It all started when engineer Fred Luddy wrote code that automated a tedious task for his coworker, Phyllis. She cried tears of joy. That moment inspired Fred to build a company that could do that for everyone—freeing people from busywork so they could focus on meaningful work. Today, ServiceNow is the AI control tower for business reinvention. Our ServiceNow AI platform brings together any AI, any data, and any workflow— helping 85% of the Fortune 500® work smarter, faster, and better. We're building an AI-native culture where technology and talent are unstoppable together. And we're just getting started.

Join us to put AI to work for people.

About SSO

The ServiceNow Security Organization (SSO) delivers world-class, innovative security solutions to reduce risk and protect the company and our customers. We enable our customers to migrate their most sensitive data and workloads to the cloud, accelerating our business so that we are the most trusted SaaS provider. We create an environment where our employees are proud to work and can make a positive impact.

Team
This position reports to the Director, Endpoint Security Engineering (ESE) and anchors the AI Security Governance Program — a board-visible, auditor-facing program spanning five control pillars (AI visibility & inventory, prompt & response protection, agent architecture & control, shadow AI & access control, and compliance & audit) and the enterprise AI risks reported to the Audit Committee. The team builds state-of-the-art controls that reduce risk to the company’s most sensitive AI-connected assets with the least possible impact on operations, and shifts the perception of security from blocker to enabler.

Role
As Principal Engineer for AI Security Governance, you will own the technical strategy, architecture, and hands-on delivery of the program end to end. You will set direction across two governance tracks — enterprise-wide AI traffic and ServiceNow platform AI — and personally build and mature the controls that enforce it.

This is a senior individual-contributor role: you will lead through technical authority, architecture, and mentorship rather than direct-report management, and you will be a driving force in ServiceNow’s internal AI transformation, moving the security function from manual effort toward AI-automated operations.

What you get to do in this role:

Own the vision, strategy, and roadmap for the AI Security Governance Program across all five control pillars
Architect controls across both the enterprise-AI and platform-AI tracks, keeping the two governance paths distinct and defensible
Deploy, configure, and mature security controls hands-on — including AI detection and response, data security posture management (DSPM/AISPM), and data-path controls for unmanaged access
Drive the shift from manual security operations to AI-automated workflows, building automation into every control rather than staffing around it
Close the highest-severity gaps in AI data protection, agent permissions, and shadow AI
Author and sustain the risk narrative and technical materials for CISO, board, and Audit Committee audiences to a standard of precision that never overclaims
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers and cross-functional partners, and bring data to every decision

In order to be successful in this role, we need someone who has:

Experience in leveraging or critically thinking about how to integrate AI into work processes, decision-making, or problem-solving. This may include using AI-powered tools, automating workflows, analyzing AI-driven insights, or exploring AI’s potential impact on the function or industry.
15+ years of relevant experience in security and software engineering, including hands-on technical leadership, or similar experience with education
Deep, current expertise in AI security — LLM and generative-AI threats, agentic-AI risk, prompt and response protection, AI/ML supply chain, and AI governance frameworks
Strong architecture and engineering skills across cloud and SaaS environments, and the ability to build and operate controls directly, not only design them
Experience with data security tooling (DSPM/AISPM, DLP, CASB) and identity/entitlement controls
A track record of translating complex technical risk into executive-, board-, and auditor-ready narratives
Strong problem-solving across security and software engineering, and the ability to apply data for diagnostics and to make the case for new solutions
Working knowledge of compliance and regulatory standards, and experience in Agile practices
Ability to build trusted relationships with security and engineering teams across the company
You must be eligible for adjudication to access our US regulated market environments. Permanent residency or citizenship is required.

#SecurityJobs

For positions in this location, we offer a base pay of $221,200 - $387,100, plus equity (when applicable), variable/incentive compensation and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the base pay shown is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. We also offer health plans, including flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, matching donations, a flexible time away plan and family leave programs. Compensation is based on the geographic location in which the role is located and is subject to change based on work location.

Work Personas

We approach our distributed world of work with flexibility and trust. Work personas (flexible, remote, or required in office) are categories that are assigned to ServiceNow employees depending on the nature of their work and their assigned work location. Learn more here. To determine eligibility for a work persona, ServiceNow may confirm the distance between your primary residence and the closest ServiceNow office using a third-party service.

Equal Opportunity Employer

ServiceNow is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or any other category protected by law. In addition, all qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with legal requirements. 

Accommodations

We strive to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are unable to use this online application and need an alternative method to apply, please contact [email protected] for assistance.

Export Control Regulations

For positions requiring access to controlled technology subject to export control regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), ServiceNow may be required to obtain export control approval from government authorities for certain individuals. All employment is contingent upon ServiceNow obtaining any export license or other approval that may be required by relevant export control authorities.

Principal Engineer, AI Security Governance | Endpoint Security Engineering

Job description

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