What are the responsibilities and job description for the Information Systems Security Engineer, Public Sector position at OpenAI?
About the Team
Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) is foundational to Security delivering mission outcomes at OpenAI. We’re excited about building creative solutions to ambiguous security requirements and delivering new technologies to mission critical customers. The GRC team provides security and engineering expertise to ensure our customers’ most critical and stringent requirements are met. We are technical in what we build but are operational in how we do our work, and are committed to obtaining and maintaining Authorization to Operate (ATOs) for critical systems while fostering a collaborative and execution-driven culture.
About the Role
Our technologies support some of the most important and impactful work in the world, including our strategic and high-impact customers in the public sector. As an Information System Security Engineer (ISSE), you’ll play a pivotal role in achieving ATOs for systems deployed in highly regulated and secure environments. You’ll work closely with engineers, internal stakeholders, and external assessors to design, document, and implement security controls that meet stringent compliance requirements. Your creativity and execution-focused approach will be critical in navigating complex challenges while maintaining the trust of our stakeholders.
We’re looking for people who bring :
Proven experience in obtaining and maintaining ATOs in highly restricted environments, within government or regulated sectors.
A deep understanding of USG security frameworks and policies (e.g., NIST, RMF, FedRAMP).
Ability to communicate technical concepts to diverse audiences, including engineers and non-technical stakeholders.
Exceptional technical program management skills, with the ability to multitask and deliver large complex programs under pressure.
This role is based in Washington, DC. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees.
In this role, you will :
Drive the ATO process across multiple government and restricted environments with minimal oversight.
Collaborate with engineering teams to interpret security requirements and implement controls that balance compliance with operational needs.
Create clear, concise, and technically accurate documentation, including System Security Plans (SSPs), risk assessments, and architecture diagrams.
Act as a subject matter expert during audits and assessments, representing the organization with credibility and expertise.
Continuously refine processes to improve the efficiency and quality of compliance efforts.
You might thrive in this role if you have :
An active US security clearance.
5 years of compliance experience in positions involving information security, data security, or infrastructure or network security.
Familiarity with deployment models, including to cloud platforms (Azure, AWS) and the underlying infrastructure primitives (Kubernetes, Terraform).
Strong familiarity with core security concepts and technologies, such as authentication, encryption, vulnerability management, and audit logging.
The ability to work collaboratively and effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
The ability to thrive in dynamic environments and can navigate ambiguity with ease.
