Lead Engineer Cyber AI - Cybersecurity

Target's Cybersecurity AI Activation and Engineering team is advancing AI-enabled defenses and rapid prototyping for security applications. This hybrid role, based in Brooklyn Park, MN, leads the engineering of AI-powered cybersecurity solutions and PoCs, guiding cross-functional teams to deliver scalable, production-ready systems. The position carries a salary range of USD 132,000 to 238,000 per year and requires a four-year degree or equivalent experience along with at least seven years in software development.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical anchor for engineering initiatives on the Cybersecurity AI Activation and Engineering team.
• Own and ensure developed solutions and proofs of concept meet functional and non-functional requirements.
• Deliver with a customer-focused mindset.
• Provide complete solutions independently and act as a force multiplier to influence broader teams.
• Collaborate closely with cybersecurity teams to understand their applications, systems, and operational processes.
• Contribute to new AI-powered capabilities aligned with Target standards.
• Evaluate new technologies and offer guidance on viability, maintainability, and total cost of ownership within Target's environment.
• Initiate and execute research and PoC activities for emerging technologies.
• Work cross-functionally to promote reuse and establish consistent, scalable patterns.
• Participate in planning services that have broad impact.
• Contribute to foundational capabilities enabling AI or ML activities.
• Lead and participate in complex construction, automation, and implementation activities, ensuring architecture and operational requirements are met.
• Interface with cyber teams on projects, contributing to requirements, workflows, and designs.
• Assess whether projects meet objectives for rapidly developed PoCs solving problems for peer teams.
• Provide working patterns, templates, guidance, and influence data standards, policies, and procedures.

Requirements

• Proven history of rapid prototyping, development, and iterative delivery with close coordination with internal customers.
• Software development skills in Python with delivered production-grade solutions.
• Experience with and passion for AI and ML solutions.
• Experience with workflow and process automation.
• Experience in cyber security domains such as security operations, incident response, threat detection, application security, or penetration testing.
• Four-year degree or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of software development experience with at least one full lifecycle implementation.
• Strong domain knowledge of Target’s technology capabilities and key competitors’ products and differentiating features.
• Broad and deep expertise across multiple programming languages and frameworks; designs, develops, and approves end-to-end functionality of a product line, platform, or infrastructure.
• Effective communication with project teams, partners, and stakeholders.
• Expertise in analysis and optimization of system capacity, performance, and operational health.
• Understanding and development of solutions for data lifecycle management.
• Maintains deep technical knowledge within areas of expertise.
• Keeps current with new technologies via formal training and self-directed learning.
• Experience in building highly scalable distributed systems.

Technologies

• Python

Benefits

• Health benefits (medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more)
• 401(k) plan
• Employee discount
• Short-term disability
• Long-term disability
• Paid sick leave
• Paid national holidays
• Paid vacation

About You

• Demonstrated history of rapid prototyping, development and iterative delivery with tight coordination with internal customers.