Director, Security Engineering

At Instructure, we believe in the power of people to grow and succeed throughout their lives. Our goal is to amplify that power by creating intuitive products that simplify learning and personal development, facilitate meaningful relationships, and inspire people to go further in their education and careers.

We do this by giving smart, creative, passionate people opportunities to create awesome.

And that's where you come in

Job Description

The Director, Security Engineering owns how Instructure builds and runs securely.

The role leads three core functions

product security, embedded in R&D teams, cloud and infrastructure security across AWS, and AI security. It also owns security architecture standards, vulnerability management, and edge security. Reports to the CISO.

Responsibilities

Product security

• Lead product security: threat modeling, design review, and the release gate. The team works inside R&D teams on a dotted line.
• Approve standard product launches and own pen test and bug bounty intake.

Cloud and infrastructure security

• Lead cloud and infrastructure security: IAM, AWS guardrails, infrastructure as code, patch policy, secrets rotation, and privileged and non-human access.
• Own the WAF standard and approve WAF rule changes and patch window changes

AI security

• Lead AI security: set security standards for AI features, agents, and AI services that Instructure builds or integrates.
• Define controls for prompt injection, excessive agent permissions and tool abuse, data leakage, and unauthorized access through RAG and connectors.
• Set intake and risk review for third-party AI services, and manage shadow AI risk with GRC.
• Include AI-specific risks in threat modeling, design review, and the release gate.
• Work with the Security Architect on AI reference patterns, and with GRC on AI governance and risk.

Architecture, vulnerability management, and delivery

• Set security architecture and design standards, working through the Security Architect.
• Own vulnerability management: Wiz across code and cloud, SLAs by team, exceptions, and disputes.

Set secure SDLC standards and release criteria, including code scanning gates, with the Security Platform and Vulnerability Management Lead.

• Support customer security reviews as the technical expert, working with GRC.
• Deliver the Security Engineering commitments in the plan, and track Engineering commitments with the VP of Engineering.
• Hire, lead, and grow the team, and write job descriptions for the team's roles.

Success measures

• New in-scope features, including AI features, get a security design review before release.
• Vulnerability SLA performance reported to Engineering leaders monthly, with overdue items escalated to the owning VP.
• Security Engineering commitments delivered on the committed date.
• Open Security Engineering roles filled on planned dates.
• Security Engineering spend managed to budget.
• Product security coverage, remediation speed, and escaped defects reported quarterly.
• Every team member has a written development plan, reviewed quarterly.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in security engineering, including 5+ years leading security teams.
• Has led product security and cloud security teams, with hands-on depth in cloud environments.
• Practical knowledge of AI and LLM security risks, such as prompt injection, agent abuse, and data leakage, and of frameworks such as OWASP Top 10 for LLM Applications and NIST AI RMF.
• Has influenced senior Engineering leaders on design and risk trade-offs.
• Experience in SaaS, ideally handling regulated data such as education records (FERPA, COPPA).

Get in on all the awesome at Instructure!

We offer competitive, meaningful benefits in every country where we operate. While they vary by location, here's a general idea of what you can expect:

• Competitive compensation, plus all full-time employees participate in our ownership program - because everyone should have a stake in our success.
• Flexible work culture. Our remote, hybrid and in-office collaboration spaces vary by role, team and location.
• Generous time off, including local holidays and our annual “Dim the Lights” period in late December, when teams are encouraged to step back and recharge based on departmental needs.
• Comprehensive wellness programs and mental health support
• Learning and development resources, including professional development tools and tuition reimbursement, to support your growth
• The technology and tools you need to do your best work
• Motivosity employee recognition program
• A culture rooted in inclusivity, support, and meaningful connection

We believe in hiring great people and treating them right. The more diverse we are, the better our ideas and outcomes.

Instructure is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We comply with applicable employment and anti-discrimination laws in every country where we operate.

All employees must pass a background check as part of the hiring process. To help protect our teams and systems, we’ve implemented identity verification measures. Candidates may be asked to verify their legal name, current physical location, and provide a valid contact number and residential address, in accordance with local data privacy laws.

Any attempt to misrepresent personal or professional information will result in disqualification.