Responsible for designing and implementing secure architecture across the organization’s AI platforms, cloud infrastructure, and software development environments. This role partners closely with engineering, cloud operations, and data science teams to embed security into AI systems, cloud-native architectures, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and modern DevSecOps pipelines.

The architect balances business priorities, emerging cyber threats, and secure engineering practices to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, availability, and responsible use of enterprise data and AI systems. This role will establish secure design patterns, evaluate emerging technologies, and guide development teams in implementing secure-by-design solutions across multi-cloud platforms, AI/ML workloads, and modern application architectures.

The position also mentors security and engineering teams while influencing enterprise security strategy for cloud platforms, AI solutions, automation, and software delivery pipelines.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Architecture & Strategy

• Define and maintain enterprise security architecture for AI systems, cloud platforms, and modern application development environments.
• Develop and maintain secure design patterns for cloud-native and AI-enabled applications including microservices, APIs, containerized workloads, and serverless architectures.
• Design and implement security controls for AI/ML pipelines, data pipelines, and model lifecycle management.
• Establish security standards and reference architectures for Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, others) and automated deployment pipelines.

AI & Data Security

• Lead the design of security controls for AI systems, machine learning platforms, and generative AI solutions.
• Assess risks related to model security, data leakage, model poisoning, prompt injection, and AI supply chain vulnerabilities.
• Collaborate with data science teams to ensure secure model training, data governance, and model deployment.
• Establish governance and monitoring for responsible AI and secure use of enterprise AI platforms.

Cloud Security & Cloud Operations

• Architect secure solutions for multi-cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Define and implement cloud security architecture including identity, network segmentation, data protection, workload security, and monitoring.
• Partner with cloud operations teams to ensure secure implementation of cloud infrastructure, platform services, and automated operations.
• Design security patterns for containers, Kubernetes, serverless workloads, and distributed systems.

DevSecOps & Secure Software Development

• Integrate security into CI/CD pipelines and software development lifecycle (SDLC).
• Establish automated security controls including SAST, DAST, SCA, IaC scanning, container security, and runtime protection.
• Provide architectural guidance to development teams for secure coding, API security, and microservice security.
• Partner with engineering teams to implement shift-left security practices.

Security Operations & Incident Response

• Serve as a subject matter expert during security incidents involving cloud platforms, AI services, or application environments.
• Conduct architecture reviews, threat modeling, and risk assessments for new technologies and platforms.
• Monitor emerging threats targeting cloud environments, AI platforms, and software supply chains.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Mentor security engineers and development teams in secure cloud architecture and secure engineering practices.
• Collaborate with engineering, DevOps, platform teams, and enterprise architecture groups.
• Provide architectural guidance to leadership on emerging security technologies and risks.
• Contribute to enterprise security policies, standards, and technical roadmaps.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure security architectures support regulatory and compliance frameworks including ISO 27001, SOC2, PCI-DSS, SOX, FERPA, and applicable privacy regulations.
• Support secure adoption of cloud services, AI technologies, and modern development platforms in compliance with internal policies and industry standards.

Job Skills:

Technical Skills

• Cloud security architecture (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Infrastructure as Code security
• DevSecOps tooling and secure CI/CD pipelines
• Container and Kubernetes security
• AI/ML platform security
• Identity and access management
• Data protection and encryption technologies
• Security monitoring and observability platforms
• Vulnerability management and threat modeling

Professional Skills

• Strong analytical and architectural design skills
• Ability to translate business requirements into secure technical architectures
• Strong collaboration with engineering, data science, and operations teams
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, complex cloud and software engineering environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Work Experience:

• Minimum 6-8 years of experience in cybersecurity, cloud engineering, or application security
• Demonstrated experience securing cloud-native and AI-enabled environments

Technical Experience

• Cloud platforms: AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud
• Infrastructure as Code tools such as Terraform
• Container platforms such as Kubernetes, Docker
• CI/CD platforms such as GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins, others
• Application architectures including microservices, APIs, and serverless
• Secure implementation of identity and access management (IAM), zero trust, and secrets management

Security Domains

• Cloud security architecture
• DevSecOps and software supply chain security
• AI/ML security and model governance
• Data protection and encryption
• API security
• Threat modeling and secure design

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Certificates, licenses and registrations:

• CISSP, CCSP, or equivalent
• Cloud security certifications (e.g., AWS Security Specialty, Azure Security Engineer, GCP Security Engineer)
• Kubernetes or container security certifications
• AI/ML security or data security certifications (preferred)

Other:

• Must be able to travel occasionally should a business need arise. For most roles travel would not be common. Travel may involve plane, car or metro. In accordance with ADA policies, reasonable accommodations regarding travel limitations can be provided. Travel will be more common for roles such as Account Executives (25 - 50%), senior leaders (10 – 20%) or Capella Core Faculty (5 – 10%). 
• Ability to work onsite in Corporate or Campus location (in a typical office environment) may be required based on role. If so, this would include being mobile within the office, including movement from floor-to-floor using elevators or stairs.
• If offsite or hybrid role, must have access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
• Faculty and Federal Work Study roles require access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including computer, privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
• This role may require lifting, however reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with our ADA policies.
• Must be able to meet critical thinking and problem solving aspects aligned to job duties, as well as effectively communicating with co-workers.
• Must be able to work more than 40 hours per week when business needs warrant. Accommodations related to schedule may be considered. 
• Able to access information using a computer.
• Other essential functions and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

#LI-JD1

SEI offers a comprehensive package of benefits to employees scheduled 30 hours or more per week. In addition to medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans, SEI employees may take advantage of well-being incentives, parental leave, paid time off, certain paid holidays, tax saving accounts (FSA, HSA), 401(k) retirement benefit, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, tuition assistance as well as entertainment and retail discounts. Non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime pay, if applicable.

Careers - Our Benefits, Strategic Education, Inc

SEI is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture where individuals can grow their careers and contribute fully. We strive to attract talent with broad experiences, skills and perspectives. We welcome applications from all. While it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top end of the pay range at SEI, we offer a competitive salary.  The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate may vary depending on multiple factors including, but not limited to, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, geographical location, and internal pay equity. Our Talent Acquisition Team is ready to discuss your interest in joining SEI. The expected salary range for this position is below.

$119,300.00 - $178,900.00 - Salary

If you require reasonable accommodations to complete our application process, please contact our Human Resources Department at [email protected].