Principal Application Security Engineer

Upstart

6h•Remote

About The Position

At Upstart, we’re 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 that’s both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 1,800 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. We’re 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 doesn’t mean distant. We’re 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), you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you. If you’re energized by tackling meaningful problems, excited to innovate with purpose, and motivated by work that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you. The Team: Upstart’s Application Security team is passionate in bringing progressive approaches in securing our products. We believe that security should empower innovation, move at the speed of business, and have safety by design as core principles. Our team’s mission is to ensure the safety of our core product platforms, enterprise, and manage threats to Upstart. We approach our efforts through automation, strong collaboration with our partner teams, and maintaining a positive experience for Upstarters.. As the Principle Application Security Engineer at Upstart, you will be expected to lead cross-functional and cross-organizational discussions and outcomes around threat modeling, application and infrastructure security. You will be expected to deeply understand the business verticals and product needs and influence them to build highly secure systems and platforms. You will have a direct hand in shaping the strategic security posture and roadmap for Upstart and should be a well-rounded technologist and security practitioner.

Requirements

6+ years of experience in security engineering, with at least 3 years focused on application security
Demonstrated experience leading security architecture reviews and threat modeling for complex, customer-facing production systems
Experience in Java, Python or Ruby development.
Experience designing and implementing application security controls across the SDLC, including secure coding standards, API Security, SAST/DAST/SCA, CI/CD security, and secrets management
Demonstrable track record as an influential leader, delivering security solutions with multiple stakeholder groups
Experience managing multiple and simultaneous, significant information security initiatives and programs
Experience developing code and building services to enhance unique security operational needs
Experience with advanced threat modeling techniques and risk assessment

Nice To Haves

10+ years of experience spanning across multiple security and engineering domains in a cloud-native and/or distributed systems environment
Experience building or scaling an application security program, including defining metrics, maturity models, and risk-based prioritization frameworks
Familiarity with security considerations in modern frontend frameworks, APIs (REST/GraphQL), and microservices architectures.
Experience partnering with Legal, Risk, Compliance, and Audit teams to operationalize security controls in regulated environments
Security certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, AWS Security Specialty, or equivalent practical expertise

Responsibilities

Define and drive Upstart’s application security strategy, aligning secure-by-design principles with business priorities, regulatory expectations, and our AI-driven product roadmap.
Lead cross-functional security architecture reviews for critical initiatives, influencing engineering, platform, data, and infrastructure decisions to reduce systemic risk early in the SDLC.
Establish and scale a robust threat modeling program for high-risk systems, including customer-facing applications, lending workflows, and ML/AI pipelines, translating findings into durable engineering standards and controls.
Design and standardize application security guardrails across the SDLC, including secure coding practices, automated testing (SAST/DAST/SCA), CI/CD protections, and secrets management.
Partner with Infrastructure and Cloud teams to strengthen the security posture of cloud-native and distributed systems, ensuring defense-in-depth across application and infrastructure layers.
Identify and reduce internal and external attack surface through automation and platform-level solutions, prioritizing long-term risk reduction over point-in-time remediation.
Serve as a senior technical authority during high-severity incidents, driving root cause analysis and durable architectural improvements.
Elevate security maturity across the organization by mentoring engineers, influencing leadership through clear risk metrics, and fostering a culture where security enables innovation.

Benefits

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 $15,000 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!).