Staff Product Security Engineer

As a Staff Product Security Engineer at Affirm, your main responsibility revolves around leading incident response efforts within the Security Operations team. You’ll be the Incident Commander during security events, overseeing actions, driving remediation efforts, and communicating effectively with stakeholders. Your focus will not only include incident management but also enhancing security practices across the organization.

To be considered for the Staff Product Security Engineer role at Affirm, you should have at least 7 years of experience in Detection and Response engineering, especially in environments that emphasize cloud technology like AWS or EKS. A deep understanding of SIEM, EDR tools and proficient coding skills, especially in Python and Terraform, are also highly valued.

Affirm's Security Operations team stands out for its collaborative and inclusive atmosphere that encourages continuous learning and curiosity. With a commitment to redefining the fintech sector, you'll be part of a dynamic group that not only addresses security challenges but also innovates solutions alongside cross-functional teams across various sectors of the company.

At Affirm, we believe in fostering a culture of growth. As a Staff Product Security Engineer, you'll have opportunities for mentorship, training for junior team members, and engaging with the broader security community through publications and presentations, all aimed at enhancing your skills and expanding your professional network.

Affirm promotes a remote-first work culture that values diversity and inclusion. We encourage teamwork and creativity, creating an engaging environment that fuels innovation while allowing flexibility and work-life balance. Here, you'll be part of a culture that truly puts 'People First' in every aspect.

When asked about incident response experience, you should detail specific incidents you managed, how you coordinated with your team, and the results of your actions. Highlight your leadership style, particularly how you communicate clearly under pressure and engage stakeholders, including technical and executive teams, to drive effective incident resolution.

In your answer, focus on the specific security tools you've utilized, such as various SIEM and EDR technologies like Splunk or CrowdStrike. Discuss how you've implemented these tools within your security operations and how they contributed to effective threat detection and response processes.

Discuss your strategies for staying calm and constructive during high-stress situations. Include examples of how you’ve managed teams effectively during past incidents, underscoring your ability to make data-driven decisions and provide clear communications to ensure all team members remain aligned and focused.

Use this opportunity to narrate a specific example where you successfully led a project that involved multiple teams. Discuss your role, the challenges faced, and how you facilitated collaboration to achieve the project’s security objectives, including any measurable outcomes.

Express your belief in proactive communication, continuous education, and collaboration as critical elements in fostering a security culture. Share examples of how implementing training sessions or partnerships with other departments can strengthen an organization’s overall security posture.

Outline a structured approach to incident response that includes immediate detection, assessment, containment, and eradication of threats. Provide context about your decision-making process and emphasize the importance of post-incident retrospectives for improving future response efforts.

Share methods you use to keep up-to-date, such as attending industry conferences, participating in webinars, engaging with the security community through forums, or leveraging platforms like GitHub. Mention any certifications or ongoing education that support your knowledge in an ever-changing field.

Discuss your familiarity with specific cloud environments, particularly AWS or EKS. Talk about the unique security challenges these platforms present and how you’ve specifically addressed them through architectural strategies, monitoring, and incident response procedures.

Emphasize your commitment to knowledge sharing and team development. Discuss strategies you’ve employed to mentor junior engineers, such as providing hands-on training, regular feedback, and involving them in incident response scenarios to boost their confidence and skills.

Explain the importance of clear, concise communication during incidents. Provide examples of how you tailor your communication style for different audiences, including technical teams and executive stakeholders to ensure a cohesive response and timely decision-making.