Staff Security Engineer

The Staff Security Engineer at Linear is responsible for overseeing application and infrastructure security, specifically in GCP and Kubernetes environments. You will drive improvements to our overall security posture and practices, define and implement product security strategies, manage pentesting efforts, and coordinate incident response. Your role will also involve collaboration with both internal teams and customers to ensure transparency around our security measures.

To qualify for the Staff Security Engineer role at Linear, you should have over five years of experience in application and infrastructure security. A strong startup background is essential, as is proficiency in threat modeling, risk management, and vulnerability assessments. Additionally, familiarity with secure coding practices in JavaScript/TypeScript and Node.js, along with hands-on experience using security tools, is highly valued.

Linear supports its Staff Security Engineer through various initiatives aimed at professional growth. This includes opportunities to participate in relevant security training, access to industry conferences, and collaboration on projects that enhance skills in security posture and compliance. The company encourages a culture of continuous learning and mastery in security best practices.

At Linear, the work environment for the Staff Security Engineer is remote, flexible, and collaborative. As a fully remote company with teams distributed across North America and Europe, we emphasize work-life balance and effective communication. You will engage in close collaboration with infrastructure and product teams, fostering a culture of innovation while ensuring security best practices.

Linear offers a competitive salary and equity, employee-friendly equity terms, and generous benefits for its Staff Security Engineer employees. These include five weeks of paid vacation, paid parental leave, health, dental, and vision insurance, as well as options for co-working space. The company promotes a healthy work-life balance and investment in your well-being.

In answering this question, focus on specific application security measures you have implemented in past roles, such as threat modeling techniques, vulnerability assessments, and security controls. Highlight projects where your initiatives led to a measurable improvement in security posture, showcasing your problem-solving abilities and technical expertise.

Illustrate your knowledge of frameworks such as SOC2, GDPR, or ISO 27001. Explain how you've worked with compliance standards in previous roles, detailing how you've helped organizations align security protocols with regulatory requirements to ensure the integrity and protection of sensitive information.

When discussing prioritization, explain your approach to assessing risk and impact. Mention how you’ve leveraged tools for managing security tasks, your communication with team stakeholders, and any frameworks you use to ensure that the most critical security initiatives receive the attention they need while staying adaptable to emerging threats.

Offer a detailed account of a specific incident, emphasizing your role in managing the situation. Highlight your incident response strategies, the steps you took to mitigate the breach, root cause analysis, and how you communicated with team members and stakeholders throughout the process.

Discuss your insights on evolving threats to cloud infrastructure, such as insecure APIs and misconfigured cloud services. Speak to the importance of continuous monitoring and automated security testing, as well as how your strategies can adapt to address these challenges effectively.

Explain your methods for keeping up with industry trends, such as following reputable security blogs, attending conferences, or participating in security forums. Mention any certifications you hold or are pursuing that demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning in the security field.

Name specific tools you are experienced with, such as OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite, or Nessus. Discuss how you’ve applied these tools in past roles and your methodology for conducting assessments to ensure comprehensive security coverage.

Share your strategies for promoting secure coding amongst development teams, such as organizing workshops, creating documentation, or integrating security into the CI/CD pipeline. Emphasize the importance of collaboration and fostering a culture of security within the development process.

Provide examples of your experience conducting vendor risk assessments and audits. Discuss how you ensure that third-party integrations comply with your organization's security standards and how you communicate expectations clearly to vendors.

Articulate your passion for security and your excitement about Linear’s mission to innovate in software. Connect your skills and interests with the company’s culture and values, expressing your eagerness to contribute to their success in building secure products.