Lead Application Security Architect

Raymond James Financial, Inc. is seeking a Lead Application Security Architect to help strengthen the organization’s enterprise application security architecture. In this hybrid role based in Saint Petersburg, FL , you will guide secure design reviews, threat modeling, and vulnerability remediation, while building secure reference architectures that teams can apply across the software development lifecycle.

Role overview

You will lead security architecture efforts that connect application design decisions to real-world risk reduction. The work focuses on aligning development practices with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and organizational security policies, while partnering with engineering and cross-functional teams to integrate security into day-to-day delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead secure design reviews and threat modeling exercises for new applications, features, and architectural changes, ensuring alignment with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and organizational security policies.
• Partner with development teams to identify and remediate vulnerabilities in application code and system designs, providing hands-on guidance and actionable recommendations.
• Create and maintain secure reference architectures that help implement secure systems, applications, and solutions aligned to organizational needs and technologies.
• Serve as a trusted advisor by integrating security considerations into the software development lifecycle and promoting secure coding practices.
• Assess conformance with architectural standards to reduce technical debt and optimize enterprise assets such as systems, services, and information.
• Provide technical expertise across security topics including encryption, identity and access management, and secure communication protocols.
• Monitor emerging security threats, trends, and best practices, applying relevant insights to improve the organization’s security posture.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners across infrastructure, DevOps tooling, and compliance to align security measures with organizational goals.
• Support security incident response efforts by contributing architectural expertise and defense-in-depth strategies as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned, including occasional non-standard shifts or on call.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in a security engineering or architecture role, with demonstrated focus on secure design reviews, threat modeling, and vulnerability management.
• In-depth knowledge of web application security principles, secure coding practices, and addressing common vulnerabilities (including OWASP Top 10).
• Proficiency designing secure architectures for on-premises and cloud environments (including AWS and Azure ).
• Strong understanding of OAuth , authentication, and authorization mechanisms, including multi-factor authentication , single sign-on , and password-less authentication.
• Experience with encryption technologies, including certificate-based and token-based cryptography.
• Familiarity with network protocols, topologies, incident response, and defense-in-depth strategies.
• Exceptional communication skills, able to connect technical details with business stakeholders.
• Financial services experience is a plus, with the expectation that business acumen can be acquired quickly.
• AI-Enabled Application Security: Experience using artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs) to identify, analyze, and remediate security vulnerabilities in custom-developed applications, including integrating AI-driven security capabilities into secure design reviews, code reviews, and DevSecOps processes.
• Enterprise AI Security: Experience designing and implementing security architectures and controls for safe adoption of AI technologies in enterprise environments, including generative AI, AI agents, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrations, with focus on protecting sensitive data, enforcing access controls, and mitigating AI-specific security risks.

Technologies

• OWASP Top 10
• AWS, Azure
• OAuth, multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, password-less authentication
• Certificate-based cryptography, token-based cryptography
• AI, large language models (LLMs), DevSecOps
• Generative AI, AI agents, Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Education

• Bachelor’s completed in Computer and Information Science or Information Technology
• High School completed (record indicates “Requi…”, additional detail not provided)

Certifications

• CISSP

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision
• Life insurance
• Critical illness insurance and accident insurance
• Disability benefits
• Retirement savings
• Paid time off (including vacation, holidays, and sick leave)
• Parental leave

Workstyle and travel

• Hybrid workstyle
• Travel: Less than 25%