Sr. Application Security (AppSec) Architect

Job Title: Sr. Application Security (AppSec) Architect

Location: Onsite - Maryland Heights, MO

Experience: 14+ Years

What are the top skills required for this role?

• Application Security Architecture
• Secure-by-Design Methodologies
• Threat Modeling (STRIDE, Attack Trees, PASTA)
• OWASP ASVS, OWASP Top 10
• Secure SDLC / DevSecOps
• Security Architecture Reviews
• Secure Coding Practices
• API Security
• Cloud Security (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform)

Job Description/ Responsibilities

The Senior Application Security Architect will lead Secure-by-Design initiatives across enterprise applications by embedding security early in the software development lifecycle (SDLC). The role is responsible for conducting threat modeling, security architecture reviews, secure design assessments, and establishing security guardrails aligned with OWASP ASVS, NIST SSDF, and industry best practices. The architect will work closely with developers, enterprise architects, DevOps teams, and business stakeholders to ensure security risks are identified and mitigated before applications reach production.

Key Responsibilities

Secure-by-Design Leadership

• Define and implement Secure-by-Design principles across application development programs.
• Develop security reference architectures, reusable security patterns, and architecture standards.
• Embed security requirements into solution design and development processes.

Threat Modeling & Risk Analysis

• Conduct threat modeling workshops using STRIDE, Attack Trees, or similar methodologies.
• Identify trust boundaries, attack surfaces, abuse cases, and potential design weaknesses.
• Provide risk-based mitigation recommendations and architectural guidance.

Security Architecture Reviews

• Perform application, API, microservices, cloud-native, and AI-enabled application security reviews.
• Validate architecture compliance against OWASP ASVS, OWASP Top 10, NIST SSDF, and organizational standards.
• Review data flows, authentication, authorization, encryption, secrets management, and logging controls.

Secure SDLC & DevSecOps

• Integrate security requirements into Agile and CI/CD workflows.
• Collaborate with development teams to implement security-by-default controls.
• Support adoption of SAST, DAST, SCA, API Security, Container Security, and Secure Coding practices.

Developer Enablement

• Provide secure coding guidance and architectural consultation.
• Conduct architecture review sessions, threat modeling training, and security awareness workshops.
• Act as a trusted advisor to engineering and product teams.

Governance & Stakeholder Management

• Partner with Enterprise Architects, Product Teams, Security Leadership, and Development Managers.
• Define security acceptance criteria and architecture review processes.
• Present security findings, risks, and remediation strategies to senior leadership.

Required qualification:

• 10+ years of cybersecurity, application security, or security architecture experience.
• 5+ years leading security architecture reviews and threat modeling engagements.
• Experience working in regulated industries such as Financial Services, Banking, Insurance, or Healthcare.
• Demonstrated expertise implementing Secure SDLC and DevSecOps programs at enterprise scale.
• Preferred Certifications

• CISSP
• CSSLP
• CCSP
• SABSA
• AWS/Azure/Google Cloud Platform Security Certifications
• GIAC GWEB / GSEC
• Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP)