Senior Cybersecurity Engineer I

Role Summary

American Express is seeking a highly experienced Senior Cybersecurity Engineer to lead the design, implementation, and scaling of enterprise data security capabilities within our Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) and Data Discovery & Classification program. This role combines deep technical expertise with team leadership, requiring a hands-on engineer who can both build and guide others in delivering scalable, integrated data security solutions. You will be responsible for advancing platform capabilities, driving integration across the enterprise, and ensuring high-quality execution across the team. You will play a key role in shaping how American Express discovers, classifies, and protects sensitive data across both traditional and emerging data environments, including AI-driven data ecosystems.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Platform Ownership

• Lead the design, implementation, and evolution of data discovery, classification, and DSPM platforms across multi-cloud and on-prem environments.
• Establish scalable architecture patterns and engineering standards for platform deployment and operation.
• Act as a senior technical authority for complex data security engineering challenges.

Hands-On Engineering & Advanced Implementation

• Personally contribute to the implementation, configuration, and optimization of data security platforms.
• Lead complex onboarding efforts for high-value or technically challenging data sources.
• Drive performance tuning, scalability improvements, and platform reliability.

Integration Architecture & Data Flow Strategy

• Own and guide integration strategies between DSPM/classification platforms and enterprise systems, including: Data catalog platforms, ITAM / CMDB systems, SIEM / SOAR and security analytics platforms.
• Design and oversee API-driven and event-based architectures to enable real-time or near real-time data classification and risk propagation.

Data Discovery, Classification & Emerging Data Environments

• Oversee and refine classification strategies for sensitive data (PCI, PII, financial, regulated data).
• Guide tuning of detection logic and classification models to improve precision and reduce noise.
• Lead efforts to extend discovery and classification into next-generation data creation environments, including: LLM-driven workflows and prompt/response data flows, AI/ML pipelines and training datasets, Emerging platforms such as MCP servers and AI orchestration layers.
• Ensure consistent visibility, control, and risk identification across these environments.

Automation, Scale & AI-Augmented Operations

• Drive the design and implementation of automation frameworks for data onboarding and scanning, classification workflows, and risk detection and remediation.
• Champion the use of AI-assisted automation and platform-native intelligence to improve operational efficiency, reduce manual effort across the team, and enhance consistency and scalability of controls.
• Identify and implement opportunities to apply AI-driven techniques to improve detection quality and operational performance.

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Provide day-to-day technical leadership and guidance to engineers on the team.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers, raising overall technical capability and consistency.
• Establish best practices, code standards, and operational excellence across the team.

Cross-Functional Influence

• Partner with data engineering, platform, governance, and security teams to embed data security into enterprise workflows.
• Act as a key technical liaison for audit, compliance, and risk stakeholders.
• Influence roadmaps and priorities through technical expertise and data-driven insights.

Why This Role Matters

This role is critical to scaling American Express’ data security capabilities across the enterprise. You will help define and deliver the next generation of DSPM and data classification capabilities—ensuring sensitive data is protected across both traditional systems and emerging AI-driven environments.

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with DSPM or data security platforms such as BigID, Securiti, Varonis, Spirion, or similar.
• Experience leading large-scale platform implementations or transformations.
• Familiarity with metadata management and data governance ecosystems.
• Experience in financial services or other highly regulated environments.
• Exposure to DevSecOps, infrastructure-as-code, and advanced automation frameworks.
• Experience working with or tuning ML/NLP-based classification capabilities.
• Exposure to securing AI/ML or GenAI-driven data environments.

Leadership & Mindset Expectations

• Strong technical leader who leads by example through hands-on engineering.
• Systems thinker with the ability to design for scale, integration, and long-term sustainability.
• Proven ability to mentor and elevate team capability.
• Practical and outcome-focused approach to leveraging AI and automation.
• Comfortable operating in complex, evolving environments with high expectations.

About Us

At American Express, our culture is built on a 175-year history of innovation, shared values and Leadership Behaviors, and an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities, and colleagues. From delivering differentiated products to providing world-class customer service, we operate with a strong risk mindset, ensuring we continue to uphold our brand promise of trust, security, and service. As part of Team Amex, you’ll experience our powerful backing with comprehensive support for your holistic well-being and many opportunities to learn new skills, develop as a leader, and grow your career. Here, your voice and ideas matter, your work makes an impact, and together, you will help us define the future of American Express.

About The Team

We back you with benefits that support your holistic well-being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:

• Competitive base salaries
• Bonus incentives
• Support for financial-well-being and retirement
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits (depending on location)
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
• Generous paid parental leave policies (depending on your location)
• Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location)
• Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program
• Career development and training opportunities

American Express is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law.

Offer of employment with American Express is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background verification check, subject to applicable laws and regulations.

Key skills/competency

• Data Security Posture Management (DSPM)
• Data Discovery and Classification
• Cybersecurity Engineering
• Technical Leadership
• Platform Ownership
• Integration Architecture
• AI/ML Security
• Automation Frameworks
• Cloud Security
• Financial Services Security