At a Glance
- Tasks: Secure and enhance product security through hands-on testing and code reviews.
- Company: Join ION, a leading fintech innovator with a diverse and inclusive culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with a commitment to diversity and career advancement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in securing products that power global financial markets.
- Qualifications: 6+ years in Product Security, strong coding skills, and a passion for risk reduction.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
This is an amazing opportunity to work with the Markets Information Security Team at ION. As a Product Security Engineer, you would be the key enabler of secure and compliant products. This role reports to the Product Security Lead and partners closely with engineering and product teams to increase the overall product security posture. You will own and scale product/application security by embedding security into the Secure SDLC, automating controls in CI/CD, and driving measurable risk reduction. The role is hands-on: you will perform security-focused code review and targeted testing, strengthen API security, implement supply chain security (SCA/SBOM) practices, and run an efficient vulnerability lifecycle with clear SLAs and metrics.
Key Responsibilities
- Secure SDLC Ownership: Help to define lightweight, measurable SSDLC (requirements, design checks, guidance, release criteria); establish “paved roads” (reference architectures, secure templates, approved libs/patterns).
- CI/CD Security Automation (Shift-left): Own AppSec toolchain/pipelines (SAST, DAST, SCA, secrets, IaC/container); integrate risk-based gating with clear developer feedback; tune rules, cut false positives, and standardize triage (tickets, auto-routing, SLAs).
- Code Review & Secure Engineering Support: Perform security code reviews for critical areas (authn/authz, sessions, crypto, data protection, input validation, business logic); provide remediation guidance, secure patterns, and concise code/design examples.
- Secure Design Reviews & Threat Modeling: Run pragmatic threat modelling/design reviews for new features and changes; produce actionable outputs (mitigations, backlog, acceptance criteria, test cases); maintain requirements for identity, sensitive data, and privacy-by-design.
- Supply Chain Security (SCA/SBOM): Manage dependency risk (triage, upgrade strategies, deprecations, guardrails); establish SBOM generation/use and provide evidence for assurance; assess third-party components/SDKs and provenance/attestation risks.
- Vulnerability Lifecycle, SLAs & Metrics: Run intake/triage across tools, pen tests, VDP/bug bounty, and internal findings; define remediation SLAs by severity/exploitability and asset criticality, manage exceptions and verify fixes; report meaningful metrics (MTTD, MTTF, reopen rate, recurring classes, coverage, control effectiveness).
- Hands-on Testing (Targeted & Risk-Based): Execute focused testing on high-risk areas (web, APIs, mobile/auth flows) to validate exploitability; coordinate third-party testing and ensure findings translate into prioritized engineering outcomes.
Required Skills, Qualifications And Experience
- 6+ years in Product Security / Application Security, with demonstrable engineering-facing delivery.
- Strong understanding of OWASP (Web + API risks) and modern attack paths (authz flaws, SSRF, injection, deserialization, business logic abuse, supply chain).
- Hands-on experience integrating security into CI/CD (SAST/DAST/SCA/secrets), triaging findings, and enabling developer remediation.
- Comfortable reading/reviewing code in at least one backend language (e.g., Java, C++, Go, Python, Node.js) and common web stacks.
- Solid grasp of cloud-native delivery practices: microservices, containers, CI/CD, IaC fundamentals, observability, and logging.
- Strong communication skills: able to translate risk into clear engineering actions and influence outcomes.
Nice to have
- Threat modeling experience (STRIDE or similar) with real production outcomes.
- Fintech or regulated-environment experience in translating obligations into product controls (e.g., PCI, GDPR/DORA concepts).
- Bug bounty/VDP experience (triage, validation, reporter comms process).
- Certifications: OSWE/OSCP/GPEN/GXPN, cloud certifications, or secure software development certifications.
Ability to
- Effectively communicate technical issues to diverse audiences, both in writing and verbally.
- Handle sensitive and confidential matters, situations, and data.
- Understand and follow broad and complex instructions.
- Comprehend technical language and to confer, analyse and write in an objective, lucid manner.
- Work independently and prioritise multiple tasks and adapt to needed changes.
- Remain calm under high pressure/difficult situations.
Preferred Certifications
- OSWE/OSCP/GPEN/GXPN, cloud certifications, or secure software development certifications.
About Us
We’re a diverse group of visionary innovators who provide trading and workflow automation software, high-value analytics, and strategic consulting to corporations, central banks, financial institutions, and governments. Founded in 1999, we’ve achieved tremendous growth by bringing together some of the best and most successful financial technology companies in the world. Over 2,000 of the world’s leading corporations, including 50% of the Fortune 500 and 30% of the world’s central banks, trust ION solutions to manage their cash, in-house banking, commodity supply chain, trading and risk. Over 800 of the world’s leading banks and broker-dealers use our electronic trading platforms to operate the world’s financial market infrastructure. ION is a rapidly expanding and dynamic group with 13,000 employees and offices in more than 40 cities around the globe. Our ever-expanding global footprint, cutting edge products, and over 40,000 customers worldwide provide an unparalleled career experience for those who share our vision. ION is committed to maintaining a supportive and inclusive environment for people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We respect the varied identities, abilities, cultures, and traditions of the individuals who comprise our organization and recognize the value that different backgrounds and points of view bring to our business. ION adheres to an equal employment opportunity policy that prohibits discriminatory practices or harassment against applicants or employees based on any legally impermissible factor.
Product Security Engineer employer: ION
At ION, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. As a Product Security Engineer, you will have the opportunity to work alongside a diverse team of experts in a rapidly growing company, with access to continuous professional development and cutting-edge technology. Our commitment to inclusivity and employee well-being ensures that you will thrive in an environment that values your contributions and supports your career aspirations.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Security Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with current employees at ION. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to insider info or even a referral!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Prepare for hands-on technical interviews by brushing up on your coding and security knowledge. Practice common scenarios related to product security and be ready to demonstrate your problem-solving skills.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! If you see a job that excites you, don’t wait around. Apply through our website and follow up with a quick email to express your enthusiasm. It shows initiative and keeps you on their radar.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for the culture fit! Research ION’s values and think about how your experiences align with them. Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to their diverse and inclusive environment during interviews.
We think you need these skills to ace Product Security Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in product security and application security. We want to see how your skills align with the key responsibilities mentioned in the job description.
Showcase Your Hands-On Experience:Since this role is hands-on, don’t forget to include specific examples of your work with secure SDLC, CI/CD security automation, and code reviews. We love seeing real-world applications of your skills!
Communicate Clearly:Your ability to communicate technical issues is crucial. Use clear and concise language in your application to demonstrate how you can translate complex security concepts into actionable insights for engineering teams.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity with the Markets Information Security Team!
How to prepare for a job interview at ION
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of OWASP and modern attack paths. Be ready to discuss specific vulnerabilities and how they relate to the role. This will show that you’re not just familiar with the theory but can apply it practically.
✨Showcase Your Hands-On Experience
Prepare to talk about your hands-on experience with CI/CD security automation and secure coding practices. Bring examples of how you've integrated security into development processes, and be ready to discuss the tools you've used like SAST, DAST, and SCA.
✨Communicate Clearly
Since strong communication skills are key for this role, practice explaining complex security concepts in simple terms. Think about how you would convey risk to a non-technical audience, as well as how to influence engineering decisions based on those risks.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions where you might need to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Prepare to discuss how you would handle specific security challenges, such as vulnerability triage or threat modelling for new features.