
TENEX is a cybersecurity company leveraging advanced artificial intelligence and human expertise to transform enterprise security. Backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Shield Capital, TENEX’s flagship offering is a next-generation Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service, transforming how organizations detect and respond to threats. With deep expertise in Google and Microsoft security ecosystems and state-of-the-art AI capabilities, TENEX empowers enterprises to enhance threat detection, agility, and resilience while maximizing the value of their security investments.

TENEX is a cybersecurity company leveraging advanced artificial intelligence and human expertise to transform enterprise security. Backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Shield Capital, TENEX’s flagship offering is a next-generation Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service, transforming how organizations detect and respond to threats. With deep expertise in Google and Microsoft security ecosystems and state-of-the-art AI capabilities, TENEX empowers enterprises to enhance threat detection, agility, and resilience while maximizing the value of their security investments.
What they do: AI-native Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and AI SOC services
Founded / launch: Commercial launch January 2025
Recent raise: $27M Series A (announced September 11, 2025)
Backers: Crosspoint Capital Partners (Series A lead), Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Shield Capital
Employees: ~60
| Company |
|---|
Enterprise security operations and threat detection/response
Technology, Information and Internet
$27M
Participation from Andreessen Horowitz and Shield Capital; additional participation reported from DTCP, DeepWork Capital, and the Florida Opportunity Fund
“Backed by top-tier venture investors including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Crosspoint Capital Partners”
Company Overview TENEX is an AI-native, automation-first, built-for-scale Managed Detection and Response (MDR) provider. We are a force multiplier for defenders, helping organizations enhance their cybersecurity posture through advanced threat detection, rapid response, and continuous protection. Our team is composed of industry experts with deep experience in cybersecurity, automation, and AI-driven solutions. Backed by leading investors, we are rapidly growing and seeking top talent to join our mission of revolutionizing the MDR landscape.
As a Principal AI Engineer at TENEX, you will be a key technical leader responsible for designing, developing, and optimizing scalable, high-performance AI systems. You will play a crucial role in shaping the architecture of our AI-driven cybersecurity solutions while mentoring engineering teams and driving technical innovation.
Culture is one of the most important things at TENEX.AI—explore our culture deck at culture.tenex.ai to witness how we embody it, prioritizing the irreplaceable collaboration and community of in-person work.
Location: This role will require Monday - Thursday onsite in our San Jose, CA location. WFH Friday. Job Responsibilities
Required Skills & Qualifications
Education & Certifications
Why Join Us?
If you're passionate about combining cybersecurity expertise with artificial intelligence and have experience with Google SecOps and Chronicle, we encourage you to apply!
We practice pay transparency and reward performance. Offers reflect equity, experience, skills, education, and certifications. Base salary for this position in San Jose: $190,000 - $250,000
Software Engineering & Architecture Expertise
10+ years of experience in software development, engineering production systems using modern programming languages (Python, Go, Rust, or Java).
Deep knowledge of LLM architecture, prompt engineering, and Vector database workflows.
Hands-on experience building agents, orchestration frameworks (LangChain/LangGraph, Agno AGI, or custom), and evaluation harnesses.
Deep understanding of microservices architecture, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and event-driven systems.
Strong fundamentals in API design (REST/gRPC) and distributed systems.
Clear, concise communication skills and a bias for collaborative problem-solving.
Nice-to-have
Prior work in cybersecurity (SIEM, EDR, SOAR, or MDR).
Experience with graph databases or security-focused knowledge graphs.
Familiarity with cloud infrastructure security (AWS, GCP, or Azure).
Background leading teams in high-growth startups or enterprise SaaS.
Soft Skills
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
Excellent communication and leadership abilities.
Ability to mentor and influence engineering teams.
Passion for cybersecurity and automation.