Cadence Design Systems

Director of Software Security

Cadence Design Systems$164K — $305K *
Information Technology
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 12-15+ years in cybersecurity, focusing on application security and DevSecOps
  • 5+ years in leadership roles (manager/director level)
  • Expertise in secure SDLC and DevSecOps pipelines
  • In-depth knowledge of cloud-native architectures and container security
  • Experience with regulatory frameworks such as CMMC, NIST, and ISO
  • Background in regulated industries like defense, healthcare, or fintech

Responsibilities

  • Define and execute enterprise DevSecOps strategy across all development teams
  • Integrate security controls into CI/CD pipelines
  • Establish 'shift-left' security practices across the SDLC
  • Lead compliance initiatives for cybersecurity standards including CMMC
  • Build and scale application security programs across product lines
  • Lead teams of AppSec engineers and DevSecOps engineers
  • Define policies, standards, and secure development guidelines

Benefits

  • Paid vacation and holidays
  • 401(k) plan with employer match
  • Employee stock purchase plan
  • Variety of medical, dental, and vision plan options
  • Incentive compensation: bonus and equity opportunities
Full Job Description
Cadence InfoSec is seeking a Director of Software Security to lead the strategy, architecture, and execution of secure software development practices across the enterprise. This role will drive DevSecOps transformation, ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks (including CMMC), and embed security throughout the software lifecycle (SDLC).

Key Responsibilities

DevSecOps Strategy & Leadership
  • Define and execute enterprise DevSecOps strategy across all development teams
  • Integrate security controls into CI/CD pipelines (build, test, release)
  • Establish "shift-left" security practices across the SDLC
  • Drive adoption of secure coding, SAST, DAST, and SCA tools


Secure Software Architecture
  • Define reference architectures for secure microservices, APIs, and cloud-native apps
  • Establish security patterns for containers, Kubernetes, and serverless
  • Lead threat modeling initiatives
  • Ensure secure API design and zero trust principles


Regulatory Compliance & CMMC
  • Lead compliance initiatives for:
    • Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC 2.0)
    • NIST SP 800-171r2 /800-53
    • ISO 27001
  • Ensure software systems meet federal, defense, and privacy regulations
  • Coordinate audits, assessments, and continuous monitoring programs
  • Implement controls for handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)


Cloud & Platform Security
  • Secure DevOps pipelines across cloud platforms:
    • Amazon AWS
    • Microsoft Azure
    • Google Cloud
    • IBMC cloud
    • Cadence software service and products
  • Implement infrastructure-as-code (IaC) security scanning
  • Define secrets management, identity, and access controls


Application Security Program
  • Build and scale AppSec program across all product lines
  • Define vulnerability management lifecycle (discovery 12 remediation 12 validation)
  • Establish bug bounty / responsible disclosure programs
  • Integrate security into Agile and CI/CD workflows


Supply Chain & Software Integrity
  • Secure software supply chain (SBOM, dependency scanning)
  • Implement artifact signing, provenance, and integrity validation


Governance & Risk Management
  • Define policies, standards, and secure development guidelines
  • Establish KPIs: vulnerability remediation SLA, code coverage, pipeline security
  • Align software security with enterprise risk management
  • Report posture to executive leadership and board


Leadership & Cross-Functional Influence
  • Lead teams of AppSec engineers, DevSecOps engineers, and architects
  • Partner with Engineering, Product, Legal, and Compliance teams
  • Build security champions program within development teams
  • Influence engineering culture toward security ownership


Required Qualifications
  • 12-15+ years in cybersecurity, with strong focus on application security and DevSecOps
  • 5+ years in leadership (manager/director level)
  • Deep expertise in:
    • Secure SDLC and DevSecOps pipelines
    • Cloud-native architectures and container security
    • Regulatory frameworks (CMMC, NIST, ISO)
  • Experience in regulated industries (defense, government, healthcare, fintech)


Preferred Qualifications
  • Hands-on experience with tools such as:
    • SAST: Checkmarx, Veracode
    • DAST: Burp Suite
    • SCA: Snyk, Black Duck
    • CI/CD: Jenkins, GitHub Actions
  • Familiarity with Kubernetes, Docker, and service mesh security
  • Certifications:
    • CISSP, CSSLP
    • CISM or CCSP
  • Experience with Zero Trust and identity-first security


Key Skills
  • DevSecOps Transformation
  • Secure Software Architecture
  • Regulatory Compliance (CMMC, NIST, ISO)
  • Application Security & Threat Modeling
  • Software Supply Chain Security (SBOM, SLSA)
  • Cloud & Container Security
  • Executive Communication & Strategy

The annual salary range for California is $164,500 to $305,500. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location. Our benefits programs include: paid vacation and paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options, and more.

About Cadence Design Systems

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. is an American multinational electronic design automation software and engineering services company, founded in 1988 by the merger of SDA Systems and ECAD, Inc. The company produces software, hardware and silicon structures for designing integrated circuits, systems on chips (SoCs) and printed circuit boards.
Learn more about Cadence Design Systems
Size
9,300 employees
Market Cap
$43.9 billion
Industry
Net Income
$590.6 million
Founded
2018
5 Year Trend
+10.5%
Revenue
$2.6 billion
NASDAQ

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