Network Security Engineer

About the Team OpenAI’s Platform and Infrastructure Engineering organization advances the mission of deploying artificial general intelligence (AGI) for the benefit of all by delivering secure, scalable, and resilient technology solutions. Our team builds and maintains robust infrastructure that safeguards OpenAI’s data and systems while ensuring employees are well-equipped and seamlessly connected. By prioritizing security, reliability, and user-centric solutions, we empower OpenAI employees to drive impactful AI research, corporate operations, and product innovation. About the Role As a Network Security Engineer at OpenAI, you will play a critical role in architecting and maintaining both campus and cloud network infrastructure. You will design and implement secure, scalable, and high-performing network solutions that bridge on-premises environments with public cloud environments. Your expertise in routing and switching will ensure optimal network performance and reliability across diverse environments. You will drive automation initiatives through Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) and GitOps methodologies, streamlining network provisioning, enforcing configuration consistency, and optimizing IT workflows. Your responsibilities will also include developing CI/CD pipelines tailored for IT infrastructure, enhancing deployment efficiency, and integrating robust network security measures. You will establish comprehensive observability and proactive issue resolution strategies. We are seeking individuals passionate about network automation, security, and scalable IT solutions that enhance both campus and cloud network operations. You should possess extensive experience with enterprise network technologies, alongside a strong foundation in network security fundamentals. In this role, you will collaborate closely with Security, IT, and Engineering teams to align automation workflows with Zero Trust principles, enforce role-based access controls, and implement security best practices across network infrastructure. If you excel in cross-functional settings and have a proven track record of delivering innovative, secure network solutions, this role offers a unique opportunity to shape OpenAI’s security-first, automation-driven network ecosystem. In this role, you will: - Design, build, implement, and maintain secure, scalable, and performant network infrastructure, automation workflows, and network security solutions.

• Drive critical network and IT automation through software development and first-party tooling to optimize network operations, streamline infrastructure management, and enhance IT service delivery.
• Leverage modern Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) methodologies and GitOps-driven automation to orchestrate network infrastructure, enforce configuration consistency, and scale IT workflows efficiently.
• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines for IT infrastructure, deploying to progressively tested environments across multiple clouds (Azure, AWS, GCP).
• Design and implement scalable, network-focused internal tools and dashboards to streamline network operations, optimize network workflows, and provide real-time visibility into network performance.
• Collaborate with security teams to align IT automation initiatives with Zero Trust principles and compliance frameworks.
• Implement role-based access controls (RBAC) and mitigate security risks through automated policies.
• Work cross-functionally to identify areas for IT service improvement and implement self-service solutions.
• Manage multiple projects and initiatives, ensuring efficiency and alignment with business objectives. You may be a fit for this role if you have: - Strong experience with Cisco IOS, Cisco Meraki, Palo Alto or similar Enterprise network vendors.
• Strong Routing and Switching experience including routing protocols (BGP, OSPF and MPLS) - Experience with Network monitoring tools/protocols and logging pipelines like SNMP, Syslog, Netflow, Elasticsearch (ELK Stack) and Grafana - Strong understanding of network security principles including ACLs, Firewalls, VPN, 802.1x authentication, profiling and RBAC - Proficiency in a modern programming language (Python, Golang, Ruby, etc.) - Strong knowledge of and experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP) and infrastructure management.
• Experience managing corporate infrastructure at scale with Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) practices & GitOps workflows (Terraform, Ansible, Chef, etc.) as well as cloud automation best practices.
• Experience integrating corporate IT infrastructure with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps workflows.
• Proven track record of developing and maintaining internal tools to streamline IT operations and business processes.
• Demonstrated experience developing internal automation solutions, such as Slack bots and integrations.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills and ability to work cross-functionally with IT, security, and business teams.
• Clear and concise communication skills to

• Review OpenAI's publicly available security blogs and research papers to understand their approach to network security and be prepared to discuss how your skills and experience align with their priorities.
• Develop a portfolio of network security projects that demonstrate your expertise in designing and implementing secure, scalable, and high-performance network architectures, highlighting any experience with cloud infrastructure.
• Familiarize yourself with Excel formulas and functions that can be applied to network security, such as data visualization and analysis, to showcase your ability to work with the required tools and skills.
• Prepare to discuss your experience with security frameworks and compliance regulations, such as NIST or ISO 27001, and how you have implemented them in previous roles to ensure the security and integrity of network infrastructure.
• Be prepared to whiteboard network security architecture designs and discuss trade-offs between different security controls, showcasing your ability to think critically and communicate complex technical concepts effectively.
• Research OpenAI's compensation package and benefits to inform your salary negotiation strategy, considering factors such as the company's emphasis on remote work and the competitive landscape for network security engineers in the San Francisco area.