Upwind is a place where opportunities happen
At Upwind, we are a team of hands-on, problem solvers and doers. We believe in empowering organizations to run their cloud environments securely and efficiently to accelerate their businesses.
Working at Upwind is an exhilarating journey of innovation and growth. Every day presents new challenges and opportunities that fuel my passion and drive. In this dynamic environment, I’ve collaborated with talented individuals who value inclusion and embrace different perspectives.”
Being an Upwinder
We are Driven by Customers
We listen closely to understand our customers’ deepest pain points, working backwards to deliver easy-to-use, innovative solutions that not only meet immediate needs, but anticipate future ones.
We prioritize long-term relationships and value over short term outcomes, striving to exceed expectations and reinforce our customers’ trust in Upwind.
We value speed
We make decisions swiftly, recognizing many can be reversed or refined.
We believe in failing fast, and aren’t afraid to change course when necessary. With a bias for action we take calculated risks – even in the face of uncertainty – knowing that urgency drives momentum and propels us forward.
Speed doesn’t just get us there faster; it lets us adapt quickly and build on each step with what we learn.
We Improve Every Day
We believe in the power of incremental progress: every day, every meeting, and every decision is an opportunity to improve.
Committing to getting 1% better with each cycle creates compounding gains, allowing us to build products that are 10x better over time.
Improvement doesn’t stop with delivery; we follow up, adapt, and refine to ensure every outcome evolves towards excellence.
We Take Ownership
We get the job done and never assume that someone else will do it.
When things aren’t going right, we take responsibility and step in to fix it. No task is beneath us, and “it’s not my job” isn’t in our vocabulary.
As owners, we stay aligned with the bigger picture for Upwind, communicating efficiently, giving constructive feedback, and proactively escalating issues to keep everyone moving forward together.
We are Resourceful and Resilient
We create our own reality, accomplishing more with less by leaning on creative problem-solving & adaptability.
When we face constraints and the path forward isn’t clear, we find ways to make it work without sacrificing quality or our commitment to high standards.
We see setbacks as new opportunities to innovate, moving forward stronger and better prepared.
We Lead with Humility
We approach every interaction with humility, respecting and learning from others.
We hold ourselves accountable, publicly owning mistakes and using them as stepping stones for growth.
Integrity guides us to act in the best interests of the team, fostering a culture of trust, shared purpose, and mutual growth.
As a UI/UX designer, I enjoy creating user-friendly experiences that deliver innovative technology. It’s empowering to be part of a company that values inclusion and embraces unique perspectives in the cybersecurity industry.”
Upwind is a place where diversity of thought is encouraged and accepted. My ideas are valued, my voice is heard, and my potential is realized. We are shaping the future of cloud security.”
Open positions
Solution Architect - CNAPP
About The Position
About Upwind Security
Upwind Security is a rapidly growing, innovative cybersecurity firm specializing in Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP). We provide comprehensive security solutions that span the entire cloud application lifecycle, from build to runtime. Our mission is to secure the next generation of cloud infrastructure, helping businesses innovate without fear. We foster a dynamic, fast-paced, and collaborative environment, focused on excellence and customer success.
The Opportunity
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Solution Architect (SA) to join our expanding team in Tokyo, Japan. This role is pivotal in providing deep technical expertise throughout the sales cycle, ensuring successful proof-of-concepts (POCs), and architecting tailored CNAPP solutions for our enterprise clients. The ideal candidate possesses a strong background in cloud security, DevSecOps, and modern cloud architecture, coupled with exceptional communication skills in Japanese and English.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Sales and Solution Design
- Serve as the primary technical resource for the Japan sales team, engaging directly with prospects and customers to understand their cloud security posture, challenges, and technical requirements.
- Design and present compelling, tailored Upwind Security CNAPP solutions, mapping product capabilities to specific customer security frameworks and business outcomes.
- Lead and execute all technical validation activities, including Proof-of-Concepts (POCs), pilots, and hands-on demonstrations, ensuring successful completion and clear articulation of value.
- Develop comprehensive solution architectures and technical proposals that integrate Upwind Security into the customer's existing cloud and CI/CD environments (AWS, Azure, GCP).
Expertise and Market Intelligence
- Maintain expert-level knowledge of the Upwind CNAPP platform, competitive landscape, and emerging trends in cloud-native security (e.g., KSPM, CIEM, CSPM, CWPP, shift-left security).
- Act as a trusted technical advisor, educating customers and partners on cloud security best practices, DevSecOps principles, and risk mitigation strategies.
- Provide valuable feedback to the global product management and engineering teams regarding regional technical requirements, feature requests, and competitive intelligence specific to the Japanese market.
Collaboration and Enablement
- Work closely with Account Executives (AEs) to develop account strategies, qualify opportunities, and accelerate technical closure.
- Assist in the technical enablement and training of channel partners (SIs, VARs) to ensure they can effectively position and deploy the Upwind Security solution.
- Create and refine technical sales collateral, including presentations, diagrams, deployment guides, and best practice documents tailored for the Japanese audience.
Requirements
- Experience: 10+ years in a customer-facing technical role (e.g., Sales Engineer, Solution Architect, Consultant) selling or supporting complex cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, or DevSecOps solutions.
- Domain Knowledge: Deep, hands-on experience with major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and a strong understanding of their security services and architectural best practices. Expertise in containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), serverless technologies, and modern CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub Actions).
- Cloud Security Expertise: Proven knowledge of application security principles, cloud security frameworks, and CNAPP components (e.g., infrastructure-as-code scanning, vulnerability management, runtime protection).
- Language Proficiency: Native or equivalent professional fluency in Japanese (written and verbal) is essential for client engagement. Business-level fluency in English is required for technical documentation and collaboration with global teams.
- Cultural Acumen: Experience working effectively within the Japanese enterprise IT and security culture.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Certifications (e.g., AWS/Azure/GCP Solution Architect or Security, CISSP, Kubernetes) are a plus.
Desired Attributes
- Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to articulate complex technical topics simply and effectively.
- Proactive, self-motivated, and comfortable operating autonomously in a dynamic start-up environment.
- Strong presentation skills, capable of leading technical discussions with developers, security engineers, and C-level executives.
- Willingness to travel within Japan (up to 25%) as required for customer engagements.
Why Join Upwind Security?
- Be a key technical leader in establishing our market presence in Japan.
- Work with a cutting-edge CNAPP technology that is revolutionizing cloud security.
- Competitive salary, bonus structure, and stock options.