Vannevar is a defense technology company building AI to deter our adversaries. In the 21st century, conflict moves at algorithmic speed and foresight equals firepower. Our agentic AI is purpose-built to compete with China—from cross-Strait conflict to gray zone coercion. Trained on the most mission-relevant datasets in defense, our technology models adversary behavior, simulates campaigns, and recommends the best course of action to decision makers. Our AI systems are some of the most trusted in the industry and actively used on the front lines of the Indo-Pacific to keep the peace and save lives.
Exceptional technology starts with exceptional people. Vannevar is a small agile team combining world-class engineers with veteran strategists who bring deep expertise in defense and tradecraft. We’re building a company defined by mission impact, user empathy, and disciplined growth. In just three years, we grew from $3M to $80M in ARR, achieved early profitability, and reached unicorn status—proving that disruption doesn’t require an ego, and staying power doesn’t mean standing still.
As an Application Security Engineer, you will help build security into our SaaS platform, ensuring we can quickly ship secure features to our customers. You will partner with software, DevOps, and platform teams, while coordinating with audit partners, to embed threat modeling, automated SAST/SCA/DAST, and rapid vulnerability response into every stage of our SDLC. Your work will be pivotal in protecting customer data, meeting compliance milestones, and scaling our security posture as the company grows.
What you'll do- Implement and deploy enterprise standard SAST, SCA, secrets-scan, DAST, and container/IaC checks in CI/CD
- Embed with development teams to run threat models, review critical PRs, and coach secure-by-default habits.
- Drive a shift-left vulnerability detection program to identify and remediate vulnerabilities earlier in the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
- Coordinate with DevOps for application security issues that cross between application and infrastructure layers
- Support incident-response for product issues and feed lessons back into code, docs, and process.
- 5 + years in Application / Product Security
- Hands-on experience securing web applications and automating AppSec workflows.
- Familiarity with DevSecOps practices and container security & patching
- Experience with GitHub Actions, Python, TypeScript/JavaScript
- Clear, concise communicator who can translate risk for engineers
- Experience securing LLM workflows
- Experience with NIST Risk Management Framework
- Experience with software security at a U.S. defense contractor
- Active Security Clearance (or ability to obtain one) and willingness to travel onsite
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- 100% remote - work from anywhere in the US
- 401k matching
- Mental benefits
- Flexible work environment - you manage your workday
- Pet and child care reimbursement during travel
- Unlimited PTO
The salary range for this position is $160,000 - $210,000 + equity + 401K match. Within the range, individual pay is determined by experience, relevant education, and/or training.
We are committed to protecting the privacy of all applicants. Official emails from the company will come from an @vannevarlabs.com domain. Under no circumstances will a legitimate representative from our company contact you to request passwords, financial information, or other sensitive personal data. Please be vigilant of potential scams.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of experience in application or product security
- Hands-on experience securing web applications
- Experience automating application security workflows
- Familiarity with DevSecOps practices
- Experience with container security and patching
- Experience with GitHub Actions
- Experience with Python
- Experience with TypeScript or JavaScript
- Clear, concise communication and ability to translate risk for engineers
- Experience securing LLM workflows
- Experience with NIST Risk Management Framework
- Experience with software security at a U.S. defense contractor
- Active security clearance or ability to obtain one
- Willingness to travel onsite
What the Team is Saying
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Vannevar Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare is considered comprehensive, with top-tier medical, dental, and vision coverage highlighted alongside mental-health support and wellness stipends. These elements are consistently presented as core pillars of the package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off is framed as generous, featuring unlimited PTO, shared downtime aligned to federal holidays, and a company-wide year-end break. The approach signals an expectation that employees actually disconnect and use their time.
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Parental & Family Support — Parental leave is described as fully paid for 12 weeks for all parents, with an additional 4 weeks for new mothers and flexibility to take leave in blocks over a year. Family-planning assistance, monthly caregiving stipends, and travel-related child/pet care reimbursement extend support beyond leave.
Vannevar Insights
What We Do
Vannevar combines Silicon Valley innovation with former special operators to build AI for real-world national security outcomes. Since our founding in 2019, Vannevar has deployed its technology across 125 missions, safeguarding our service members and improving our country's deterrence. We believe our military service members and intelligence officers deserve access to the best technology American innovation can offer, and we are mobilizing frontier technology for this mission. Our founders have 30 years of combined experience across AI labs, national security strategy, intelligence agencies and special operations. We're supported by a number of leading VCs, including Felicis, DFJ Growth, Point72, Costanoa, and General Catalyst. Vannevar is one of the most capital efficient defense tech companies, reaching early profitability and becoming a defense tech unicorn in 2024.
Why Work With Us
We pride ourselves on being a team of passionate, low-ego professionals who share a commitment to engineering excellence and a genuine concern for the people and AI agents we deliver. Vannevar is a company that truly cares about its people and one of our core principles is "put your wellbeing first".
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Vannevar Offices
Remote Workspace
Employees work remotely.
We are distributed across the map, but united by the mission. We go where the mission takes us and deliver where others can’t. Honolulu, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington D.C., New York. You decide what's next.
