Software Engineer, Security

Thinking MachinesSan FranciscoSecurity & IT

Apply on company site

Opens the official Thinking Machines careers page

Salary

$300K - $350K USD

Job type

Full-time

Work mode

Remote

Posted

4 Aug 2026

Status

Open · checked 7d ago

About this role

Thinking Machines seeks a Software Engineer for Security in San Francisco, with remote flexibility available for qualified candidates. This full-time position suits engineering professionals who want to build secure-by-default artificial intelligence products while supporting fast-paced iteration.

Role Overview

The organization wants an engineering professional dedicated to making products secure by default while supporting ambitious product iteration. The person in this position will embed directly with research and product teams to integrate security into design and development phases. Responsibilities include building automation and tooling designed to keep complex systems safe at scale.

Key Responsibilities

Work alongside product and research groups to integrate security into the development lifecycle through threat modeling, design reviews, and secure defaults for new features.

Create and execute security controls across the entire product stack, including session management, authentication, input validation, and authorization.

Develop and sustain security automation and tooling for fellow engineers, encompassing dependency management, CI/CD checks, secure frameworks, and vulnerability detection.

Team up with researchers to pinpoint and address AI-specific product risks such as prompt injection, model abuse, data leakage, and capability misuse.

Enhance detection and observability for security-relevant occurrences, covering suspicious production behavior, access anomalies, and abuse patterns.

Requirements

Hold a bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field, or possess equivalent practical experience.

Demonstrate proficiency in at least one backend programming language, such as Python or Rust.

Bring a strong background in generalist software engineering alongside the capability to review production code for security vulnerabilities.

Possess hands-on background in securing application programming interfaces and web applications, particularly concerning access control, secrets management, data protection, auth flows, and input validation.

Show familiarity with prevention frameworks and common vulnerability classes, along with experience hardening prototypes into production-ready systems.

Display comfort with modern cloud infrastructure and an understanding of how infrastructure intersects with application concerns.

Exhibit comfort operating across the stack to independently own projects from beginning to end.

Flourish in a collaborative atmosphere involving multiple cross-functional experts.

Maintain an action-oriented mindset to initiate work across diverse teams and stacks where safety improvements are needed.

Nice to Have

Background securing products powered by artificial intelligence or working alongside machine learning and LLM APIs and their unique threat models.

Experience in human-computer interaction, specifically where trust or security plays a central role in user experience.

Strong capabilities in rapid prototyping, turning temporary fixes into reusable tools and patterns.

History of open-source security projects, published tooling, or bug bounty write-ups.

Skills and Tools

Python

Rust

LLM security frameworks

Cloud infrastructure

CI/CD security checks

Web application security controls

Salary and Benefits

Expected annual compensation ranges from $300,000 to $350,000 USD, determined by background and skill level.

Visa sponsorship is available for qualifying candidates.

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.

Unlimited paid time off and paid parental leave.

Relocation assistance provided as needed.

About the Company

Thinking Machines builds artificial intelligence systems designed to extend human judgment and will. The team trains frontier models using Inkling, develops Tinker to let people customize models, and crafts communication interfaces for humans and AI.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should visit the official Thinking Machines careers page to submit an application.

Skills and tech stack

Python Rust LLM

Questions candidates ask

What is the salary range for the Software Engineer, Security role?

The annual salary range is between $300,000 and $350,000 USD, depending on experience and skills.

Is remote work permitted for this position?

Yes, this role is based in San Francisco, California, but offers remote flexibility.

Does Thinking Machines provide visa sponsorship?

Yes, visa sponsorship is available for the right candidate.

What programming languages are required?

Candidates must be proficient in at least one backend language, specifically Python or Rust.

What benefits are included with employment?

Benefits include health, dental, and vision coverage, unlimited paid time off, paid parental leave, and relocation support.

How should I apply for this job?

Applicants should submit their information directly through the official Thinking Machines careers page.

Ready to apply?

The application is on the official Thinking Machines careers page.

Apply on company site