Principal Security Engineer, Data Security
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Job Location:
San Mateo, CA - USA
Monthly Salary:
Not Disclosed
Posted on:
Yesterday
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
About Upstart
At Upstart were united by a mission that matters: to radically reduce the cost and complexity of borrowing for all Americans. Every day we bring creativity experimentation and advanced AI to reshape access to credit helping millions move forward financially with clarity and confidence.
As the leading AI lending marketplace we partner with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology thats both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 1800 signals powering smarter fairer decisions for millions of customers. But the numbers only hint at the impact. Every idea every voice and every contribution moves us closer to a world where credit never stands between people and their financial progress.
Were proudly digital-first giving most Upstarters the flexibility to do their best work from wherever they thrive alongside teammates across 80 cities in the US and Canada. Digital-first doesnt mean distant. Were intentional about in-person connection through team onsites planning sessions and moments that spark creativity and trust. And whether you choose to work primarily from home or collaborate in-person from one of our offices in Columbus Austin the Bay Area or New York City (opening Summer 2026) youll have the support to work in the way that works best for you.
If youre energized by tackling meaningful problems excited to innovate with purpose and motivated by work that truly matters wed love to hear from you.
The Team
Upstarts Security team is dedicated to advancing security practices that enhance the safety of our products customers and partners. We believe security should empower innovation move at the speed of the business and be built in from the ground up. Our mission is to protect Upstarts products and enterprise while enabling teams to move quickly and safely through strong collaboration automation and thoughtful security design.
As a Principal Security Engineer focused on Data Security you will play a critical role in defining building and leading Upstarts data security program. This is a highly impactful role that combines deep hands-on technical execution with program leadership. You will design and implement scalable data security capabilities influence cross-functional partners across the company and help establish long-term strategy and accountability for how data is protected at Upstart.
This role is ideal for a senior security practitioner who enjoys operating at the intersection of coding architecture and cross-functional leadership and who has experience taking complex security programs from concept to reality.
Position Location - This role is available in the following locations: Remote (US) San Mateo Columbus Austin
Time Zone Requirements - This team operates on the East/West Coast time zones.
Travel Requirements - As a digital first company the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to to still spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites. The in-person sessions cadence varies depending on the team and role; most teams meet once or twice per quarter for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.
How youll make an impact:
- Lead the design and execution of Upstarts data security program from early foundations through mature scalable systems
- Architect and build software solutions (APIs services and internal tools) that enable effective data protection and governance
- Partner closely with Engineering Analytics Product Legal Risk HR and other stakeholders to secure sensitive data across diverse domains
- Establish clear goals success metrics and accountability for data security initiatives
- Drive adoption of least-privilege access models and modern data protection patterns across the organization
- Mentor engineers and security practitioners fostering strong technical standards and a culture of ownership
- Continuously improve systems by learning from real-world signals such as false positives operational feedback and evolving threats
What were looking for:
- Minimum requirements:
- Extensive experience across enterprise and operational security domains with deep focus on Data Security and Identity & Access Management
- Experience owning or leading a Data Security DLP (Data Loss Prevention) or DSPM (Data Security Posture Management) initiatives
- Proven experience leading security programs that span multiple teams and functions
- Strong software engineering background with the ability to design and build production-quality systems (e.g. APIs services or internal web applications)
- Experience launching new security capabilities or programs from 0 to 1 in complex environments
- Deep understanding of least-privilege principles and practical experience applying them at scale
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence senior technical and non-technical stakeholders
- Ability to navigate ambiguity make sound tradeoffs and independently drive meaningful change
- Preferred qualifications:
- Familiarity with modern data protection tooling such as endpoint DLP data classification or posture management platforms
- Experience working with diverse data domains (e.g. analytics reporting business operations or people data)
- Contributions to the security community through talks publications open-source projects or other industry involvement
- Familiarity with compliance frameworks such as SOC 1 SOC 2 and SOX
- Interest in long-term growth as a senior individual contributor with openness to future people leadership paths
At Upstart your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic locationwith our digital first philosophy Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills experience and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
In addition Upstart provides employees with target bonuses equity compensation and generous benefits packages (including medical dental vision and 401k).
What youll love
At Upstart our benefits are designed to support your health financial well-being family and personal growth. Heres what you can expect:
- Competitive compensation including base pay bonus opportunities and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
- Generous 401(k) plan with Upstart matching $2 for every $1 contributed up to $15000 per year
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees
- Affordable medical dental and vision coverage with multiple plan options - Upstart covers 90% to 100% of the cost depending on the plans you choose
- Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans
- Income protection benefits including company-paid Basic Life AD&D and Short- and Long-Term Disability coverage with options to purchase supplemental coverage
- Paid time off sick and safe time and company holidays
- Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments
- Family-centered benefits through Carrot and Cleo supporting fertility parenthood and caregiving
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering mental health support and life-centered resources
- Financial wellness resources including access to financial planning tools and a financial concierge service
- Annual wellness allowance to support your physical and emotional well-being and personal development based on what matters most to you
- Annual productivity allowance to invest in relevant tools and resources you need to do your best work no matter where you work from
- Connection and community through team events and onsites all-company updates and employee resource groups (ERGs)
- Onsite perks including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our four offices located in the Bay Area Austin Columbus and New York City (opening Summer 2026!).
Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Just as we are dedicated to improving access to affordable credit for all we are committed to inclusive and fair hiring practices.
If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application interviewing completing any pre-employment testing or otherwise participating in the employee selection process please email
Staff IC
Key Skills
- Splunk
- IDS
- Network security
- Computer Networking
- Identity & Access Management
- PKI
- PCI
- NIST Standards
- Security System Experience
- Information Security
- Encryption
- Siem
About Company
Through Upstart, apply online for a fast personal loan, auto refinancing, or debt consolidation. Try our quick rate check today with no impact to your credit!
