Security Engineer — Fly.io Salary Negotiation Guide

Negotiation DNA: Security Engineers at Fly.io protect the multi-tenant edge application platform, securing Firecracker microVM isolation, WireGuard networking, and the infrastructure that thousands of developers trust with their applications.

Compensation Benchmarks (2026)

Level	Chicago (USD)	Remote US (USD)
Mid (IC2)	$168,000–$235,000	$153,000–$218,000
Senior (IC3)	$233,000–$313,000	$215,000–$295,000
Staff+ (IC4+)	$308,000–$400,000	$290,000–$380,000

Total compensation includes base salary, startup equity (options), and potential bonus.

Lever 1: MicroVM Isolation Security — "Firecracker microVM isolation is Fly.io's security foundation. I ensure tenant isolation is robust."

Lever 2: Platform Trust — "Developers trust Fly.io with their applications. My security engineering protects this trust."

Lever 3: WireGuard Network Security — "Fly.io's WireGuard-based private networking requires careful security engineering."

Lever 4: Startup Security — "Building security practices from early stage creates lasting impact."

Negotiate Up Strategy: Open at $188,000 base with equity valued at $60K-$90K/year. Accept-at floor: $253,000 total comp.

Evidence & Sources

• Fly.io company information — private startup, Chicago, 2025–2026
• Fly.io security documentation — 2025–2026
• Levels.fyi Fly.io 2025–2026 compensation data
• Glassdoor Fly.io salary data 2025–2026