Lead Security Engineer - Artificial Intelligence

Job Description

Lead Security Engineer – Des Moines, IA (Remote Available)

Company: Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield

Job Summary

Wellmark is seeking a Lead Security Engineer with deep experience securing enterprise systems, cloud platforms, and agent-based AI development environments at scale. This hands-on, execution-focused role is responsible for defining guardrails around AI workloads across the full lifecycle—development, deployment, training, and inference.

Key Responsibilities

• Secure corporate AI capabilities used in enterprise applications
• Establish best practices for model implementation, versioning, monitoring, and governance for AI systems
• Design/implement guardrails for AI code-generation tools used in developer workflows
• Enable safe AI-assisted development across IDEs, CI/CD pipelines, and local developer environments
• Support model selection and integrations (Claude class, GPT-class, and similar)
• Engineer and secure Microsoft Agents, Copilot-style workflows, and agent-driven automation
• Prevent insecure code generation, prompt leakage, and unsafe agent behavior while preserving developer velocity
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong proficiency in Python for AI workflows, automation, and orchestration
• Experience with RAG pipelines, embeddings, APIs, and AI service integration
• Understanding of AI lifecycle risks
• Strong experience securing AI workloads on AWS & Azure
• Cloud hardening best practices
• Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) for cloud, preferably Terraform
• Strong background in application security, cloud security, and IAM
• Experience embedding security into CI/CD, IaC, and SDLC workflows
• Automation experience using Python, PowerShell, Bash, and APIs
• Strong RHEL Linux skills (command line)
• Understanding of AI/LLM-specific threats (prompt injection, data poisoning, model theft, adversarial attacks, sensitive data leakage)
• Experience implementing AI security controls (guardrails, content filtering, input/output validation, RBAC, secure prompt handling, AI audit logging)
• Secure AI architecture and AI governance frameworks
• Familiarity with OWASP Top 10 for LLM Applications, NIST AI Risk Management Framework, Responsible AI, and AI compliance practices
• SIEM, threat detection, and vulnerability management – experience integrating AI with SIEM systems
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or direct and applicable work experience
• 7 years of experience architecting server or network controls in any of: DevOps, DevSecOps, IAM, system virtualization, Windows/Linux security, Cloud Security, Network Security, Active Directory, Java, XML, JSON, Azure, AWS, MySQL, Federation, SSO
• Knowledge of compliance and regulatory programs: HIPAA, ISO 27000, NIST, FISMA, SOC
• Experience architecting security solutions at the enterprise level; high-scale cloud systems within multiple accounts
• DevSecOps and automation in highly scalable environments
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; creativity and innovation
• High attention to detail; ability to prioritize for personal efficiency
• Ability to design cybersecurity solutions
• Strong compliance/regulatory customer service orientation; effective verbal and written communication skills with all levels
• Travel required up to 5%
  
  

Additional Responsibilities

• Identify risk-related issues and architect solutions
• Create architecture policies aligned with industry best practices
• Design security for monitoring, logging, IAM, encryption, data protection, detection, and preventive controls
• Provide expertise for cloud security and secured code detection/prevention
• Deploy strong IDAM controls across applications and environments
• Develop and maintain secure, resilient enterprise-grade cloud processes
• Monitor, assess, and recommend tactical/strategic initiatives based on emerging threats
• Align with architects to create secure workloads in AWS, Azure, Google Cloud
• Advise and design with commercial and open-source security tools
• Communicate security posture to leaders, stakeholders, IT, and developers
• Design integrated security controls, workflows, data protection, authentication, and authorization
• Act as technical architect for Windows, Linux, VMware, Kubernetes, Docker
  
  

Additional Information

• All information kept confidential per EEO guidelines
• Equal Opportunity Employer
• Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation may contact careers@wellmark.com
• No immigration sponsorship (F1-OPT, F1-CPT, H-1B, TN, L-1, J-1) provided
• Wellmark supports responsible use of AI by workforce and job seekers