Staff Engineer, Product Engineering - Vanta

At Vanta, our mission is to help businesses earn and prove trust. We believe that security should be monitored and verified continuously, and we empower companies to practice better security and prove it with ease. Vanta has a kind and talented team, and while some have prior security experience, many have been successful at Vanta without it.

About the Role

As a Staff Engineer at Vanta, you will be at the forefront of building and scaling our Trust Product. This role is critical in leading large-scale, multi-team initiatives from end to end. You will define the technical direction and architecture, working closely with leadership across Engineering, Product, and Design. Your leadership will mobilize multiple pods of engineers to deliver complex features that drive significant value for our customers.

The Trust Product area at Vanta focuses on features that help our customers prove the trust and credibility of their security programs. This includes our Third Party Risk Management product, which simplifies and automates risk processes, enabling efficient and informed risk decisions from a central platform.

Our business has achieved incredible product-market fit and has monetized effectively since day one. We’re growing rapidly, which provides career-defining opportunities for engineers to accelerate their growth and contribute to a rapidly-scaling company. If you are passionate about building innovative products and leading high-performing teams, Vanta is the place for you.

Role Overview

As a Staff Engineer, you are expected to lead large-scale, multi-team initiatives from end to end. You will define technical direction and architecture, collaborate with leadership across Engineering, Product, and Design, and mobilize multiple pods of 6–7+ engineers to deliver complex features. You must lead with influence, mentor engineers at all levels, proactively unblock others, influence organizations to improve code quality or uplevel your team, and ship features. Equivalent roles outside Vanta are often titled Staff, Senior Staff, Principal, or Senior Principal Engineer.

What You’ll Do:

• Own the technical roadmap for major product domains within the Trust org.
• Work across teams to turn ambiguous goals into aligned, well-architected execution plans.
• Lead execution by scoping, assigning, and coordinating work across multiple pods of engineers.
• Personally build the foundational pieces and unblock high-complexity work.
• Influence product strategy, grow technical talent, and define patterns and best practices org-wide.

How to be Successful:

• Draw upon your extensive knowledge of Product delivery and system design; Our Staff Engineers typically have a decade or more of cross-org leadership experience in addition to overall years of experience
• Strong ability to navigate ambiguity, manage stakeholder alignment, and synthesize technical direction.
• Known as a strategic leader who delivers impactful outcomes and enables others to succeed.

• Leads complex project portfolios across teams with full accountability for architecture and outcomes.
• Directly responsible for both execution coordination and high-quality personal contribution.
• Mentors engineers across the org; actively develops technical leadership in others.
• Recognized internally as a force for scale, clarity, and system-level thinking.

A Day in the Life of a Staff Engineer at Vanta

The day of a Staff Engineer at Vanta is dynamic and multifaceted. It involves a blend of strategic planning, technical leadership, and hands-on coding. Here's a glimpse of what a typical day might look like:

1. Morning Stand-up: Start the day with team stand-up meetings to align on priorities, discuss progress, and identify any roadblocks.
2. Architecture and Design: Spend time designing and architecting new features or improvements to existing systems. This involves collaborating with product managers and other engineers to ensure alignment with product goals.
3. Coding and Problem-Solving: Dive into coding, focusing on complex or foundational pieces of the system. Unblock other engineers by providing solutions to challenging technical problems.
4. Mentoring and Coaching: Mentor junior and mid-level engineers, providing guidance on technical best practices, code reviews, and career development.
5. Cross-Team Collaboration: Work with other teams to ensure smooth integration of new features and resolve any cross-functional dependencies.
6. Strategic Planning: Participate in strategic planning sessions to define the technical roadmap and identify opportunities for innovation.
7. Learning and Development: Dedicate time to stay updated on the latest technologies and trends in the industry. Attend conferences, read research papers, and participate in internal training sessions.

Why Remote?

Vanta embraces remote work to attract top talent from across the United States. We believe that a distributed team fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment. Remote work provides our employees with the flexibility to balance their personal and professional lives, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction.

As a remote Staff Engineer, you will have the opportunity to work from anywhere in the U.S., while contributing to a rapidly growing company that is making a significant impact on the security industry. We provide the tools and resources necessary for our remote employees to thrive, including:

• Home office stipend
• High-speed internet reimbursement
• Collaborative online tools and platforms
• Regular virtual team-building activities

Career Path

At Vanta, we are committed to the growth and development of our employees. The career path for a Staff Engineer can lead to various opportunities within the organization. Here are a few potential career trajectories:

• Principal Engineer: Advance to a Principal Engineer role, where you will have even greater influence on the technical direction of the company. You will lead major initiatives, mentor other engineers, and drive innovation across the organization.
• Engineering Manager: Transition into an Engineering Manager role, where you will lead and manage a team of engineers. You will be responsible for hiring, coaching, and developing your team, while ensuring the successful delivery of projects.
• Architect: Focus on system architecture and design, becoming a subject matter expert in complex technical domains. You will work closely with product managers and other stakeholders to define the architecture for new products and features.
• Technical Lead: Lead a specific project or initiative, providing technical guidance and direction to a team of engineers. You will be responsible for ensuring the successful execution of the project, from planning to deployment.

Salary & Benefits

Vanta offers a competitive salary and benefits package to attract and retain top talent. The salary for a Staff Engineer role is competitive and commensurate with experience. In addition to salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Generous paid time off and holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Professional development opportunities
• Remote work flexibility
• Wellness programs
• Company-sponsored events
• Employee assistance program
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Commuter benefits
• Home office stipend

Security Culture

At Vanta, security is at the core of everything we do. We believe that security should be monitored and verified continuously, and we empower companies to practice better security and prove it with ease. Our commitment to security extends to our internal culture, where we prioritize data protection, privacy, and compliance.

As a Staff Engineer, you will play a critical role in maintaining and enhancing our security posture. You will be responsible for implementing security best practices, conducting security reviews, and ensuring that our systems and applications are protected against threats.

How to Apply

If you are a talented and passionate Staff Engineer looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity, we encourage you to apply. To apply for this role, please submit your resume and cover letter through our online application portal. Be sure to highlight your relevant experience, skills, and qualifications. We look forward to hearing from you!

FAQ

1. What is Vanta?

   Vanta helps businesses earn and prove trust by continuously monitoring and verifying their security posture.

2. What does the Trust Product area do?

   The Trust Product area focuses on features that help customers prove the trust and credibility of their security programs.

3. What is Third Party Risk Management?

   Third Party Risk Management simplifies and automates risk processes, enabling efficient and informed risk decisions from a central platform.

4. What are the responsibilities of a Staff Engineer?

   Staff Engineers lead large-scale initiatives, define technical direction, mentor engineers, and drive innovation across the organization.

5. What skills are required for this role?

   Strong skills in product delivery, system design, strategic leadership, stakeholder management, and technical direction are essential.

6. Is this a remote position?

   Yes, this is a remote position based in the United States.

7. What benefits does Vanta offer?

   Vanta offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health insurance, paid time off, and other benefits.

8. What is the career path for a Staff Engineer?

   The career path can lead to roles such as Principal Engineer, Engineering Manager, Architect, or Technical Lead.

9. What is Vanta's security culture like?

   Security is at the core of everything we do, and we prioritize data protection, privacy, and compliance.

10. How do I apply for this role?

    Submit your resume and cover letter through our online application portal.