Security Engineer, Spam & Abuse, Level 5

Location: Palo Alto, Canada

Department: Engineering

Employment Type: Full time

About Snap Inc

Snap Inc is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. Snap contributes to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together.

About the Role

Snap Inc is a camera company that believes the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. We contribute to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together through our core products: Snapchat, a visual messaging app; Lens Studio, an AR platform; and Spectacles, our AR glasses. Snap Engineering teams build fun and technically sophisticated products that reach hundreds of millions of Snapchatters daily, with a deep commitment to privacy, speed, and precision. Join our Spam & Abuse team as a Security Engineer, Level 5, to protect this vibrant, creative ecosystem from threats, ensuring safe and innovative AR experiences for all. As a Security Engineer on the Spam & Abuse team, you will architect and lead the development of cutting-edge, scalable solutions to detect and mitigate spam, abuse, and account takeover threats, integrating seamlessly with Snapchat's camera-first features and AR innovations. You will drive cross-functional initiatives with engineering, product, and operations teams, owning high-impact projects from concept to deployment while aligning with Snap's business goals. Lead incident response for security events, mentor engineers, and define the technical roadmap to proactively defend our global community, all while championing user privacy in every decision. We're seeking a leader with proven impact in security domains, expertise in Golang, Python, and BigQuery, and a passion for fostering technical excellence in a fast-moving, creative culture. This role requires 6+ years of software development experience (or equivalent advanced degrees), a track record in large-scale systems, and strong collaboration skills. Preferred candidates bring strategic vision, executive alignment experience, and a history of mentoring in innovative environments. Snap practices a 'default together' policy, expecting 4+ days in office weekly. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, and offer comprehensive benefits including equity, health support, and parental leave. Compensation varies by zone: Zone A (CA, WA, NYC) $209,000-$313,000; Zone B $199,000-$297,000; Zone C $178,000-$266,000, plus RSUs.

What You'll Do

• Architect and lead the development of scalable, innovative solutions to detect and mitigate spam & abuse threats on Snapchat, leveraging state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies
• Drive cross-functional initiatives by collaborating with engineering, product management, and operations teams to create robust, proactive defenses against spam, abuse, and account takeover
• Take ownership of high-impact, complex projects from inception to deployment, ensuring alignment with Snap’s technical and business objectives, including camera and AR features
• Lead incident response efforts for spam and abuse-related security events, establishing processes for continuous improvement
• Mentor and provide technical leadership to engineers across teams, fostering a culture of learning, growth, and creative problem-solving
• Define and drive the technical strategy and roadmap for spam and abuse detection and prevention systems
• Integrate security measures that protect user-generated AR Lenses and Spectacles experiences from abuse
• Collaborate with AR and camera engineering teams to safeguard innovative visual messaging features
• Analyze large-scale data from Snapchat's global user base to proactively identify emerging threats
• Ensure all solutions prioritize user privacy while enabling safe, fun interactions in Snap's creative ecosystem

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or equivalent practical experience
• 6+ years of post-Bachelor’s software development experience; or Master’s degree in a technical field + 5+ years of post-grad software development experience; or PhD in a relevant technical field + 2+ years of post-grad software development experience
• Extensive experience designing and deploying production-quality software solutions at scale
• Proven track record in leading the development of systems to detect and mitigate spam, abuse, or other forms of malicious behavior
• Demonstrated expertise in programming languages such as Golang and Python
• Strong background in big data technologies, such as BigQuery
• Deep understanding of user privacy, security, and ethical considerations in abuse prevention

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven leadership in designing and deploying scalable systems for security operations, with measurable impact on organizational security goals
• Experience driving organizational change by developing and evangelizing new frameworks or processes for combating emerging threats
• Strong strategic thinking, with a demonstrated ability to define technical roadmaps and lead multi-team initiatives
• Experience collaborating with executive leadership to align technical solutions with business priorities and risk management strategies
• A track record of mentoring senior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and innovation

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Expertise in Golang and Python for scalable systems
• Proficiency in BigQuery and big data processing
• Leadership in spam and abuse detection systems
• Experience with production-scale software deployment
• Cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management
• Strategic roadmap planning and execution
• Incident response and process improvement
• Mentoring and technical leadership
• Deep knowledge of user privacy and security ethics
• Familiarity with AR and camera technology security challenges
• Analytical skills for threat detection in high-volume environments
• Communication for executive and team alignment
• Innovation in combating emerging threats
• Problem-solving in fast-paced, creative tech environments
• Experience with machine learning for abuse prevention

Our Benefits

• Paid parental leave
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Emotional and mental health support programs
• Competitive compensation packages with equity in the form of RSUs
• Flexible paid time off and wellness stipends
• Professional development opportunities and learning resources
• Onsite perks including meals, fitness facilities, and creative workspaces
• 401(k) matching and financial planning support

Compensation

$209,000-$313,000 annually

This position is eligible for equity in the form of RSUs.

"Default Together" Policy: At Snap Inc, we practice a "default together" approach and expect team members to work in an office 4+ days per week.

Snap is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.