Lead Security Engineer, Cloud Security

Circle (NYSE: CRCL) is one of the world's leading internet financial platform companies, building the foundation of a more open, global economy through digital assets, payment applications, and programmable blockchain infrastructure. Circle's platform includes the world's largest regulated stablecoin network anchored by USDC, Circle Payments Network for global money movement, and Arc, an enterprise-grade blockchain designed to become the Economic OS for the internet. Enterprises, financial institutions, and developers use Circle to power trusted, internet-scale financial innovation. Learn more at circle.com .
What you'll be part of:
Circle is committed to visibility and stability in everything we do. As we grow as an organization, we're expanding into some of the world's strongest jurisdictions. Speed and efficiency are motivators for our success and our employees live by our company values : High Integrity, Future Forward, Multistakeholder, Mindful, and Driven by Excellence. We have built a flexible work environment where new ideas are encouraged and everyone is a stakeholder.
What you'll be responsible for
As a Lead Cloud Security Engineer at Circle, you'll play a pivotal role in safeguarding our cloud infrastructure and applications. You'll drive efforts to embed security into every layer of our technology stack-from code to cloud-ensuring that we can scale securely as our products grow. This role is both strategic and hands-on: you'll lead projects, influence engineering teams, and dive deep into technical challenges, all while staying ahead of evolving threats in a dynamic fintech landscape.
What you'll work on

• Leading cloud and application security initiatives in collaboration with engineering, product, and infrastructure teams
• Integrating security controls and testing into CI/CD pipelines to ensure early detection and prevention of vulnerabilities
• Designing and implementing secure authentication, authorization, logging, and monitoring mechanisms
• Conducting and coordinating threat modeling, code reviews, and architecture assessments for new and existing systems
• Managing vulnerability discovery and remediation workflows using tools like Wiz or equivalent cloud-native platforms
• Partnering with third-party vendors to perform penetration tests and security assessments
• Investigating escalated security events, triaging incidents, and identifying root causes
• Researching emerging threats, particularly in blockchain and cloud-native environments, and adapting practices accordingly
• Contributing to security awareness and training initiatives to uplift secure development practices across engineering

What you'll bring to Circle
Core Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in security engineering, with a focus on cloud and application security
• Proven track record leading security projects and influencing security decisions in complex technical environments
• Hands-on experience with cloud security platforms (e.g., Wiz, Orca, Prisma Cloud) and public cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP)
• Strong understanding of SAST, DAST, IaC scanning, and secure software development lifecycle practices
• Familiarity with container and orchestration security (e.g., Kubernetes, Docker)
• Experience designing and implementing detection logic, security controls, and automated guardrails
• Proficiency in at least one scripting or programming language (e.g., Python, Go, JavaScript)
• Ability to work cross-functionally, lead initiatives, and prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment

Preferred Requirements

• Experience in the fintech, crypto, or blockchain space
• Familiarity with cryptographic fundamentals and blockchain-specific threat models
• Experience with tools and languages such as Terraform, Rust, Solidity, or Move
• Relevant certifications (e.g., CCSP, OSCP, CISSP, CEH)
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Cybersecurity, or equivalent experience

Circle is on a mission to create an inclusive financial future, with transparency at our core. We consider a wide variety of elements when crafting our compensation ranges and total compensation packages.
Starting pay is determined by various factors, including but not limited to: relevant experience, skill set, qualifications, and other business and organizational needs. Please note that compensation ranges may differ for candidates in other locations.
Base Pay Range: $172,500 - $227,500
We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, or any other protected status required by the laws in the locations where we hire. Additionally, Circle participates in the E-Verify Program in certain locations, as required by law.
Should you require accommodations or assistance in our interview process because of a disability, please reach out to [email protected] for support. We respect your privacy and will connect with you separately from our interview process to accommodate your needs.
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