AI Security Engineer

AI Security Engineer — Contract, South San Francisco (Onsite 3x/Week) Overview Our client is looking for an AI Security Engineer to join a publicly traded Biotech organization building an AI/ML platform on AWS. This role supports a highly pro-AI environment with ~9 concurrent AI projects, requiring hands-on security oversight and the ability to provide candid risk input to business leaders and technical teams. You will design and implement security controls for AI systems, help define guardrails and governance, and ensure compliance across AI models, data pipelines, and infrastructure—including considerations tied to GDPR, GxP, and regional technical nuances (US/China routing constraints). Contract length: 6 months with a chance to extend based on performance Location: South San Francisco, CA — 3 days onsite per week Required Skills Security experience: 5+ years in cybersecurity, including at least 2 years securing AI/ML systems and/or cloud environmentsAWS security hands-on: Experience with AWS security services/tools including IAM, KMS, CloudTrail, GuardDuty (or equivalent controls)AI/ML security grounding: Understanding of AI-specific threats including data poisoning, adversarial attacks, and model inversionCloud + infrastructure security: Ability to secure AI workloads and supporting infrastructure in AWS (e.g., SageMaker, Lambda, S3 or comparable services)Data privacy/compliance: Knowledge of applying regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA to AI systemsGovernance & policy implementation: Experience developing or implementing security policies and governance frameworks for technology programsTechnical familiarity: Comfort with Linux-based systems and scripting (Python, Bash)DevOps awareness: Understanding of CI/CD and operational security practices (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes)Professional communication: Ability to relay risks honestly and clearly; “yes person” behavior is explicitly discouraged in this role Nice to Have Skills Experience supporting AI initiatives involving tools such as:In-house CopilotLicensed ChatGPT (with Codec license)Potential migration to Glean (multi-model integration)Schrodinger (externally hosted molecule design)Internal medical monitoring tool “Radar” with AI enablementProof-of-concept tools, including medical writing enablementExperience with CASB-driven security control environments such as ZscalerFamiliarity with AI governance/ethics frameworks and establishing practical guardrailsPrior experience in BioTech or healthcare environments and working knowledge of regulatory expectations (e.g., GxP) Preferred Education And Experience Preferred education: Master’s degree preferred in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, or a related fieldPreferred experience: Demonstrated work on large-scale AI/ML projects in cloud environments; experience that supports strong security governance in regulated contexts Other Requirements Onsite requirement: 3 days per week onsite in South San Francisco, CACertifications (Preferred):AWS Certified Security – SpecialtyCertified Ethical Hacker (CEH)Certified AI Practitioner (CertNexus) or equivalent AI-focused certification If you have hands-on AWS security experience paired with credible AI security risk judgment, apply now with your updated resume—this role is urgent and the team needs strong, candid ownership.