Senior Security Engineer, Data Security

Upstart is an AI lending marketplace that partners with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology. The Senior Security Engineer, Data Security will lead the technical design and execution of the data security program, build scalable protection and governance systems, collaborate across teams, and drive long-term data security strategy.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the technical design and execution of Upstart’s 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
• 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

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or Mathematics, or a related field (or its equivalent) + 5 years of experience
• Extensive experience across enterprise and operational security domains, with deep focus on Data Security and Identity & Access Management (IAM)
• Experience owning or leading a Data Security, DLP (Data Loss Prevention), or DSPM (Data Security Posture Management) initiatives
• 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 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
• This role is available in the following locations: Remote - US
• This team operates on the East/West Coast time zones
• This team has regular on-site collaboration sessions. 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
• Familiarity with cutting edge AI data protection tooling such as endpoint DLP, data classification, or posture management platforms (BigID, Concentric AI, Varonis, Cyera, or similar)
• 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