
Software Engineer - Security Engineering at Plaid (New York, NY)
Plaid· New York, NY· $189k–$243k·
Role details
Medical Insurance · Dental Insurance · Vision Insurance · 401(K) · Equity
Plaid at a glance
Plaid provides the data network and APIs that let apps securely connect to users' bank accounts.
Plaid runs the data network and APIs that let apps securely connect to users' bank accounts. Developers use it to link accounts, pull transactions and balances, verify income and identity, screen for fraud, and move money over ACH, RTP, and FedNow across roughly 12,000 financial institutions.
~$1.3B raised · latest: Tender offer · $8B valuation · Feb 2026 · backed by Franklin Templeton, Fidelity, BlackRock, NEA
Summary
Develop and maintain security infrastructure, including key management and authentication systems, to protect sensitive data. Collaborate with product teams to ensure security standards and assist with incident response and security awareness.
Job description
We believe that the way people interact with their finances will drastically improve in the next few years. We’re dedicated to empowering this transformation by building the tools and experiences that thousands of developers use to create their own products. Plaid powers the tools millions of people rely on to live a healthier financial life. We work with thousands of companies like Venmo, SoFi, several of the Fortune 500, and many of the largest banks to make it easy for people to connect their financial accounts to the apps and services they want to use. Plaid’s network covers 12,000 financial institutions across the US, Canada, UK and Europe. Founded in 2013, the company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, Seattle, Washington D.C., Raleigh, London, and Amsterdam. Security Engineering is the engineering function inside the Plaid security org that focuses on developing the industry-leading security systems and infrastructure. Security Engineering owns most of Plaid’s security-related infrastructure: secure data storage, key management systems, internal identity platform, internal authentication systems, internal permission management, and internal authorization service. We develop solutions across data encryption, key management, access control, and data loss prevention to protect sensitive consumer data. We believe in the Zero Trust security model and are always looking for ways to improve our authentication and access control platforms.
About the role
- You will develop security capabilities to secure Plaid infrastructure and to secure sensitive data access.
- You will own, maintain, and build Plaid’s security infrastructure and services like Key Management System and Secure Token Service.
- You will consult with product engineers to ensure Plaid services meet security standards.
- You will help educate and support other engineering teams to improve security in their own products and services.
- You will assist with Plaid’s incident response and security awareness programs.
- You will collaborate with other security platform members and build necessary engineering solutions to meet their needs.
Responsibilities
- Develop maintainable and secure software to enhance Plaid's infrastructure and protect sensitive data.
- Communicate effectively with managers and team members regarding project deliverables and progress.
- Design and implement technical solutions that align with the evolving needs of the business.
- Actively participate in incident response and security awareness initiatives.
Qualifications
- Experience building scalable systems and services.
- Experience architecting software systems to meet security, privacy, usability, scalability and cost requirements.
While these experience and characteristics are not prerequisites, candidates who possess them would be well-suited for the role:
- Experience building systems or services related to data encryption, key management, secret management, certificate management, transport security, user authentication, device authentication, service authentication, permission management, authorization systems, and security policy enforcement.
- Experience with securing critical and sensitive information assets.
- Experience with data platforms and data infrastructure.
- Experience with threat modeling, security architecture reviews, or incident response.
- Passionate about educating others on security and privacy.
Our mission at Plaid is to unlock financial freedom for everyone. To support that mission, we seek to build a diverse team of driven individuals who care deeply about making the financial ecosystem more equitable. We recognize that strong qualifications can come from both prior work experiences and lived experiences. We encourage you to apply to a role even if your experience doesn't fully match the job description. We are always looking for team members that will bring something unique to Plaid!
Plaid is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion or religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, military or veteran status, disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Plaid is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance with your application or interviews due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations@plaid.com.
Please review our Candidate Privacy Notice here.
Additional compensation in the form(s) of equity and/or commission are dependent on the position offered. Plaid provides a comprehensive benefit plan, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k). Pay is based on factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience and skillset, and location. Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.
Why work at Plaid
- Engineering Culture: Emphasizes a "growth mindset," bottoms-up innovation, and "all-in or nothing" commitment to long-term initiatives. Engineers are empowered to identify opportunities and ship quickly.
- Work Environment: Vibrant offices in San Francisco (HQ), NYC, Raleigh-Durham, Seattle, and London. Offers catered meals, happy hours, and clubs. Remote options available in the US.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, comprehensive health benefits (fertility, mental health, parental leave), home office stipends, daycare support, commuting benefits (CitiBike, Lyft).
- Team & Impact: Over 900 team members across 6 offices globally. Described as a late-stage company that still operates like a startup — high autonomy and fast iteration.
- Growth: Internship programs available; strong focus on career development and internal mobility.