Security Engineer

Microsoft

Confirmed live yesterday High trust

Remote

Quick summary

Work type: Remote
Location: Remote
Salary: $85,400–$168,100 / yr
Posted: 3 days ago
Freshness: Confirmed live yesterday
Closes: Mar 23, 2027

Market check

Salary context

Below market

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $178k

This role $127k

$70k most similar roles pay here $226k

This role pays less than 92% of similar roles. Most pay $146,975–$208,800 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $127k versus about $178k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is a global technology leader producing software, hardware, and cloud services including Windows, Office 365, Azure cloud platform, Xbox gaming, and Surface devices. Industry: Software & Cloud Computing

Microsoft currently has 686 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $119,800–$234,700 across 666 roles with salary data.

Most-posted roles

View all roles at Microsoft

At a glance

TL;DR · Security Engineer

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As a Security Engineer on the Windows Security team, you will focus on offensive security and engineering mitigations for Windows products and devices. You will perform security design reviews, code reviews, penetration testing, and vulnerability research to proactively defend against cybersecurity threats. Your daily responsibilities include uncovering novel attack vectors, developing proof-of-concept mitigations, building reusable agents and tools to automate security reviews, and identifying vulnerabilities in network protocols and OS features. The role requires proficiency in native code (C/C++), a strong grasp of operating system security fundamentals, and solid computer science skills. You will collaborate with product engineering teams to design durable defenses and interact with the external security community. This position addresses the critical challenge of securing Windows client and server operating systems against sophisticated risks through technical innovation and systematic mitigation strategies.

What does a Security Engineer earn?

Median $191000 from 87 postings across 40 companies.

See salary data

Skills

C C++ Windows Penetration Testing Code Review Vulnerability Research Offensive Security Operating Systems Network Protocols Security Engineering

What you'll do

Perform security design reviews and code audits for Windows features and products.
Identify vulnerabilities in network protocols, security features, and Microsoft devices.
Develop proof-of-concept mitigations to address identified security risks.
Build reusable agents and automated tools to improve the consistency of security reviews.
Act as the primary security contact for teams developing new technologies for Windows.
Design durable and scalable defenses in partnership with product engineering teams.
Engage with the external security community and research organizations.

What we're looking for

Bachelor's Degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or related field, or equivalent experience.
Ability to pass Microsoft Cloud background checks.
Master's Degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or related field and 1+ year of experience in security (preferred).
Bachelor's Degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of experience in security (preferred).
2+ years identifying vulnerabilities in operating systems and/or native (C/C++) applications (preferred).
Public track record of relevant security research, especially around vulnerability discovery (preferred).
Experience exploiting bugs and bypassing security mitigations in operating systems (preferred).
Familiarity with Microsoft Windows architecture (preferred).