office, reporting to the head of security operations.
What is the compensation range?
The compensation ranges from $132K to $240K, including offers for equity and multiple ranges scaled to match experience and expertise.
What teams will I collaborate with?
You will work closely with the AI Security research team, Cloud Infrastructure, Software Security Engineering, and AI researchers.