PE

AI Security Engineer

Perplexity
Posted onFeb 16, 2026
LocationSan Francisco, California, United States (On-site)
Employment typeFull-time
Salary$210k – $385k Yearly

Perplexity is seeking a highly skilled, experienced, and hands-on AI Security Engineer to join our security team, driving the protection of next-generation AI systems against adversarial threats. In this role, you’ll design and implement robust mechanisms to secure self-hosted models, LLM APIs, agents, MCPs, and the core AI stack. You'll empower developers with tools and guidance, as well as technical contributions, enabling innovation while ensuring AI security is strong by default.

Our tech stack includes Python, NextJS, TypeScript, Docker, AWS, Kubernetes, and PostgreSQL.

Responsibilities

  • Define, build, and refine mechanisms to secure AI systems (including self-hosted models, LLM APIs, agents, MCPs, and other core components of the AI stack) against adversarial behavior of all kinds

  • Understand technically complex AI systems, identify potential weaknesses in their architecture, and implement improvements

  • At least 50% of time performing hands-on remediation. Also working closely with peer engineers to drive remediations

  • Plan and carry out threat modeling activities and realistic threat simulations across our offerings

  • Conduct cybersecurity evaluations and lead AI security assessments in a cross-functional environment

  • Develop initiatives that improve our capabilities to effectively evaluate AI systems and enhance the organization's prevention, detection, response, and threat hunting capabilities

  • Provide guidance and education to developers to help deter and prevent threats

Qualifications

  • Hands-on coding and prompting experience.

  • Bachelor of Science or Master of Science in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience

  • Be a technical and process subject matter expert regarding AI security services and attacker tactics, techniques, and procedures

  • Good understanding of LLMs, AI architecture patterns, machine learning models, and related technologies such as MCP

  • Understanding of application security principles and secure coding practices

  • Experience developing and implementing security procedures and policies

  • Strong problem-solving, project management, leadership, and communication skills

  • Self-motivated with a willingness to take ownership of tasks

  • 4+ years of industry experience

Salary: $210K – $385K • Offers Equity

Perplexity is an AI-powered answer engine that provides accurate, real-time answers to questions backed by credible sources and citations.

Similar jobs

You might also be interested in...

AN5d

Application Security Engineer

Anthropic

San Francisco, California, United States (Hybrid)

$300k – $405k Yearly

CR2w

Senior Product Security Engineer

Crusoe

San Francisco, California, United States (On-site)

$180k – $230k Yearly

SC1w

Engineering Manager, Security

Scale

San Francisco, California, United States (On-site)

$248.4k – $310.5k Yearly

CR2w

Product Security Engineer - AI

Crusoe

San Francisco, California, United States (On-site)

$135k – $150k Yearly

AN4d

Research Engineer, Frontier Red Team (Autonomy)

Anthropic

San Francisco, California, United States (Hybrid)

$350k – $850k Yearly