Overview:
The Lead Security Engineer drives Nerdyβs enterprise security and infrastructure strategy to ensure scalable, secure, and reliable systems in a AWS first environment. This role combines strategic leadership and hands-on operational oversight to protect company assets, ensure compliance, and support high-growth business objectives.
About Nerdy:
At Nerdy (NYSE: NRDY) - the company behind Varsity Tutors - weβre redrawing the blueprint of learning. Our Live + AIβ’ platform fuses real-time human expertise with proprietary generative-AI systems, setting a new bar for measurable academic impact at global scale.
We recruit the kind of technologists and operators youβd bet on as solo founders - people who turn ambiguous problems into shipping code, iterate faster than markets move, and compound their advantage with every data point. In an era where great employees can deliver 10-times the leverage of the merely good, we back those who play to win.
Fortune favors the bold. Join us.
How we compete:
β’ AI-Native at every level
From the CEO to day-one hires, everyone builds and ships with generative AI. If youβre not wielding AI, youβre not done.
β’ Entrepreneurial velocity
Move at founder speed, prototype in hours, and measure in real user outcomes. Slow teams die.
β’ Free-market rigor
Ideas rise or fall on merit and results - no committees, no politics, no cap on upside.
β’ Full-stack ownership
You design, build, and run what you ship; accountability is a feature, not a bug.
β’ Reward for contribution
Pay rises with impact, not years. Outstanding results earn outsized rewards. We evaluate both what you achieve and how you achieve it: living our leadership principles and using AI effectively are formally measured and rewarded.
β’ Relentless exploration
Push the frontier of generative AI in live learning and - because only the paranoid survive - questioning every legacy assumption along the way.
β’ Is Apolitical
You stay focused on mission-aligned outcomes, not distractions or unrelated causes.
If youβre a technically minded builder who thrives on open competition, personal responsibility, and the chance to redefine how the world learns - while continually stretching the limits of what generative AI can do - come do the most ambitious and rewarding work of your career here. Learn more at nerdy.com.
Nerdyβs shareholder letters below explain our latest products and strategy:
β’ Q4-2025 Shareholder Letter
β’ Q3-2025 Shareholder Letter
β’ Q2-2025 Shareholder Letter
Responsibilities:
β’ Define and execute enterprise security strategy
β’ Partner closely with leaders to cover compliance, automation, and security best practices across the organization
β’ Lead business continuity and disaster recovery planning
β’ Identify and address security gaps created by the rapid adoption of new tools and platforms
β’ Oversee threat detection, incident response, and vulnerability management
β’ Ensure regulatory, privacy, and data protection compliance
β’ Use AI-powered tools (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code, or equivalent) to implement security guardrails, automate checks, and accelerate security workflows
β’ Mentor other engineers and collaborate with peers to strengthen the team's collective knowledge
β’ Design secure, scalable, and resilient architecture
β’ Embed security controls across Engineering, Product, Legal, and People teams
β’ Manage vendors, security tools, and IT systems
β’ Report security posture and risk metrics to executives
Qualifications:
β’ 7+ years in Security Engineering, IT, or Infrastructure leadership
β’ Experience leading enterprise security in AWS-first environments
β’ Hands-on experience with AWS security (IAM, security groups, logging, monitoring)
β’ Strong knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks, risk, and compliance
β’ Experience leading threat detection, vulnerability management, and incident response
β’ Demonstrated ability to influence, driving security adoption across engineering and product teams
β’ Expertise in cloud infrastructure, IAM, endpoint and network security
β’ Explicit mentoring of senior-level engineers regularly
β’ Ability to align security strategy with business goals
β’ Strong executive communication and stakeholder management skills
β’ Experience using AI tools for security purposes with tools like Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Claude, or similar
β’ Bachelorβs in CS, Information Security, or related field (advanced degree/certs preferred
β’ Nice to have: Familiarity with NIST 800-171 and/or CMMC Level 2 compliance frameworks
Unleash Your Potential at Nerdy:
At Nerdy, you'll earn your success through meritocracy and exceptional outcomes. Our benefits reward performance and initiative:
β’ Competitive Compensation & Advancement: Market-leading salary paired with clear promotion pathways and equity (RSUs) - become an owner in our success.
β’ Retirement Made Simple: 401(k) plan with company match and immediate vesting.
β’ A Remote-First Culture: We embrace flexibility across time zones and working styles to attract top talent and meet learners where they are.
β’ Flexible Time Off: Recharge on your terms, ensuring maximum productivity.
β’ Continuous Learning: Access an all-inclusive learning membership for you and your household, including 1:1 tutoring hours, unlimited on-demand classes, and our full suite of learning products and services.
β’ Supercharge with AI: Leverage cutting-edge AI tools to accelerate your workflow.
β’ Youβre Covered: Medical, dental, vision, life, STD & LTD plans plus strong maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves - numerous options for you and your family.
The Bottom Line:
If you're driven by impact, energized by ownership, and excited to help shape whatβs next, youβll thrive here. We move fast, think big, and reward those who deliver. This isnβt a traditional corporate environment - itβs a place to do the most meaningful work of your career.