Principal Engineer – Secure AI

Target

Principal Engineer at Target collaborating with teams to improve security of AI systems through validation and risk assessment. Focusing on technical solutions and hands-on expertise in AI security.

Posted 7/1/2026full-timeBrooklyn Park • Minnesota • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $168,000 - $303,000 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

CloudCyber SecurityFirewallsGoogle Cloud Platform

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Collaborate with AI platform, product, and engineering teams to evaluate the security posture of AI systems throughout their lifecycle
Assess AI architectures, models, agents, and supporting infrastructure to identify security risks, vulnerabilities, and design weaknesses
Develop and execute security validation strategies for AI systems, including threat modeling, attack simulation, and adversarial testing
Evaluate the effectiveness of existing security controls, guardrails, and mitigations protecting AI applications and platforms
Identify emerging AI-specific threats, attack techniques, and vulnerabilities, and communicate their potential business impact
Recommend risk mitigation strategies and prioritized remediation plans to improve the security and resilience of AI systems
Conduct deep technical reviews of AI products, platforms, and architectures to identify opportunities for security improvement
Partner with engineering teams to validate secure deployment patterns for AI workloads across cloud and hybrid environments
Define security assessment methodologies, testing frameworks, and assurance standards for AI technologies
Provide expert guidance on AI security best practices, including model security, prompt injection defenses, agent security, supply chain security, and data protection
Prioritize high-impact security improvements that measurably reduce risk while enabling innovation and business objectives
Perform hands-on security analysis and testing of complex AI-enabled systems, identifying gaps in architecture, implementation, and operational controls
Collaborate with security, architecture, and engineering teams to continuously improve AI security controls and governance practices
Efficiently assess and communicate security risks to stakeholders, balancing technical realities, business priorities, and organizational objectives
Serve as a trusted advisor on AI security, helping teams make informed decisions as AI capabilities evolve across the enterprise

Requirements

What you’ll need

4-year degree OR equivalent experience
Polyglot programmer comfortable in many languages across different platforms
10+ years of hands-on experience in technology, with extensive knowledge of cybersecurity domains including Information Protection, Cloud Security (GCP strongly preferred), Networking Security, IAM, Automation, and SIEM
LLM Security expertise (RAG, MCP, Input validation, Sandboxing etc.)
In-depth understanding of OWASP top 10 for Large Language Model Applications
Expertise in AI and ML
Understanding of prompt injection and its various styles (direct, indirect, RAG poisoning, etc)
Familiarity with OWSAP top ten for LLMs
Understanding of MCP auth patterns including dynamic client registration
Knowledge in RAG authorization patterns - "How do you implement RBAC in a RAG?"
Understanding of OAuth roles and flows, and how it pertains to minimizing risky permissions
Experience mitigating the security risks of local coding agents.
Solid understanding of containerization technologies and tools
Seeks out cross-team collaboration opportunities
Demonstrated curiosity and ability to learn
Stays current on relevant technologies with self-directed learning
Excellent written and verbal interpersonal skills with strong presentation abilities
Proven history of effectively utilizing a variety of security tools and technologies across diverse environments.
Good understanding of security management workflows in large enterprise organizations and complex environments
Has a good understanding of the current threat landscape and the challenges that most organizations are facing
In-depth knowledge of security frameworks, standards, and best practices (e.g., NIST, ISO/IEC 27001)
Strong understanding of network security, cryptography, and secure software development
Experience with security technologies, such as firewalls, IDS/IPS, SIEM, and DLP

Benefits

Comp & perks

comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more
401(k)
employee discount
short term disability
long term disability
paid sick leave
paid national holidays
paid vacation

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Polyglot ProgrammingLLM Security ExpertiseOWASP Top 10 for LLM ApplicationsContainerization TechnologiesNetwork SecurityCryptographySecure Software DevelopmentSecurity Risk MitigationThreat Landscape UnderstandingSecurity Management Workflows

Soft Skills

Excellent Written and Verbal CommunicationInterpersonal SkillsCuriosity and Ability to LearnCross-Team Collaboration