Security Software Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Security software engineers build systems that protect applications, networks, and data from cyber threats. This specialized field qualifies for H-1B visa, O-1 visa, and other work visas because it requires specific computer science or cybersecurity education plus deep technical expertise that's hard to find domestically. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Location:
San Jose
Team:
Security
Employment Type:
Regular
Job Code:
A61751C
Responsibilities
The Security Engineering team at ByteDance builds and operates the core systems that protect one of the world's largest internet platforms and its global user community. We tackle challenges that span threat detection and response (TDR), infrastructure protection, and the emerging frontier of AI and LLM system security — all at the scale of TikTok and ByteDance. Our engineers combine deep systems-building expertise with strong security fundamentals to deliver high-impact, production-grade solutions in a fast-paced, globally distributed environment. If you thrive on ownership, love solving ambiguous problems, and want your work to safeguard products used by billions, this is the team.
We are looking for talented individuals to join our team. As a graduate, you will get opportunities to pursue bold ideas, tackle complex challenges, and unlock limitless growth.
Successful candidates must be able to commit to an onboarding date by the end of the year. Please state your availability and graduation date clearly in your resume.
Candidates can apply to a maximum of two positions and will be considered for jobs in the order you apply. The application limit is applicable to our Company and its affiliates' jobs globally. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis - we encourage you to apply early.
Online Assessment
Candidates who pass resume screening will be invited to participate in Our Company's technical online assessment.
Responsibilities
- Build and iterate on threat detection, prevention, and response (TDR) systems for large-scale platforms, critical infrastructure, and globally distributed endpoints.
- Support the security of LLM-based systems and AI agent systems by identifying attack surfaces, developing defensive mechanisms, and improving safe deployment.
- Contribute to rapid exploration in LLM and AI agent security through prototyping, evaluation, security analysis, machine learning, and AI agentic approach.
- Develop, test, deploy, and improve distributed security systems with a focus on reliability, observability, and scalability.
- Work with cross-functional teams to translate product and security needs into engineering solutions and deliver impactful security capabilities.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Individuals who are completing or have recently completed a Bachelor's/ Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity or a related discipline.
- Solid fundamentals in computer science, including algorithms, data structures, operating systems, computer networks, and databases.
- Proficiency in at least one programming language such as Go, Java, Rust, Python, or C++, with the ability to write clean, reliable, and maintainable code.
- Foundational understanding of back-end development, distributed systems, or cloud-native infrastructure through coursework, internships, research, or project experience.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to think critically, break down complex problems, and learn quickly in a fast-evolving technical environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Internship, research, or project experience building AI/LLM applications, AI agent systems, or related back-end and distributed systems.
- Familiarity with core security concepts such as authentication, authorization, threat detection, vulnerability mitigation, and secure system design.
- Research experience, or strong technical understanding, in the security of LLM-based systems and AI agent architectures, including areas such as prompt injection, tool misuse, model abuse, and agent workflow security.
- Demonstrated interest in security and emerging technologies through coursework, competitions, open-source contributions, personal projects, or publications.
Job Information
Compensation Description (Annually)
The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $128000 - $316800 annually.
Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).
The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.
For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:
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Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
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Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
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Exercising sound judgment.
About us
Founded in 2012, ByteDance's mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. With a suite of more than a dozen products, including TikTok, Lemon8, CapCut and Pico as well as platforms specific to the China market, including Toutiao, Douyin, and Xigua, ByteDance has made it easier and more fun for people to connect with, consume, and create content.
Why Join ByteDance
Inspiring creativity is at the core of ByteDance's mission. Our innovative products are built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and enrich life - a mission we work towards every day.
As ByteDancers, we strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our Company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.
Diversity & Inclusion
ByteDance is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At ByteDance, our mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.
Reasonable Accommodation
ByteDance is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at
https://tinyurl.com/RA-request
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Security Software Engineer
Highlight security certifications alongside your degree
CISSP, CISM, CEH, or SANS certifications strengthen your H-1B case by proving specialized knowledge beyond a standard computer science degree.
Document experience with compliance frameworks
SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, or HIPAA experience shows you understand regulatory requirements that create genuine business need for specialized talent.
Emphasize threat modeling and vulnerability assessment skills
These technical specialties require advanced training and experience, making a stronger case for why the role needs someone with your specific background.
Target companies with security-critical applications
Financial services, healthcare, and government contractors have stricter security requirements and more established visa sponsorship programs for cybersecurity roles.
Consider EB-2 NIW for research or advanced security work
If you've published security research, developed novel defense techniques, or work on national security applications, you might qualify for self-petitioning.
Prepare for detailed job description requirements
Security roles need specific technical duties listed in the LCA and I-129 petition to justify the specialty occupation classification under H-1B requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a cybersecurity degree for H-1B sponsorship as a security software engineer?
No, but you need a bachelor's degree in a related field like computer science, software engineering, or information technology. Many successful H-1B visa petitions combine a CS degree with security certifications and specialized experience in threat detection, cryptography, or penetration testing to demonstrate the required expertise.
Which visa types work best for security software engineer roles?
H-1B is most common, with strong approval rates for security roles due to clear specialty occupation requirements. O-1 can work if you've published security research or led major incident response efforts. EB-2 NIW is possible for advanced research in cybersecurity, especially work affecting national security or critical infrastructure protection.
What makes security engineering a strong case for specialty occupation status?
The role requires specific knowledge of cryptographic protocols, threat modeling frameworks, secure coding practices, and compliance standards that aren't taught in general programming courses. Employers can easily justify why they need someone with specialized cybersecurity training rather than a general software developer.
How do security clearance requirements affect visa sponsorship?
Many high-paying security roles require clearances that only U.S. citizens can obtain, limiting opportunities. However, plenty of private sector security engineering positions at financial firms, healthcare companies, and tech companies don't require clearance and actively sponsor H-1B and other work visas.
How to find Security Software Engineer jobs with visa sponsorship?
Use Migrate Mate to find Security Software Engineer positions with visa sponsorship. Focus on cybersecurity firms, financial institutions, and tech companies that frequently sponsor H-1B, O-1, and TN visas for specialized security roles. These employers actively seek professionals with expertise in threat detection, vulnerability assessment, and security architecture to protect their digital infrastructure.
Can I get sponsored if I specialize in newer security areas like cloud security or DevSecOps?
Yes, these emerging specialties often have even stronger sponsorship prospects because they're in high demand with limited talent pools. Cloud security roles at AWS, Azure, or GCP customers, and DevSecOps positions integrating security into CI/CD pipelines, are particularly attractive to employers willing to sponsor visas.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Security Software Engineer jobs?
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.