Why This Job is Featured on The SaaS Jobs
Security is often discussed in SaaS as an application-layer concern, but this Industrial Security Lead role highlights the operational reality of building and running regulated, high-sensitivity programs alongside product and R&D. The remit spans accredited facilities, personnel security, and government compliance, which places the work at the intersection of modern cloud-first organizations and public sector requirements where physical and procedural controls directly shape what can be built and shipped.
For a SaaS career, the value lies in learning how governance and delivery constraints translate into executable programs across multiple sites and stakeholders. Experience with frameworks like NISPOM and ICD 705, plus day-to-day interaction with audits, incident response, and classified environments, builds a systems view of risk that is increasingly relevant as SaaS companies pursue enterprise and government customers. That perspective tends to transfer across security leadership, GRC partnerships, and operational readiness roles in other regulated SaaS contexts.
This role suits professionals who prefer structured problem solving, documentation discipline, and cross-functional coordination with facilities, legal, and technical teams. It is a strong match for someone comfortable acting as a liaison with external authorities while still owning internal execution details, and for candidates who want security work to be closely tied to enabling real programs rather than only advising from the sidelines.
The section above is editorial commentary from The SaaS Jobs, provided to help SaaS professionals understand the role in a broader industry context.
Job Description
About the Team
The Corporate Security team is responsible for the security and protection of all OpenAI employees and executives. We are committed to creating and maintaining a secure environment that allows our team members to focus on their work without fear of harm or disruption.
About the Role
OpenAI is seeking an Industrial Security Lead to help develop and scale a world-class industrial security program across multiple locations, including San Francisco, Washington DC.. In this role, you will be responsible for building and managing secure facilities that enable work with Government partners , overseeing government-required personnel security programs, and ensuring strict compliance with U.S. government regulations. You will collaborate closely with government partners, contractors, and internal teams to safeguard sensitive projects and R&D initiatives.
This role is ideal for someone who combines deep expertise in US Government industrial security programs with hands-on program execution and experience.
In this role, you will:
Support tactical operations of the OpenAI’s industrial security program, partnering closely with GRC, facilities, and leadership to ensure compliance with NISPOM, ICD 705, DoD/IC regulations, and other federal requirements to enable rapid execution on OpenAI for Government’s strategic programs.
Support multi-year security roadmaps to support OpenAI Public Sector projects, accredited facilities, and sensitive R&D initiatives, balancing the agile nature of our business with the timelines and requirements associated with US Government contracts.
Be on the team supporting classified facilities, SOPs, Fixed Facility Checklists, and related documents.
Participate in construction and accreditation efforts in partnership with government agencies, design engineers, and contractors.
Ensure facilities meet and exceed required standards, with ongoing audits and readiness checks.
Support all aspects of personnel security management associated with OpenAI Public Sector efforts, working directly with government partners to ensure compliance.
Expert knowledge of using government databases such as DISS, NBIS, and Scattered Castles.
Support implementation and operations of insider threat and continuous evaluation programs.
Manage security onboarding, required reporting and approvals, and personnel readiness efforts to ensure staff can support OpenAI Public Sector efforts.
Liaison with Government security representatives, ensuring smooth communication and compliance with clearances and facilities.
Support all federal inspections, audits, and incident investigations, maintaining a best-in-class compliance record.
Manage sensitive material control, secured communications COMSEC, and reporting requirements.
Conduct risk assessments of relevant operations and drive mitigation initiatives.
Develop advanced security training.
Manage related OPSEC programs and Program Protection Plans.
You’ll thrive in this role if you:
Have 5+ years of experience in industrial security.
Have an active TS/SCI security clearance Full Scope Polygraph.
Have expert knowledge of the 32 CFR Part 117, Intelligence Community Directives and Special Access Programs. This is relative to personnel security, facility accreditations and operations, and classified communications.
Have experience as an FSO, CSSO, or CPSO with DoD, IC and SAP customers.
Have exceptional communication skills and executive presence, with experience briefing leadership and government officials.
Preferred:
Background in fast-paced AI, R&D, or high-tech environments.
Advanced certifications such as ISP®, CPP®, or SPeD.
Bachelor’s degree in Security Management, Criminal Justice, or similar
Experience using Security Controls, Threat Switch, SIMS or similar software is preferred.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.
For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.
Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.
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