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Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.
POSITION SPECIFICS
This position will be located fully onsite in San Diego, CA. Questions about flexible work arrangements may be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.
Periodic travel to local and remote test sites is required.
We are seeking a highly skilled Application Security Engineer with a strong foundation in security engineering to join the DevSecOps Team of the Joint Mission Integration and Experimentation (JMIE) Division within the Information Advantage Office at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State, based in San Diego, CA. The JMIE Division delivers advanced communications capabilities and secure experimentation networks supporting departmental mission partners, including cross‑domain data movement, tactical compute environments, and resilient edge processing strengthen secure software design, development, and deployment across our mission‑focused environments. In this role, you will champion application security best practices, embed security across the software development lifecycle, and work closely with engineering teams to ensure applications are resilient, compliant, and securely architected from concept to production.
ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes all transitioning military members to apply.
You will:
- Lead the integration of application security best practices into Agile and DevSecOps workflows, ensuring security requirements are included from initial design through deployment
- Conduct deep‑dive secure code reviews, threat modeling, and architecture analysis to identify vulnerabilities and guide remediation strategies
- Perform static (SAST), dynamic (DAST), and interactive application security testing, ensuring coverage across microservices, APIs, and containerized applications
- Develop and maintain secure coding standards, patterns, and guidance used across engineering teams
- Partner with developers and product owners to ensure secure design decisions, using approaches such as least privilege, secure defaults, zero‑trust principles, and defense‑in‑depth
- Manage and optimize tools supporting application security, including SAST/DAST platforms, software composition analysis (SCA), secret‑scanning, and container/CI pipeline security tool
- Evaluate open‑source and third‑party components for vulnerabilities, license risks, and supply chain integrity
- Guide teams in secure API development, authentication/authorization best practices, cryptographic use, and secure data handling
- Validate security controls and perform risk analysis for applications undergoing release, modernization, or cloud migration
- Assist in building a security‑focused engineering culture through training, documentation, and hands‑on developer engagement
- Collaborate with cybersecurity, cloud, and network teams to ensure application security aligns with enterprise risk, RMF requirements, and overall mission objectives
Additional responsibilities for senior-level roles may include:
- Leading threat modeling sessions, red/blue–team collaboration, and advanced vulnerability analysis
Designing scalable AppSec programs and enterprise SDLC security strategies - Supporting RMF documentation and security artifacts relevant to application‑level controls
- Acting as a security advisor on high‑visibility or mission‑critical applications
Required Skills/Experience include:
- Strong background in application security, including secure development practices, vulnerability analysis, and secure design principles
- Versed in SAST, DAST, SCA, and CI/CD security integration
- Proficiency with secure coding techniques in one or more languages (e.g., Python, Java, C#, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go)
- Experience reviewing application architectures, microservices, and containerized workloads for security weaknesses
- Familiarity with NIST 800‑53 or similar control frameworks as they relate to application-level security requirements
- Strong understanding of authentication, authorization, encryption, and API security best practices
- Strong background in cybersecurity disciplines, including vulnerability management, scanning, compliance evaluation, and control implementation
- Experience interpreting security policy, generating evidence, and documenting test results for NIST 800‑53 / JSIG security controls
- Active TS/SCI clearance
Preferred Skills/Experience include:
- Experience operating within DevSecOps pipelines and modern CI/CD ecosystems
- Knowledge of cloud-native application security (AWS, Azure, or DoD cloud environments)
- Experience with secure design reviews for APIs, distributed systems, mobile applications, or cross-domain solutions
- Background with eMASS, STIGs, or ACAS in support of application accreditation efforts
- Relevant certifications: CSSLP, GWAPT, GWEB, GCSA, GSSP, or CISSP
Prior experience delivering developer security training or building secure coding programs
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
Bachelor's Degree 3+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted Required Certifications: None
ARL’s purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Intel Community (IC), and other federal government customers.FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our website at www.arl.psu.edu.
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL): Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance, participate in the ARL drug testing program, and comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors. ARL operates in a secure information environment involving Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted from certain areas. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
SALARY & BENEFITS
The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $119,736.00 - $197,604.00. This salary range includes an adjustment based on required geographic work location.
Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.
EEO IS THE LAW
Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.
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Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree and 3+ years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Strong application security background, including secure development, vulnerability analysis, and secure design principles
- Experience with SAST, DAST, SCA, and CI/CD security integration
- Proficiency with secure coding in one or more of Python, Java, C#, JavaScript/TypeScript, or Go
- Experience reviewing application architectures, microservices, and containerized workloads for security weaknesses
- Familiarity with NIST 800-53 or similar control frameworks
- Understanding of authentication, authorization, encryption, and API security
- Cybersecurity experience in vulnerability management, scanning, compliance evaluation, and control implementation
- Experience interpreting security policy, generating evidence, and documenting test results for NIST 800-53 or JSIG controls
- Active TS/SCI clearance
- Experience with DevSecOps pipelines and modern CI/CD ecosystems
- Knowledge of cloud-native application security, including AWS, Azure, or DoD cloud environments
- Experience securing APIs, distributed systems, mobile applications, or cross-domain solutions
- Experience with eMASS, STIGs, or ACAS
- CSSLP, GWAPT, GWEB, GCSA, GSSP, or CISSP certification
- Experience delivering developer security training or building secure coding programs
Penn State University Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Penn State University and has not been reviewed or approved by Penn State University.
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Retirement Support — Employer contributions to SERS and the TIAA Alternate Plan are described as significant, with supplemental retirement options available. Feedback suggests these choices and contributions create strong long‑term value.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Full‑time employees accrue over 24 sick and vacation days annually, with additional university holidays and a winter break. Feedback suggests this depth of leave supports work–life balance.
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Inclusive Benefits Coverage — A 75% tuition discount extends to employees, spouses, and dependent children up to age 26 across resident instruction, World Campus, and Penn College courses. Feedback suggests this broad eligibility meaningfully enhances total rewards, especially for families.
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What We Do
There’s a reason Penn State consistently ranks among the top one percent of the world’s universities. Across 24 campuses, our nearly 88,000 students and 17,000 faculty and staff know the real measure of success goes beyond the classroom—it’s the positive impact made on communities across the world. From access to state-of-the-art resources to interdisciplinary pursuits in collaborative atmospheres, a Penn State degree is more than an education. The experiences and knowledge gained here will form the foundation for the lives our students build. Their contributions to the world begin with a Penn State degree. We Are Penn State.
