Physical Security Systems Design Engineer

Physical Security Systems Design Engineer at OpenAI

About The Team

The Physical Security Engineering team at OpenAI designs, deploys, and sustains the systems that protect OpenAI’s people, facilities, and critical infrastructure. We collaborate across global office campuses, warehouses, labs, and data centers, partnering with IT, Facilities, Construction, and Security Operations to ensure all environments meet stringent safety, reliability, and compliance requirements. Our team manages security architecture from early site due-diligence through construction, commissioning, and long-term lifecycle management.

About The Role

As a Physical Security Systems Design Engineer, you will lead the design and documentation of physical security systems for commercial offices, warehouses, labs, and data centers across OpenAI’s global real estate portfolio. You will be responsible for translating threat models, regulatory requirements, and operational needs into buildable, standards-based security designs, executed by top-tier global integrators. This role sits at the intersection of architecture, engineering, construction, and security operations, requiring both technical depth and real-world build experience. This role is based in San Francisco, CA and is also open to fully remote candidates within the United States. For employees located in the Bay Area, we offer the option to work from our San Francisco office. For remote employees, we support distributed work with strong collaboration tools, clear documentation, and regular on-site engagement. This role includes site travel to support the needs of the business, including visits to offices, warehouses, labs, and data centers for design reviews, construction support, system commissioning, and operational readiness. Typical travel is expected to range between 10–25%, depending on project load and deployment schedules. This may include domestic and international travel to support OpenAI’s global footprint. Relocation assistance is available for candidates who choose to move to the Bay Area.

In This Role, You Will

• Own physical security system designs for new construction and retrofit projects across offices, warehouses, labs, and data centers.
• Produce security floor plans, device layouts, riser diagrams, and system schematics for access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, and perimeter protection.
• Develop and maintain security design standards, templates, and reference architectures.
• Translate risk assessments, compliance requirements, and threat models into technical security solutions.
• Attend design reviews with architects, MEP engineers, construction managers, and security operations.
• Review RFPs, scopes of work, and technical specifications for global security integrators and vendors.
• Review shop drawings, submittals, and as-built documentation for technical accuracy and compliance.
• Support on-site commissioning, testing, and turnover to operations teams.
• Act as a technical authority for access control, video management, identity, and physical security infrastructure.

You may be a fit for this role if you have:

• 7+ years of experience designing and deploying physical security systems for commercial offices, warehouses, labs, or data centers.
• Experience with top-tier global physical security integrators.
• Fluency in security drawings, floorplans, elevations, and construction documentation.
• Understanding of multi-trade coordination including low-voltage, networking, power, doors & hardware, and MEP systems.
• Deep technical knowledge of:
  • Access control systems (ACS)
  • Video management systems (VMS)
  • Cameras, readers, control panels, and field hardware
  • Credentials, identity, and badging workflows
  • Networked and cloud-connected security architectures
• Ability to balance risk, cost, constructability, and operational usability.
• Comfort in owning designs from concept through live operations.

Key skills/competency

• Physical Security Systems
• Access Control Systems (ACS)
• Video Management Systems (VMS)
• Intrusion Detection
• Perimeter Protection
• Security Architecture
• System Design
• Construction Documentation
• Risk Assessment
• Compliance Management
• Security Operations