Key skills
IdentityAccess Management (IAM)Zero Trust architectureCybersecurityIdentity Federation Azure AD/EntraIdentity Federation OktaIdentity Federation Ping IdentityIdentity GovernanceAdministration SailPointAdministration SaviyntAdministration Oracle Identity ManagerPrivileged Access Management CyberArkPrivileged Access Management DelineaPrivileged Access Management BeyondTrustDirectory Services Active DirectoryDirectory Services Azure Active DirectoryDirectory Services LDAPScripting languages PowerShellScripting languages PythonNetwork securityOperating systemsDatabase conceptsAPI securityMicroservices architectureIdentity protocols OIDCIdentity protocols OAuth 2.0Identity protocols SAMLIdentity protocols SCIMmTLSJWT securityCloud-native IAM AWS IAMCloud-native IAM Azure Entra IDCloud-native IAM GCP Cloud IAMTerraformKubernetesSecurity automationInfrastructure as CodeSecurity certifications CISSPSecurity certifications CISMSecurity certifications Microsoft Certified IdentitySecurity certifications Access AdministratorSecurity certifications Okta Certified ProfessionalAnalytical skillsStrategic influenceProject managementPythonPowerShellAWSAzureGCPLambdaIAMAzure ADEntra IDOracleOAuthJWTOktaSAMLLDAPActive DirectorySSOService MeshLeadershipProject ManagementCommunicationNetwork SecurityZero Trust
About this role
Achieve is a leading digital personal finance company that provides innovative financial solutions to help people thrive. They are seeking a Principal Security Engineer to architect next-generation identity solutions, focusing on transitioning to a Risk-Based Authorization model and ensuring the security of their critical assets in a cloud-native environment.
Responsibilities:
- Transition the enterprise from static, role-based access to a Risk-Based Authorization model that evaluates signals (device posture, behavior, location) in real-time
- Enhance the enterprise Identity strategy, roadmap, and architecture in alignment with business goals and security policies
- Design and architect comprehensive Identity solutions, including identity lifecycle management, non-human lifecycle management, authentication (MFA, SSO, passwordless), authorization, access governance, and Privileged Access Management (PAM)
- Evaluate and select appropriate Identity technologies and platforms
- Create and maintain detailed architectural documentation for Identity solutions
- Lead the strategy and architecture for comprehensive Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions, explicitly managing User Identities, Workload & Machine Identities (including Service Mesh, Kubernetes, Lambda, and APIs), and other non-human identities across on-premises and cloud environments to govern access rights and privileges
- Lead the implementation and integration of Identity solutions across various on-premises and cloud environments (e.g., Azure AD, AWS, GCP, Okta, Entra)
- Integrate Identity systems with enterprise applications, platforms, and services using standard protocols (SAML, OAuth, OpenID Connect, SCIM)
- Design and implement strategies to secure non-human machine identities, service accounts, APIs, and automation, utilizing Zero Standing Privilege principles and engineering "Just-in-Time" (JIT) access workflows to eliminate persistent administrative overhead, reduce the blast radius of potential compromises, and enforce strict, least-privilege, and Zero Trust security principles
- Develop and configure identity provisioning and de-provisioning workflows
- Partner with the SOC to build ITDR capabilities that detect and automatically neutralize identity-based attacks, such as session hijacking, token theft, and MFA fatigue
- Act as a "Security Partner" for engineering teams to foster secure development practices
- Drive successful adoption by collaborating with diverse stakeholders (business units, technology teams, application developers) and translating complex cryptographic and identity concepts into clear business value for product owners and executive leadership
- Provide technical leadership and guidance, championing and delivering self-service Identity APIs and SDKs to enable developers to build secure products with minimal friction (Developer Experience - DevEx)
- Provide technical leadership, mentorship and guidance to Identity Engineers and other team members
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field
- 8+ years in Cybersecurity/Engineering, with a proven track record of moving legacy organizations towards a Zero Trust architecture
- Fintech/High-Growth Experience: Experience working in regulated environments where speed and compliance must coexist
- 5+ years focused on identity and access management
- Proven experience in designing and implementing enterprise-scale Identity solutions
- Drive security automation and 'Builder' Mentality by architecting and implementing automation-first solutions (e.g., scripts, APIs, Infrastructure as Code) to eliminate reliance on manual governance processes and ensure security policy is enforced at scale and embedded into developer workflows
- Hands-on experience with leading IAM platforms and technologies, such as: Identity Federation: Azure AD/Entra, Okta, Ping Identity, ADFSIGA (Identity Governance and Administration): SailPoint, Saviynt, Oracle Identity ManagerPAM (Privileged Access Management): CyberArk, Delinea, BeyondTrustDirectory Services: Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, LDAP
- Deep knowledge of IAM principles, best practices, and security models
- Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., PowerShell, Python) for automation and integration
- Understanding of network security, operating systems, and database concepts
- Familiarity with API security and microservices architecture
- Deep mastery of identity protocols and standards: IODC, OAuth 2.0, SAML, and SCIM, with a specific focus on mTLS and JWT security
- Expert-level experience with cloud-native IAM (AWS IAM, Azure Entra ID, GCP Cloud IAM) and managing identity in distributed microservices architectures
- Strong experience with Terraform and container orchestration (Kubernetes)
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team
- Strong project management and organizational skills
- Proven ability to strategically influence and expertly negotiate with stakeholders across all organizational levels
- A Master's degree is a plus
- CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
- CISM (Certified Information Security Manager)
- Relevant vendor certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate/Expert, Okta Certified Professional/Administrator/Consultant)