Senior Cloud & Security Engineer

Unacast•Ashburn, VA

4d•$130,000 - $170,000•Remote

About The Position

Unacast is seeking a Senior Cloud Security Engineer focused on AWS cloud security to own and strengthen the security of our cloud environment. Reporting to the VP of Engineering, this is a hands-on role responsible for designing, implementing, and operating security controls across AWS infrastructure and services. The role extends beyond AWS, covering broader security responsibilities across the company’s systems and access environment. This role is ideal for a Cloud Security Engineer who thrives in cloud environments and enjoys building and operating security systems and is comfortable getting into the details. As AI tools become embedded in engineering workflows, this role will support Unacast's responsible adoption of AI by helping define approved tools, appropriate use of company and customer data, and guardrails to protect against data leakage, prompt injection, and other AI- specific risks.

Requirements

5+ years’ experience in Java 8 and higher software development with the Java Spring Framework used for REST APIs.
Demonstrate excellent SQL database skills ranging from database initial creation and design, table design, automated load and maintenance processes, and efficient querying. Snowflake SQL is strongly preferred.
Proficiency working in Amazon Web Services (AWS) and utilizing its many services. For example AWS Elastic Container Service for application deployment or AWS X-Ray for debugging.
Experience processing data efficiently in JSON and GeoJSON.
Proficiency in programming languages such Scala, Python or other similar programming languages.
Demonstrated ability to quickly and efficiently break down larger projects to smaller tasks, and handle multiple projects and tasks at the same time.
Experience in software or engineering projects from ideation, through development and into production.
Proficiency in Agile methodologies.
Strong communication skills and fluency in English.
Demonstrate a proactive and entrepreneurial mindset.
Contribute to a positive and enjoyable work environment.
We operate like a startup, so things change fast, you need to be agile and proactive.
Personal characteristics we value include: high integrity, entrepreneurial spirit, innovative thinking, team player, passion for technology, adaptability, high energy and attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

Experience with data analytics and data visualization.
You have experience working with geospatial data.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and maintain security controls and policies across AWS environments to protect systems and data.
Lead the integration of security practices into the DevOps lifecycle, promoting secure development, deployment, and operational processes.
Utilize AWS security tooling and security services to support detection, prevention, and continuous improvement of cloud security posture.
Identify, assess, and drive remediation of security risks and vulnerabilities in cloud infrastructure in partnership with engineering teams.
Monitor cloud environments for threats, investigate suspicious activity, and respond to security alerts and events.
Support incident response, penetration test findings, and security audit remediation, including containment, investigation, and post-incident follow-up.
Deploy security technologies, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and access controls, while establishing device-level malware and antivirus standards to safeguard endpoints and cloud environments.
Stay current on emerging threats, vulnerabilities, and compliance requirements, and apply best practices to strengthen overall security posture.
Maintain security policies, documentation, and internal security standards.
Support customer security reviews and respond to security questionnaires as needed.
Act as Google Workspace administrator, managing access and account security.
Support compliance initiatives such as ISO 27001 and SOC 2 as needed.
Establish and maintain the company's AI usage policy, including approved tools, acceptable use guidelines, and data handling requirements for AI assistants, coding agents, and LLM-based services.
Evaluate and vet AI tools (including coding assistants, agentic systems, and SaaS integrations with embedded AI) for security, privacy, and compliance risks before company-wide adoption.
Define guardrails for AI use with sensitive data, customer data, and regulated information, ensuring alignment with SOC 2, ISO 27001, and customer contractual obligations.
Educate engineering and non-technical teams on safe AI practices, including prompt hygiene, awareness of prompt injection and data exfiltration risks, and secure use of agentic tools perform actions within company systems.
Monitor the evolving AI threat landscape (model supply chain risks, prompt injection, data poisoning, shadow AI usage) and update controls and policies accordingly.
Review AI tool integrations in the DevOps lifecycle, including code generation, automated PR review, and agentic deployment tools, to ensure they meet security standards.