Director Cybersecurity

About Knightscope
Knightscope (NASDAQ: KSCP) is a security technology company building the nation's first Autonomous Security Force — autonomous machines, AI-driven software, and elite security professionals operating as one integrated managed service. The Company is on a mission to make the United States of America the safest country in the world. One Team. One Force.
Location: Onsite / Sunnyvale, CA HQ (this is not a remote role)
About the Role
Knightscope is seeking a Director Cybersecurity to lead the strategic direction, governance, and long-term maturity of our cybersecurity program. This role is responsible for ensuring the security of our autonomous robotics platforms, cloud infrastructure, AI systems, and enterprise environments while aligning with the expectations of enterprise and government customers. This is a direct report to the Chairman and CEO.
This is a high-impact leadership role focused on building a scalable, forward-looking cybersecurity program that protects not just IT systems, but connected physical assets operating in real-world environments.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Program Development
Define and execute the company-wide cybersecurity vision, strategy, and multi-year roadmap.
Align cybersecurity initiatives with business objectives, product development, and go-to-market strategy.
Lead the evolution toward AI-driven security operations and intelligent automation.
Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC)
Establish and maintain enterprise security governance frameworks (NIST, FEDRAMP, etc.).
Oversee risk management programs, including enterprise risk assessments and mitigation strategies.
Ensure compliance with government and public sector security requirements (e.g., FedRAMP, CJIS, or similar).
Own third-party/vendor risk management strategy.
Product & Robotics Security
Define security standards for autonomous robotics, embedded systems, and IoT devices.
Partner with engineering to embed secure-by-design principles into robotics and AI platforms.
Oversee security architecture for cloud-connected devices and field deployments.
Incident Preparedness & Oversight
Ensure robust incident response, business continuity, and disaster recovery programs.
Provide executive oversight during major security incidents.
Establish metrics and reporting for risk posture, incident trends, and response effectiveness.
Leadership & Cross-Functional Influence
Build and lead a high-performing cybersecurity team (more analysts over time).
Act as the primary security advisor to executive leadership and board-level stakeholders.
Partner with Legal, IT, Engineering, and Operations to drive security across the organization.
Represent Knightscope in customer, partner, and government security discussions.
Required Qualifications
10+ years of cybersecurity experience, with 5+ years in senior leadership roles.
Proven track record building and scaling cybersecurity programs in technology-driven organizations.
Experience integrating or overseeing AI/ML applications in cybersecurity (threat detection, automation, anomaly detection).
Deep expertise in security frameworks (NIST, FEDRAMP) and risk management practices.
Strong understanding of cloud security, network architecture, and Zero Trust models.
Experience working cross-functionally with engineering and product teams.
Exceptional executive communication and stakeholder management skills.
Must be hands on
MUST HAVE recent Palantir FedStart experience
Preferred (Pluses)
Experience in robotics, autonomous systems, or IoT security.
Background working with government agencies, public safety, or defense environments.
Familiarity with compliance frameworks relevant to government deployments (FedRAMP, CJIS, DoD standards).
Experience securing AI-driven platforms and edge computing environments.
Compensation & Benefits
Base Salary: $200,000 – $260,000 DOE
Equity: Stock options
Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off
Location Requirement: Full-time, on-site at Sunnyvale HQ

Employment type
Full-Time

Work arrangement
No