Lead Security Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Washington
Lead security engineer visa sponsorship jobs in Washington are concentrated in the Seattle metro, where Microsoft, Amazon, and a dense cluster of cloud and aerospace firms regularly sponsor senior security talent. Bellevue and Redmond anchor much of the demand, with Boeing adding a defense-security dimension that sets Washington apart from other tech states.
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SUMMARY
Apple Services Engineering (ASE), the team behind iCloud and Media services and the infrastructure that powers them, is looking for a Senior Security Engineer to partner with engineering teams working on new products and features. You will collaborate with developers, site reliability engineers, and security teams to protect ASE services and design a secure foundation for services at Apple. Your work will include scaling assurance activities, including security risk assessments, threat modeling, and development of security standards. You will work with partner teams in security engineering, privacy, and offensive security to keep Apple's services secure for our users. If you love diving into complex technical systems, sharing security improvements, and making security better, we want to talk with you!
DESCRIPTION
In this role, you will partner with infrastructure and application teams to identify areas where security standards and where security controls should be applied across the ASE organization. You will work with engineering teams throughout their development lifecycle, conduct security reviews, and develop threat models, using the insights from these engagements to build standard methodologies. As Apple's security risk experts for these services, you will help prioritize which security capabilities and controls need to be applied, and partner with our security engineering team and other platform teams to get them enforced. You will help define, prioritize, and advocate for platform-wide security improvements, raising the security bar for all engineering teams at Apple. As a technical lead responsible for the security of Apple's internet-facing services and backend infrastructure, you will be:
- Innately curious, listening for nuances and digging into details to understand systems and their weaknesses
- Able to identify areas ripe for improvement and establish appropriate security goals
- Experienced and comfortable establishing relationships with teams to drive security improvements
- Current on new security technologies, vulnerabilities, and methodologies
- Able to identify opportunities for automated enforcement and partner with security and platform engineering teams to implement them
- Able to use data to drive security review efficiency and prioritize high-value security team engagement
- Responsible for security decisions impacting millions of users
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- 8 or more years conducting security reviews, threat modeling, tracking findings, and communicating risk to engineering and leadership
- Hands-on experience in cloud security engineering with demonstrated expertise in securing at least one major cloud platform (AWS, GCP, or AliCloud) in production environments
- Experience securing cloud-native applications and workloads, including containerized environments (Kubernetes/EKS/GKE), serverless architectures (Lambda/Cloud Functions), and modern CI/CD pipelines
- Experience building, evaluating or directing the use of AI/ML-based security tooling to scale secure design review capacity, demonstrating the ability to recognize and act on automation opportunities
- Conversant in at least one programming language such as Python, Java, Go, or Swift
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience preferred
- Experience identifying and prioritizing security enforcement points within infrastructure-as-code (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation, Pulumi) and CI/CD pipelines, and partnering with platform/security engineering teams to embed controls that apply consistently across many teams, rather than relying on manual, one-off reviews
- Familiarity with policy-as-code approaches (e.g., Open Policy Agent, Sentinel, Checkov) sufficient to define control requirements and evaluate proposed implementations for coverage and risk reduction, even if not personally authoring the policy code
COMPENSATION
- Base pay range for this role is between $175,000 and $308,500, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation.
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.
At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
Lead Security Engineer Job Roles in Washington
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Search Lead Security Engineer Jobs in WashingtonLead Security Engineer Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in Washington sponsor visas for lead security engineers?
Microsoft, Amazon, and Google's Kirkland offices are among the most active sponsors for lead security engineers in Washington. Beyond the big tech names, defense contractors like Boeing and Leidos, cloud-infrastructure firms, and cybersecurity-focused companies headquartered in the Seattle and Bellevue corridor regularly file for senior security roles. Smaller fintech and healthcare-tech employers in the Puget Sound region also sponsor at this level.
What visa types realistically fit lead security engineer roles in Washington?
Lead security engineering is a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, information security, or a closely related field, so H-1B visa, H-1B1 visa (for Chilean and Singaporean nationals), and E-3 visa (for Australian nationals) are the primary fits. Canadian and Mexican citizens may qualify under TN visa status as engineers. F-1 OPT and STEM OPT can bridge employment while an employer pursues longer-term sponsorship. EB-2 and EB-3 green card paths are also common for established engineers.
How to find lead security engineer visa sponsorship jobs in Washington?
Migrate Mate lists lead security engineer roles in Washington filtered to employers with verified visa sponsorship history, so you can focus your search on companies that have actually filed for security engineering positions rather than guessing from general job postings. Search by city to target Seattle, Bellevue, or Redmond specifically. Migrate Mate's data-driven approach saves time and helps you prioritize outreach to employers already familiar with the sponsorship process.
Which cities in Washington have the most lead security engineer visa sponsorship jobs?
Seattle and Bellevue together account for the majority of sponsored lead security engineer positions in the state, driven by the concentration of major tech headquarters and regional offices. Redmond is significant given Microsoft's campus there. Kirkland, Renton, and Tacoma also see activity, particularly from aerospace, defense, and healthcare-tech employers. Smaller demand exists in Spokane and the Tri-Cities area, primarily tied to federal contractors and energy-sector security work.
Are there state-specific factors that affect lead security engineer sponsorship in Washington?
Washington's lack of a state income tax makes it an attractive destination for high-earning senior engineers, which supports a competitive hiring environment for sponsored roles. The state's heavy defense and aerospace presence, anchored by Boeing, adds a clearance-adjacent security demand that is relatively unique. University pipelines from the University of Washington and Washington State University also supply local engineering talent, though international graduates at this senior level typically already have industry experience that strengthens sponsorship cases.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored lead security engineer jobs in Washington?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.