Principal Vulnerability & Patch Management Security Engineer

Wells Fargo is seeking a Principal Vulnerability & Patch Management Security Engineer to provide enterprise leadership for the modernization and transformation of Vulnerability Management (VM) capabilities across the organization. This role will serve as a strategic technical leader driving the evolution of the Vulnerability and Patch Management (VPM) program through automation, platform modernization, cloud-native security engineering, and AI-enabled vulnerability intelligence.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and engineering organizations to develop and influence enterprise-wide vulnerability management, security engineering, cloud security, and automation strategies.
• Lead the transformation of the Vulnerability and Patch Management (VPM) program by identifying opportunities to automate manual processes and implement AI-driven security capabilities.
• Define and execute strategies for decommissioning legacy vulnerability management platforms and transitioning teams to modern vulnerability management technologies and operating models.
• Drive enterprise adoption of next-generation vulnerability management capabilities through technical leadership, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional partnership.
• Lead the strategy and resolution of highly complex security engineering challenges requiring evaluation across multiple technology domains and business lines.
• Translate advanced technical expertise and deep knowledge of enterprise security architecture into innovative engineering solutions that support long-term business objectives.
• Design and oversee API-first security architectures that enable automation, orchestration, and integration across vulnerability management, cloud security, and enterprise security platforms.
• Develop and influence automation frameworks, scripting solutions, and engineering standards that improve vulnerability identification, prioritization, remediation, and reporting.
• Partner with DevOps, Infrastructure, and Engineering teams to integrate vulnerability management tools and controls into CI/CD pipelines and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) frameworks.
• Establish best practices for implementing and maintaining security controls within modern software development and deployment environments.
• Provide strategic guidance on operating effectively across hybrid and multi-cloud environments, including cloud-native vulnerability management and security monitoring capabilities.
• Lead initiatives that aggregate, correlate, normalize, and enrich vulnerability data from multiple security tools, cloud platforms, and enterprise systems.
• Partner with data engineering teams to develop scalable security data pipelines, leverage enterprise data lakes, and utilize advanced SQL analytics to improve vulnerability intelligence and decision-making.
• Act as a human-in-the-loop technical expert for data-driven vulnerability management capabilities that leverage automated deduplication, correlation, prioritization, and AI-based recommendations.
• Research emerging cyber threats, vulnerability management technologies, and innovative security solutions that enhance organizational security posture and operational efficiency.
• Maintain expert-level knowledge of industry best practices, security architecture trends, cloud technologies, vulnerability management frameworks, and AI-driven security solutions.
• Provide vision, direction, and expertise to senior leadership on implementing significant and innovative cyber security engineering solutions.
• Strategically engage with all levels of professionals and managers across the enterprise, influencing technical decisions, operational priorities, and security roadmaps.
• Drive consensus across multiple organizations and remove organizational and technical barriers that impede security transformation initiatives.
• Serve as a recognized subject matter expert in vulnerability management, security automation, cloud security engineering, and enterprise security architecture.
• Demonstrate proficiency in using AI-assisted development and analysis tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot and approved code-centric agents).
• Leverage AI to accelerate system design, coding, testing, analysis, and troubleshooting.
• Apply strong technical judgment when validating and integrating AI-assisted outputs into solutions.
• Understand and account for model limitations, security risks, and operational considerations.
• Apply AI responsibly in development and production environments.
• Ensure AI usage aligns with security, compliance, privacy, and ethical standards.

Requirements

7+ years of Engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Vulnerability Management, Patch Management, Security Engineering, or Cyber Security Operations.
• Proven success modernizing enterprise vulnerability management programs, including retirement of legacy platforms and implementation of next-generation VM solutions.
• Experience developing API-based integrations, security automation solutions, and scripting using Python, PowerShell, or similar technologies.
• Strong understanding of CI/CD pipelines, DevSecOps practices, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
• Experience integrating vulnerability scanning and security controls into software development and cloud engineering workflows.
• Experience securing hybrid and multi-cloud environments, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.
• Knowledge of security data aggregation, data lakes, data correlation, and SQL-based analytics.
• Experience leveraging AI, machine learning, or advanced analytics to improve vulnerability prioritization and risk reduction.
• Strong understanding of vulnerability management frameworks, exposure management, and risk-based remediation strategies.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, executive communication, and cross-functional influence skills.
• Experience leading enterprise-wide initiatives and removing organizational and technical roadblocks in highly matrixed environments.
• Experience within a large, regulated organization, preferably financial services.

Job Expectations

• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time.
• Ability to work a hybrid work schedule - 3 days a week on-site/in office and 2 days a week remote.
• This position is not eligible for Visa sponsorship.

Locations

• Charlotte, NC
• Chandler, AZ
• Irving, TX

Pay

$159,000.00 - $254,000.00

Benefits

• Health benefits
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid time off
• Disability benefits
• Life insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance
• Parental leave
• Critical caregiving leave
• Discounts and savings
• Commuter benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• Scholarships for dependent children
• Adoption reimbursement