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Create CVApplication Security Engineer roles sit at the intersection of secure software development, vulnerability management, and DevSecOps integration. In modern hiring pipelines across the U.S. technology market, these roles are filtered almost entirely through ATS-driven technical searches before a recruiter manually reviews a CV.
Unlike many engineering resumes, Application Security CVs are evaluated based on specific security frameworks, vulnerability testing methods, secure coding expertise, and tooling ecosystems. If those signals are missing or poorly structured, the CV will not appear in recruiter searches inside ATS databases.
An ATS friendly Application Security Engineer CV template is therefore designed around security testing workflows, DevSecOps pipelines, and secure architecture signals rather than generic cybersecurity language.
This guide explains how ATS systems interpret application security resumes, how recruiters search for AppSec engineers, and how to structure a CV that aligns with real screening outcomes.
When a CV is uploaded into an Applicant Tracking System, it is converted into structured database fields. The ATS attempts to extract:
security frameworks
vulnerability testing tools
programming languages
cloud security experience
DevSecOps automation
security assessment methodologies
For Application Security roles, ATS algorithms prioritize security tooling and testing techniques.
The most commonly indexed AppSec signals include:
OWASP Top 10
Recruiters rarely read resumes manually at the beginning. Instead, they run technical queries inside the ATS database.
Typical AppSec recruiter searches include:
Application Security AND OWASP AND SAST
DevSecOps AND secure code review
AppSec Engineer AND vulnerability management
security testing AND CI/CD
The ATS then retrieves CVs containing the most relevant keyword clusters.
For example:
Weak Example
"Responsible for application security tasks."
Good Example
"Performed secure code reviews and implemented OWASP Top 10 remediation strategies within CI/CD pipelines."
The second version contains searchable security methodology keywords that align with recruiter queries.
High-performing AppSec resumes follow a structure that supports clean parsing and strong security keyword indexing.
A proven structure includes:
Professional Summary
Application Security Skills
Professional Experience
Security Tools and Technologies
Certifications
Education
Security Projects
Each section plays a role in how ATS systems extract and rank security expertise.
Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
Software Composition Analysis (SCA)
Penetration testing
Secure code review
Threat modeling
CI/CD security integration
DevSecOps
Vulnerability management
If these signals appear only in graphics, design templates, or side columns, many ATS parsers fail to detect them.
As a result, strong security professionals often remain invisible to recruiters simply because the CV was formatted incorrectly.
The professional summary should establish the candidate as an Application Security specialist rather than a general cybersecurity professional.
Recruiters immediately look for signals such as:
AppSec expertise
secure development lifecycle knowledge
vulnerability testing
DevSecOps integration
Weak Example
"Cybersecurity engineer with experience securing applications."
Good Example
"Application Security Engineer specializing in secure software development lifecycle implementation, OWASP vulnerability remediation, and automated security testing within DevSecOps pipelines."
This signals domain expertise in:
AppSec
OWASP
DevSecOps
secure SDLC
These keywords directly influence ATS search ranking.
ATS systems rely heavily on dedicated skills sections because they parse these fields with high confidence.
A well-structured AppSec skills section should include:
security frameworks
testing methodologies
DevSecOps tools
programming languages
vulnerability management platforms
Example structure:
Application Security
OWASP Top 10
Secure Code Review
Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
Software Composition Analysis (SCA)
Threat Modeling
Secure SDLC
DevSecOps
CI/CD security integration
Python
Java
JavaScript security
Avoid vague labels like “Security tools.” ATS engines index individual tools and methodologies, not categories.
The experience section determines how recruiters evaluate depth of AppSec expertise.
Strong experience bullets demonstrate:
vulnerability discovery
remediation impact
secure architecture improvements
developer collaboration
Weak Example
"Tested applications for security issues."
Good Example
"Conducted SAST and DAST security assessments across enterprise web applications, identifying and remediating critical OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities."
This communicates both methodology and security framework expertise.
Modern AppSec roles are increasingly embedded within DevOps pipelines.
Recruiters frequently search for:
CI/CD security integration
automated vulnerability scanning
pipeline security gates
container security
Including these signals significantly improves ATS visibility.
Example bullet:
"Integrated SAST scanning into CI/CD pipelines, enabling automated vulnerability detection during application builds."
Application Security Engineers are often evaluated on their ability to embed security within the development lifecycle.
Strong CVs demonstrate involvement in:
security design reviews
developer security training
code review processes
secure architecture validation
Example bullet:
"Led threat modeling sessions with engineering teams to identify potential attack vectors during early application design stages."
This indicates strategic AppSec involvement rather than reactive vulnerability testing.
Recruiters often search for specific security tools.
High-performing AppSec CVs include tools such as:
Burp Suite
Checkmarx
Veracode
Snyk
Fortify
SonarQube
OWASP ZAP
These tools act as ATS keyword anchors.
If the CV contains only general phrases like “security scanning tools,” it will likely fail recruiter searches.
A project section allows AppSec engineers to showcase practical vulnerability research and remediation initiatives.
Example project:
Application Security Automation Pipeline
Implemented automated vulnerability scanning using SAST and SCA tools integrated into CI/CD workflows.
Reduced vulnerability remediation time by enabling early detection during application builds.
Developed Python scripts automating security test reporting.
Projects strengthen ATS keyword density and demonstrate hands-on security engineering capability.
Many security professionals use design-heavy CV templates that break ATS parsing.
Avoid:
multi-column layouts
icons representing security tools
skill rating charts
tables with merged cells
Most ATS systems read resumes linearly, meaning complex formatting can cause skill extraction failures.
Recommended formatting:
single column structure
standard headings
simple bullet points
clear section order
Recruiters reviewing AppSec resumes consistently see several mistakes.
Many candidates describe themselves broadly as “cybersecurity engineers.”
However, recruiters search specifically for Application Security expertise.
Using precise domain terminology significantly improves visibility.
Application security engineers should reference programming language security knowledge.
Examples include:
secure Java development
secure Python coding practices
input validation security
Without these signals, recruiters may assume the candidate focuses only on vulnerability scanning.
Modern AppSec engineers operate within DevOps environments.
Candidates who omit DevSecOps keywords risk appearing outdated.
Important signals include:
pipeline security scanning
automated vulnerability testing
CI/CD security controls
Identifying vulnerabilities alone is not enough.
Recruiters want to see impactful remediation outcomes.
Weak Example
"Identified security vulnerabilities."
Good Example
"Identified and remediated critical injection vulnerabilities affecting high-traffic web applications serving over 1M monthly users."
Candidate Name: Jonathan Carter
Target Role: Senior Application Security Engineer
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Application Security Engineer specializing in secure software development lifecycle implementation, vulnerability management, and automated security testing within DevSecOps environments. Experienced identifying and remediating OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities through secure code reviews, threat modeling, and integrated CI/CD security scanning.
APPLICATION SECURITY SKILLS
Application Security
OWASP Top 10
Secure Code Review
Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
Software Composition Analysis (SCA)
Threat Modeling
Secure SDLC
DevSecOps
CI/CD security integration
Vulnerability management
SECURITY TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES
Burp Suite
Checkmarx
Veracode
Snyk
SonarQube
OWASP ZAP
GitHub Actions security scanning
Docker container security
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Senior Application Security Engineer
CyberShield Technologies – Boston, Massachusetts
2021 – Present
Led secure code review initiatives across multiple development teams, identifying critical vulnerabilities before production release.
Implemented SAST and SCA scanning within CI/CD pipelines to automate vulnerability detection during application builds.
Conducted threat modeling workshops with software architects to evaluate potential attack surfaces.
Reduced critical application vulnerabilities by 40% through improved remediation processes.
Application Security Engineer
SecureWave Systems – New York, New York
2018 – 2021
Performed DAST testing on enterprise web applications to identify security weaknesses.
Partnered with development teams to remediate OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities.
Implemented automated security scanning within Git-based development workflows.
Conducted security assessments on microservices architecture deployed in cloud environments.
APPLICATION SECURITY PROJECTS
Secure DevSecOps Pipeline
Built automated vulnerability scanning pipeline integrating SAST and SCA tools into CI/CD workflows.
Reduced security review cycles by automating vulnerability detection earlier in development.
Web Application Threat Modeling Framework
Developed structured threat modeling process identifying attack vectors during design phases.
Enabled development teams to implement secure design patterns early in development.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science – Cybersecurity
Northeastern University
CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
GIAC Web Application Penetration Tester (GWAPT)
Senior AppSec professionals often apply additional optimization strategies.
Including related frameworks improves search coverage.
Example cluster:
OWASP Top 10
secure SDLC
threat modeling
secure code review
These signals reinforce application security specialization.
Application security engineers often review code.
Include language-specific security references such as:
Java secure coding
Python security analysis
JavaScript vulnerability detection
These signals align with recruiter searches targeting secure software engineering skills.
Recruiters increasingly value engineers who manage the full vulnerability lifecycle.
Relevant phrases include:
vulnerability identification
remediation coordination
patch validation
security regression testing
These signals demonstrate end-to-end application security ownership.
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