Senior Data and AI Security Architect

Job Summary

CenterPoint Energy is seeking a Senior Data & AI Cybersecurity Architect to help secure and govern enterprise data platforms and AI-enabled solutions within a highly regulated, critical infrastructure environment. This role is responsible for designing security architecture that protects sensitive data and enables responsible use of AI while meeting strict regulatory, reliability, and audit expectations. The architect will be the primary designer of security guardrails that protect every database, LLM, and automation tool we deploy, ensuring they are "secure by design" and "resilient by default."

You will work closely with Cybersecurity, Privacy, IT, Legal, and Risk teams to ensure data and AI capabilities are secure by design and resilient.

• Define and maintain enterprise data and AI security architecture standards, patterns, and reference models aligned to regulatory and critical infrastructure requirements
• Work with development teams to embed security from design through deployment across CI/CD pipelines including Dev Sec Ops , and MLSec Ops
• Assess and mitigate AI specific security and compliance risks including prompt injection, data poisoning, and model extraction
• Secure the interfaces where AI models interact with users and applications
• Implement controls to monitor AI outputs for data leakage and unauthorized data access
• Provide security architecture oversight for AI use cases supporting business operations, analytics, automation, and decision support
• Architect and guide implementation of enterprise-wide data security programs including Data Classification, Data Loss Prevention, Data Encryption, Database Activity Monitoring
• Design automated workflows to discover, classify and label sensitive data across structured and unstructured sources
• Architect Zero Trust models for data access, enforce encryption standards, and data security standards
• Assess and govern the implementation of immutable backups, and data restoration strategies to ensure business continuity against catastrophic data loss and data unavailability
• Conduct threat modeling and security architecture reviews for data and AI solutions
• Identify attack paths, control gaps, and compensating controls for complex, integrated multi-cloud environments
• Act as a subject matter expert for data and AI security in risk assessments and third-party reviews

Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in security architecture, data security, AI, ML or closely related fields
• Strong understanding of enterprise data platforms, cloud and hybrid environments, and AI/ML or advanced analytics systems
• Experience with implementing OWASP Top 10 for LLMs and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework
• Experience with Data Classification/DLP/DSPM/AiSPM security tools
• Knowledge of cloud infrastructure security standards (Azure and GCP)
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CCP, or other relevant cloud or AI security certifications preferred
• Familiarity with common regulatory requirements and utility-specific standards (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST) preferred

• Competitive pay
• Paid training
• Benefits eligibility begins on your first day
• Transit subsidies
• Flexible work schedule, paid holidays and paid time off
• Access to discounts at fitness clubs and an on-site wellness center at our headquarters in Houston
• Professional growth and development programs including tuition reimbursement
• 401(k) Savings Plan featuring a company match dollar-for-dollar up to 6% and a company contribution of 3% regardless of your contribution

Job Type: Full Time
Posting

Start Date:

04/10/2026
Posting End Date: 05/01/2026

This contractor and subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR
* 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a), and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin, protected veteran status or disability.

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