Datadog is seeking a Staff Application Security Engineer to define the security direction for applications at scale, establish secure-by-default patterns, and drive the AppSec roadmap as the principal expert for cross-team security programs.
Responsibilities
- Define and promote security standards and secure-by-default patterns as the AppSec subject matter expert.
- Build scalable security tooling and automation, and implement robust security observability to provide meaningful signals for the threat-detection team.
- Lead threat modeling and risk assessments for high‑risk features and platform changes.
- Assess and mitigate security risks introduced by agentic development practices and AI powered product features in production.
- Partner with engineering teams to prioritize remediation, define API security standards, and conduct secure code reviews.
- Identify systemic security risks and lead end-to-end remediation across multiple teams.
- Collaborate with Cloud & Infrastructure Security and other groups on cross-domain problems; serve as the AppSec point of contact for complex cross-domain issues.
- Act as the AppSec subject matter expert across Datadog and provide guidance to engineering leadership on difficult security problems.
- Invest in the growth and development of AppSec engineers through mentorship and structured programs.
Requirements
- Software engineering background with hands-on code review experience; Go is preferred, with Python or Rust also acceptable.
- Proven ability to elevate engineers through design reviews, mentorship, and thorough documentation.
- Solid grounding in OWASP Top 10, web vulnerabilities (XSS, injection, access control, cryptography), SAST, and DAST.
- Working knowledge of API security, including authentication flows, authorization patterns, and input validation at API boundaries.
- Track record of leading threat modeling on complex, multi‑team systems and translating outcomes into architectural decisions.
- Experience implementing secure-by-default frameworks and integrating security into core platforms with product managers and engineering teams.
- Ability to translate business risk into security investment priorities and communicate tradeoffs to executive audiences.
- Familiarity with software supply chain security, including dependency management, artifact integrity, and build pipeline trust.
- Bias toward implementing solutions and driving adoption, not just surfacing findings.
- Proven ability to secure buy-in from technical and non-technical stakeholders and clearly communicate tradeoffs to engineers, product managers, and leadership.
- Maintains current knowledge of security best practices, emerging threats, and the tooling landscape.
Technologies
Go, Python, Rust
Benefits
- New hire stock equity (RSUs) and employee stock purchase plan (ESPP).
- Continuous professional development, product training, and defined career pathing.
- Intradepartmental mentor and buddy program to support internal networking.
- Inclusive culture with access to Datadog Community Guilds and employee resource groups.
- Inclusion Talks and internal panel discussions.
- Free global mental health benefits for employees and dependents age 6 and above.
- Competitive global benefits package.
About Datadog
Datadog is a leading observability and security platform designed for the AI era. It provides unified visibility across applications, infrastructure, data, models, and security, using AI to detect and resolve issues before they impact customers. Trusted by Fortune 500 companies and fast-growing AI leaders worldwide, Datadog helps teams move faster with clarity and confidence. Learn more about Datadog Life.
Equal Opportunity at Datadog
Datadog is committed to equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered in accordance with applicable laws. See our Candidate Legal Notices for details.
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Information submitted during the application process will be processed in line with Datadog's Applicant and Candidate Privacy Notice. For details on our AI policy, refer to the Interviewing at Datadog AI Guidelines.
