Principal Consultant - AI/ML Application Security | Remote, USA

This position will be fully remote and can be hired anywhere in the continental U.S.

Who we are looking for:

Our consultants are skilled technical and consultative resources expected to be strong in both technical and soft skills. A consultant must be a proven self-starter with the ability to problem-solve, communicate, participate in diverse project teams from a technical perspective, and interface effectively with customers, vendor partners, and colleagues.

The Principal Consultant Application Security consultant has strong experience with secure application development and application security assessments. The ideal candidate will understand a wide range of technologies, programming languages and application frameworks to identify risks and vulnerabilities in client applications and supporting environments.

This role will focus on providing security services related to systems that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) technologies. Candidates must have a strong aptitude for learning and communicating perspectives on cybersecurity and AI/ML.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Research new and emerging threats to continually evolve Optiv’s security expertise around AI/ML attacks

• Advise clients on leading practices for developing secure AI/ML systems, spanning the entire development lifecycle

• Author regular status updates and final deliverables during client engagements

• Perform AI/ML application security vulnerability assessments, penetration tests, threat modeling, and advanced advisory activities through client services engagements

• Provide tactical and strategic guidance and detailed remediation advice help clients achieve stronger security postures

• Build and maintain professional relationships with client stakeholders and provide them with information about application security and secure development lifecycle topics

• Track and monitor current and trending practices for engineering and deploying AI/ML applications and solutions

• Contribute to the development of AI/ML services and capabilities across the team

• Mentor and train team members in offensive techniques and approaches to help scale Optiv's AI/ML services capabilities

• Leverage and extend existing tools to help evolve Optiv’s AI/ML testing methodologies and processes

• Assist with evaluating AI/ML security market solutions for comparative efficacy and suitability to client needs

• Obtain and evolve personal technical expertise, certifications, and industry credentials through formal and informal training and other learning initiatives

• Contribute content to the Optiv blog and present on security topics via webinars, security conferences, and other events

• Review the work provided by other team members to confirm their deliverables are of the highest quality

• Identify and recommend improvements in Optiv’s methodologies and internal processes and provide input and support for updating consulting tools, techniques, and knowledgebase

• Establish and maintain productive relationships with the wider delivery team, practice management, and client management team

What we're looking for

• Previous job experience in an information security consulting services or enterprise security team role

• Practical experience (5+ years) in application security that included manual security testing of web, mobile, and API applications

• Deep understanding of software security architecture and design

• Ability to travel 20% of the time to client sites

• Ability to work with diverse and dynamic teams

• Ability to think critically and solve complex problems with creativity

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, software engineering, data science, or cybersecurity

• Hold one or more security certifications: CISSP, CSSLP, OSCP, OSWE, OSCE, GPEN, GWAPT, GMLE

AI/ML Qualifications:

• One or more years of experience with AI security testing, AI red teaming, or AI/ML security research

• Experience leveraging specialized tools to test AI/ML systems

• Working knowledge of adversarial machine learning, offensive security techniques, and countermeasures for AI/ML

• Familiarity with OWASP Top 10 lists for LLMs and Machine Learning and/or MITRA ATLAS

• Ability to explain the various machine learning paradigms and the relevant attack classes for each

• Experience training or educating technical and non-technical audiences about AI/ML security

• Knowledge of generative