As a Security Engineer at Ping Identity, your daily work will be highly collaborative and technically diverse. You will spend a significant portion of your time partnering with product engineering teams to review designs, conduct threat modeling, and ensure that new features are built securely from the ground up.

You will also be responsible for maintaining and improving the security posture of the company's cloud infrastructure. This involves configuring security monitoring tools, auditing cloud environments for misconfigurations, and automating compliance checks. When security incidents or alerts arise, you will participate in the investigation and response efforts to contain and remediate threats.

Additionally, you will help build and maintain security tooling. This includes integrating Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) tools into the CI/CD pipelines, ensuring that developers receive fast, actionable feedback on their code.

To be competitive for this role, you should possess a strong mix of software engineering fundamentals and dedicated security experience.

• Must-have skills:

  • Strong proficiency in application security concepts and the OWASP Top 10 framework.
  • Hands-on experience with containerization technologies, particularly Docker and Kubernetes.
  • Solid understanding of cloud security principles, preferably in AWS or Azure.
  • Experience reading and auditing code in languages such as Java, Go, Python, or JavaScript.
  • Familiarity with modern CI/CD pipelines and automated security testing tools.

• Nice-to-have skills:

  • Deep knowledge of identity and access management standards (OAuth 2.0, OIDC, SAML).
  • Experience writing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Terraform.
  • Relevant security certifications such as OSCP, CISSP, or cloud-specific security credentials.

Q: How difficult is the cognitive test, and how should I prepare? A: The cognitive test is of average difficulty and takes about 30 minutes. It focuses on logic, pattern recognition, and basic problem-solving. You can prepare by taking a few practice logical reasoning or abstract aptitude tests online to get comfortable with the format and pacing.

Q: What is the format of the take-home project? A: You will receive a Docker image containing a simulated, vulnerable web application. Your task will be to analyze the application, identify as many security vulnerabilities as possible (focusing on the OWASP Top 10), and document your findings. You will then present this project to the engineering team during a subsequent interview round.

Q: How specific is Ping Identity about their technology stack during interviews? A: Real interview experiences suggest that some hiring managers at Ping Identity look for close alignment with their specific technology stack. While foundational security principles are crucial, you should explicitly highlight your experience with Docker, cloud environments, and modern development frameworks to demonstrate that you can hit the ground running.

Q: What is the culture like on the security team? A: The team is highly collaborative and engineering-focused. They value proactive problem solvers who can build relationships with development teams rather than acting solely as auditors. Showing a strong willingness to learn and adapt is key to proving you have the right mindset for the team.

• Focus on Practical Application: Throughout your interviews, emphasize hands-on experience. When discussing security vulnerabilities, explain how you actually found and fixed them in past roles, rather than just discussing them theoretically.

• Demonstrate a Growth Mindset: Because technology stacks evolve quickly, show your interviewers that you are eager to learn. If you do not know a specific tool in their stack, explain how your existing knowledge translates and share how you have quickly mastered new technologies in the past.

• Understand IAM Fundamentals: Since Ping Identity is an identity security company, having a solid grasp of single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and identity protocols like OAuth and OIDC will give you a significant advantage.

Securing a Security Engineer role at Ping Identity is an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of enterprise security and cloud-scale identity management. The interview process is rigorous but fair, utilizing a combination of cognitive assessments, deep technical discussions, and a highly practical take-home project to evaluate your readiness.

To maximize your chances of success, focus your preparation on application security fundamentals, container security, and cloud architecture. Practice presenting technical findings clearly, as your ability to communicate security risks to the engineering team is just as important as your ability to find them.

The salary data above outlines the typical compensation structure for a Security Engineer at Ping Identity. When preparing your salary expectations, consider the entire package, which often includes base salary, performance bonuses, and equity components. Use this data to negotiate confidently when you reach the offer stage. Thorough preparation is your best tool—approach each stage of the loop with focus, and you will position yourself as a top-tier candidate.