Data Center Physical Security Systems Engineer

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. The Data Center Physical Security Systems Engineer will define and deliver scalable physical security technology architectures for AI data center environments, establishing standards, requirements, and system designs. The role will also lead implementation, integration, troubleshooting, governance, and continuous improvement across global infrastructure deployments.

Responsibilities:

• Define and design the physical security technology architecture strategy for AI data center environments, establishing scalable and resilient security system designs aligned with OpenAI’s infrastructure risk profile
• Define enterprise architecture standards and technical patterns for physical security capabilities, including access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, identity-based access, integrated monitoring, and emerging security technologies
• Lead the architecture and governance of physical security systems and supporting platforms
• Define security standards and requirements across diverse infrastructure deployment models
• Define standards for secure deployment, operational resilience, maintenance, and lifecycle management of security technologies
• Partner with Security Operations, Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Compliance, Legal, Procurement, and external providers to ensure physical security systems are integrated, operationally effective, and capable of supporting enterprise risk management objectives
• Provide technical leadership, design governance, and continuous improvement through architecture reviews, technology evaluations, deployment oversight, and the evolution of standards, reference architectures, and best practices across global AI infrastructure deployments

Requirements:

• Ability to travel approximately 25% globally to support design reviews, deployments, and site assessments
• Significant experience in physical security technology, security engineering, systems engineering, OT / ICS security, or adjacent cyber-physical infrastructure domains, and you can turn ambiguous problems into working technical systems
• 15+ years of experience in physical security systems architecture, infrastructure security engineering, or security technology design
• Experience building or hardening systems in hyperscale infrastructure, critical infrastructure, large-scale data centers, or complex cyber-physical environments
• Experience designing physical security systems across multi-site or global infrastructure environments
• Experience moving from architecture into implementation: prototyping, integrating, commissioning, validating, and resolving hard field issues
• Experience partnering with engineering, construction, networking, cybersecurity, SOC/GSOC, compliance, procurement, and provider teams
• Strong judgment about where direct execution is required versus where a scalable partner or platform model is the right answer
• Strong ability to translate complex architecture decisions into operational security outcomes
• Strong experience with several of the following:
• Certified in enterprise access control systems
• Certified in video management systems and CCTV analytics
• Identity-driven access management
• Integrated security monitoring
• Physical security infrastructure management
• CPP, PMP, CSPM, CompTIA Security+, CISSP, and PMP certifications are not required but highly desirable