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Software Engineer, Platform Security

xAI is hiring a Software Engineer, Platform Security in Palo Alto, United States. It pays $140k-$225k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on xAI.

Level's read on this job

  • On Level's scale, this software engineer role is Works on AI ●●●○: the daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
  • Level classes it as a mid-level role.
  • xAI has 304 other open roles on Level.

AI in this role

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today, SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of making life multiplanetary and expanding consciousness to the stars.

SpaceXSI is building Super Intelligence to help humanity understand the universe. Our teams are building the full Super Intelligence stack: from our Colossus supercomputers, to Grok models, to our suite of applications, including Grok Bot, Grok Build, Grok Imagine, Grok Voice, and X. We're creating a powerful flywheel where more compute trains better models, better models power more useful products, and what we learn from people using those products shapes what we build next.

SOFTWARE ENGINEER, PLATFORM SECURITY

We are seeking a talented and driven Software Engineer to join Platform Security team, where you will build cutting-edge security solutions to protect our Kubernetes-based infrastructure and advance secure AI-driven systems. In this role, you will design and implement AI-powered security tools, proactively address vulnerabilities, and champion secure engineering practices across the organization. Ideal candidates are passionate about impactful innovation, excel at writing clean, efficient code, and thrive in fast-paced environments to support SpaceXSI's mission of creating a trusted and secure global digital platform.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Design and build AI-driven security tooling and agents using Grok to identify, analyze, and mitigate vulnerabilities in the platform infrastructure and customer facing application(s)
  • Proactively identify security problems to solve and own the design and implementation end-to-end
  • Collaborate and be a security champion while driving technical decisions across the organization

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

  • 3+ years of professional experience building production software
  • Experience with Docker and Kubernetes for deploying and securing containerized applications

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Experience in Python, Rust, or Go, with strong problem-solving skills and a focus on clean, efficient code
  • Experience developing AI-driven security tools or integrating AI into security workflows
  • Knowledge of software supply chain tools, including SBOM management and dependency scanning
  • Certifications such as CISA, CRISC, CGEIT, Security+, CASP+
  • Proficiency in designing scalable backend architectures to support secure systems
  • Familiarity with security testing frameworks (e.g., Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, SAST/DAST)
  • Familiarity with Kubernetes-based environments and securing cloud-native infrastructure
  • Proven ability to drive technical decisions and influence security practices across teams
  • A passion for challenging the status quo and building transformative security solutions
  • Strong collaboration skills, with experience working in dynamic, cross-functional teams
  • Proven experience building tools or systems from scratch, with a focus on scalable solutions
  • Experience in a fast-paced, high-impact environments, ideally at startups or tech-driven companies, and adaptability in such environments

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

$140,000 - $225,000 USD

Base salary is just one part of our total rewards package at SpaceXSI, which also includes equity, comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks.

SpaceXSI is an equal opportunity employer. For details on data processing, view our Recruitment Privacy Notice.

How we rate this

Software Engineer, Platform Security at xAI rates 66 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Works on AI (AI Level 3 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Works on AI. The daily work is on AI products, without building the model.

  1. ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
  2. ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
  3. ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
  4. ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

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Pay

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$140k
Typical software engineer job
$167k

This posting starts 16% below the typical software engineer job. See software engineer jobs

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