ServiceNow

Senior Staff AI Security Engineer

ServiceNow • $190K — $334K *
Santa Clara, CA 95051In-Person
Enterprise Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree with 10+ years of software development experience or equivalent; Master's with 8+ years; PhD with 6+ years.
  • Hands-on experience building machine learning algorithms from scratch; not reliant on libraries.
  • Expertise in Java and/or Python with systems-level knowledge and performance optimization.
  • Proven experience deploying ML systems at scale in production environments.
  • Strong foundations in algorithms, data structures, and distributed systems.

Responsibilities

  • Design and implement ML-driven security systems for various security functions.
  • Build high-performance inference engines and contextual reasoning systems for real-time decisions.
  • Integrate AI into access control and identity management systems.
  • Develop models for malware detection and threat classification with a focus on efficiency.
  • Lead technical initiatives combining ML research and security expertise.
  • Architect modular and reusable ML systems for team adoption and extension.
  • Operate production AI systems ensuring observability and performance monitoring.

Benefits

  • Health plans including flexible spending accounts.
  • 401(k) Plan with company match.
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP).
  • Matching donations program.
  • Flexible time away and family leave programs.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Team Overview

Platform Security Core builds foundational security infrastructure and AI-driven detection systems for enterprise-scale operations. Our mission is to make security proactive, intelligent, and seamlessly integrated into the ServiceNow platform. We are looking for a hands-on Senior Staff Engineer (Technical Leader) with deep expertise in machine learning systems, inference engines, and security architecture to lead next-generation AI security initiatives.

Role Summary

As a Senior Staff AI Security Engineer, you will architect and deliver enterprise-scale AI security solutions that integrate machine learning, reasoning engines, and real-time inference into core security systems. You will bring strong technical leadership, hands-on machine learning depth, and the ability to design and operate intelligent security systems that learn and adapt.

What You Get to Do in This Role
  • Design and implement ML-driven security systems: Build machine learning algorithms for identity risk assessment, anomalous access detection, malware classification, and sensitive data discovery, applying agent guardrails, correlation from telemetry to detect misuse or malicious intent.
  • Build inference engines and reasoning systems: Architect high-performance inference pipelines and contextual reasoning systems that apply models in real-time across distributed security decisions.
  • Integrate AI into access control and identity: Apply machine learning to access control decisions-contextual analysis, adaptive authentication, behavioral biometrics, and identity confidence scoring.
  • Develop attack detection and threat classification: Build ML models for malware detection, anomaly detection, and threat pattern recognition with focus on false-positive reduction, operational efficiency, precision and recall scores.
  • Implement sensitive data detection and classification: Design AI systems for PII detection, data classification, and sensitive information governance at scale.
  • Lead complex technical initiatives: Provide technical leadership for multi-quarter efforts that combine ML research, systems engineering, and security domain expertise.
  • Architect modular, reusable ML systems: Build ML platforms, feature engineering frameworks, and model management infrastructure that teams can adopt and extend.
  • Operate production AI systems: Design for observability, model performance monitoring, retraining workflows, and safe model deployment in security-critical environments.
  • Collaborate across security and infrastructure: Work with teams across identity, access control, threat detection, and infrastructure to integrate AI solutions end-to-end.
  • Research and evaluate emerging AI techniques: Stay current with advances in AI/ML-transformer models, reasoning engines, retrieval-augmented generation-and evaluate their applicability to security problems.


Qualifications

To be successful in this role you have:

Core Experience
  • Bachelor's degree with 10+ years of software development experience; OR Master's degree with 8+ years; OR PhD with 6+ years; OR equivalent work experience.
  • Hands-on experience implementing machine learning algorithms from scratch-not just using libraries, but understanding how models work at a fundamental level.
  • Deep programming expertise in Java and/or Python, including systems-level knowledge and performance optimization.
  • Proven track record building and deploying machine learning systems in production environments at significant scale.
  • Strong fundamentals in computer science: algorithms, data structures, complexity analysis, system design, and distributed systems.

AI/ML Systems Expertise
  • Deep understanding of machine learning fundamentals: supervised learning, unsupervised learning, model evaluation, feature engineering, and model selection.
  • Hands-on experience with neural networks, deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch), and modern model architectures.
  • Experience training, tuning, and deploying models: hyperparameter optimization, regularization, preventing overfitting, and achieving production-grade model quality.
  • Understanding of model inference: latency optimization, quantization, model serving infrastructure, and real-time prediction pipelines.
  • Experience with LLMs and large-scale foundation models: fine-tuning, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), prompt engineering at scale, and understanding of model weights and token economies.
  • Knowledge of reasoning and agentic systems: how to apply contextual analysis, multi-step reasoning, and decision logic on top of models.
  • Experience with feature engineering, feature stores, and ML data pipelines at scale.
  • Familiarity with model observability and monitoring: detecting model drift, performance degradation, and retraining strategies.

Security Architecture Expertise
  • Deep knowledge of identity and access control systems: how authentication, authorization, and access decisions flow through enterprise systems.
  • Experience applying machine learning to security problems: anomaly detection, attack classification, risk scoring, and threat pattern recognition.
  • Understanding of sensitive data landscapes: PII detection, data classification frameworks, and data governance strategies.
  • Familiarity with security operations: how detection systems, alert triage, and incident response workflows operate at scale.
  • Knowledge of common attack patterns and threat models relevant to enterprise security.
  • Experience integrating security solutions with platform infrastructure: API design, event streaming, and decision-making in critical paths.

Nice to Have
  • Experience with Kafka, stream processing, or real-time data systems for security applications.
  • Hands-on work with cryptography, zero-trust architectures, or OAuth/mTLS.
  • Experience deploying models in regulated environments with compliance and governance requirements.
  • Track record mentoring junior engineers and driving technical excellence across teams.
  • Open-source contributions to ML or security projects.


For positions in this location, we offer a base pay of $190,900 - $334,100, plus equity (when applicable), variable/incentive compensation and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the base pay shown is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. We also offer health plans, including flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, matching donations, a flexible time away plan and family leave programs. Compensation is based on the geographic location in which the role is located and is subject to change based on work location.

Additional Information

Work Personas

We approach our distributed world of work with flexibility and trust. Work personas (flexible, remote, or required in office) are categories that are assigned to ServiceNow employees depending on the nature of their work and their assigned work location. Learn more here. To determine eligibility for a work persona, ServiceNow may confirm the distance between your primary residence and the closest ServiceNow office using a third-party service.

About ServiceNow

ServiceNow provides cloud-based solutions that define, structure, manage, and automate services for enterprise operations in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and other countries. The company offers service management solutions, including incident, problem, change, request, and cost management as well as service catalogs; and IT, HR, facilities, and field service management solutions. It also provides IT operations management solutions covering service mapping, delivery, and assurance solutions; business management solutions such as financial management, project portfolio suite, vendor performance management, and performance analytics as well as governance, risk, and compliance; and application development services.

ServiceNow Careers

Join the dynamic team at ServiceNow, a global leader in digital workflow solutions, where innovation and leadership converge to shape the future of work. At ServiceNow, we offer more than just job opportunities; we provide a platform for professional growth and a chance to be part of a culture that values diversity, creativity, and continuous learning.

Work You’ll Do

Embark on a career journey with ServiceNow and contribute to the world’s leading enterprises' digital transformation. Our team is at the forefront of developing cutting-edge technologies that improve how people work. With ServiceNow, you will use your skills to impact businesses and industries profoundly, driving efficiency and innovation.

Join Our Market-Leading Team

ServiceNow is not just another technology company. We are a team that thrives on diversity and leadership, fostering an inclusive environment that promotes growth and development. Our commitment to diversity training ensures that every team member can achieve their potential.

Innovative Work

ServiceNow is home to more than 10,000 dedicated professionals who lead the charge in digital workflows and enterprise solutions. As part of our team, you will engage in projects that merge technology with practical applications, creating revolutionary products that advance how services are delivered and managed.

Career Development

At ServiceNow, your career trajectory is filled with boundless opportunities. We support your growth with robust training programs, leadership development courses, and access to global challenges. Whether you are looking for an internship, full-time position, or leadership role, ServiceNow equips you with the tools to excel.

Be Part of a Great Team

Working at ServiceNow means being part of a community that values teamwork and innovation. Our collaborative environment encourages networking and sharing ideas, making our workplace vibrant and dynamic. The benefits of joining ServiceNow extend beyond comprehensive health and wellness; they include fostering professional connections and friendships that last a lifetime.

Explore Job Opportunities and Internships

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a recent graduate, ServiceNow offers a range of employment options to suit your career goals. From internships that provide real-world experience to full-time positions that challenge you to leverage your expertise, we are committed to hiring the best talent.

Stay Connected

Join Our Team Search open positions that match your skills and interests. At ServiceNow, we look for passionate, curious, and solution-driven team players. Explore the possibilities that await you at a company that is committed to your professional success.

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ServiceNow Careers

Empowering professionals to achieve more, ServiceNow is where careers are future-proofed, and ambitions are realized. Join us in our journey of growth and innovation.
Learn more about ServiceNow
Size
16,881 employees
Market Cap
$76.5 billion
Industry
Information Technology
Net Income
$118.5 million
Founded
2004
5 Year Trend
+33.5%
Revenue
$4.5 billion
NASDAQ
NOW
* Ladders Estimates

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