Application security roles share a common purpose: to ensure that the software an organization builds and operates is designed, written, and delivered with security in mind. Rather than testing systems from the outside after they exist, these professionals work close to the development process, helping teams prevent weaknesses from entering the code and reducing the cost of fixing those that do. Their value comes from shaping how software is made, not only from inspecting the finished result.
Although the roles are related, they differ in where they sit along the software lifecycle and how closely they work with engineering teams. Some concentrate on the code itself, others on the platforms and pipelines that deliver it, and others on the culture and practices that keep security present in everyday work. The pages beneath this section describe each role in turn, including its typical responsibilities, the skills it draws on, and how it connects with development, operations, and the wider security program.
The Application Security Engineer serves as a broad specialist who helps development teams identify and remediate weaknesses across the lifecycle, combining analysis, tooling, and guidance. The Secure Code Reviewer focuses more narrowly on examining source code, whether manually or with supporting tools, to find flaws in logic, data handling, and trust boundaries before they reach production. The Product Security Engineer takes a product-centered view, working alongside a specific team or product line to embed security into its design decisions and ongoing roadmap.
Two further roles extend security into delivery and organization. The DevSecOps Engineer integrates security controls and automated checks into continuous integration and delivery pipelines, so that testing and policy enforcement happen as a natural part of building and shipping software. The Security Champion is typically a developer embedded within an engineering team who advocates for secure practices, acting as a local point of contact that connects the team to the broader security function.
Careers in this area rarely follow a single path. Many practitioners move between these roles over time, and the boundaries shift from one organization to another depending on team size, technology, and maturity. Reading the individual pages alongside this overview helps a professional see where their interests fit and how the roles complement one another and the engineering work they support.