Fortinet

Staff Software Development Engineer

Fortinet$179K — $260K *
Information Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of experience in AI systems for security-sensitive environments, or a Master's with 3+ years, or a PhD with no experience required.
  • Proficiency in at least one modern backend language like Python or Go.
  • Experience with designing APIs and integrating backend applications with real-time systems.
  • Strong background in databases including Postgres and graph databases.
  • Hands-on experience building or integrating AI systems in production environments.

Responsibilities

  • Architect and implement scalable AI agent and backend systems for real-time operational data.
  • Integrate large language models (LLMs) and generative AI components within production workflows.
  • Design robust data flows supporting next-gen security operations capabilities.
  • Define contracts between AI services, backend APIs, and frontend applications.
  • Contribute to trustworthy AI delivery with structured outputs and human-in-the-loop review processes.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to shape the future of AI-assisted cybersecurity and operations at scale.
  • End-to-end ownership of high-impact products used by enterprise customers.
  • Collaborative environment with experienced professionals in engineering, research, and design.
  • Continuous learning opportunities in AI/ML, distributed systems, and modern web technologies.
  • Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k).
Full Job Description
JOB DESCRIPTION

1. ABOUT THE ROLE

We’re a cybersecurity company building a next-generation AI-driven operations platform, designed to power complex, high-stakes workflows. The product integrates generative AI deeply into real-time operational environments—combining reasoning, retrieval, and automation into scalable, trustworthy systems.

We’re looking for an Applied AI Engineer with strong backend and AI experience who can architect, build, and scale secure, performant systems. You’ll work closely with product, AI/ML, and design teams to deliver capabilities that drive investigation speed, streamline operations, and unlock new modes of human-AI collaboration.

2. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

2.1 Development

  • End-to-end ownership of complex system features: from backend services and API design to user-facing interactions.

  • Architect and implement scalable AI agent and backend systems for high-volume, real-time operational workloads.

  • IntegrateLLMs and GenAI components into production workflows, including fine-tuning, prompt orchestration, retrieval pipelines, and evaluation loops.

  • Design and implement robust data flows (e.g., event streams, message queues, job orchestration) to support next-gen SOC/NOC capabilities.

  • Build resilient real-time user experiences (e.g., dashboards, streaming data visualization, multi-user collaboration).

  • Define clear contracts between AI services, backend APIs, and frontend clients.

  • Contribute to trustworthy AI delivery: streaming responses with structured outputs, redaction/guardrails, and human-in-the-loop review.

2.2 Collaboration

  • Partner with AI/ML engineers to productionize models, optimize inference pipelines, and collect feedback signals for iterative improvement.

  • Collaborate with design and frontend engineers to translate complex backend/AI systems into intuitive UIs.

  • Lead technical reviews, and help shape coding standards and architectural patterns.

  • Communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders about trade-offs, performance, and reliability.

3. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

3.1 Experience

  • Proven track record shipping data-intensive and AI-enhanced applications at scale.

  • Experience owning features from system architecture through production delivery.

  • BS: 5+ years in backend or full-stack systems for high-availability, security-sensitive environments OR

  • MS: 3+ years in the same OR

  • PhD: 0+ year in the same

3.2 Technical Skills

Core Backend & Platform (Must Have)

  • Proficiency with at least one modern backend runtime/language (e.g., Python, Go) and associated frameworks.

  • Strong background in designing APIs (REST/WebSocket/GraphQL) and integrating with real-time/event-driven systems.

  • Deep understanding of databases and storage paradigms (e.g., Postgres, graph DBs, time-series stores).

  • Experience with authentication/authorization, session management, and enterprise integrations.

  • Familiarity with distributed systems, scalability, and observability best practices.

AI/ML Integration (Strongly Desired)

  • Hands-on experience building or integrating AI systems in production.

  • Familiarity with multi-agent,retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), prompt engineering, evaluation, and guardrails.

  • Exposure tomodel fine-tuning workflows or orchestration frameworks for multi-tool AI agents.

Frontend (Nice-to-Have)

  • Solid proficiency with modern JavaScript/TypeScript and a component-based framework (React or equivalent).

  • Experience building data-heavy dashboards and visualization for real-time operations.

  • Understanding of streaming UX patterns (WebSocket/SSE) and responsive design systems.

Communication & Soft Skills

  • Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication.

  • Comfortable operating in fast-moving, ambiguous contexts.

About Fortinet

Fortinet is a cybersecurity company that provides network security solutions to businesses, service providers, and government organizations worldwide. The company's products and services include firewalls, VPNs, intrusion prevention systems, endpoint security, and more. Fortinet was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Learn more about Fortinet
Size
10,860 employees
Market Cap
$38.2 billion
Industry
Net Income
$486.2 million
Founded
2000
5 Year Trend
+21.2%
Revenue
$2.5 billion
NASDAQ

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