Principal Engineer – Authentication & Authorization (Hybrid)

Description

The company is a global cybersecurity firm that protects the people, processes and technology of modern organizations, and it runs an AI-native security platform.

Its systems operate at large scale, processing almost 3 trillion events a day, and that volume grows daily.

Customers in every industry rely on the company to keep their operations running and their communities safe.

Staff are expected to work with an AI-first approach that speeds up delivery and problem solving, and to adopt AI responsibly.

The Principal Engineer will set technical direction for the Authentication Platform, which handles internal and external authentication and authorization for the cloud platform. The team works closely with many product groups and makes more than 1 trillion decisions per day, so reliability, scale and security are essential.

Responsibilities

• Set the technical strategy and roadmap for the Authentication Platform.
• Design and grow multi-tenant identity infrastructure for MSSP (Managed Security Service Provider) setups, covering hierarchical tenancy, delegated administration, cross-tenant access and fine-grained controls.
• Build high-volume authentication and very high-volume authorization systems that handle millions of AuthN and trillions of AuthZ decisions, with ultra-low latency and 99.999% (5 nines) availability.
• Shape cross-region AuthN and AuthZ architecture so identity operations stay consistent, secure and fast in every global deployment.
• Set the direction for next-generation authentication, including passwordless login, continuous authentication and AI-driven adaptive access.
• Lead the design of fine-grained access control, including ABAC, ReBAC and policy engine frameworks.
• Set standards for OAuth 2.0, OIDC, SAML, FIDO2/WebAuthn and token lifecycle management.
• Lead Zero Trust and adaptive authentication initiatives.
• Mentor senior engineers and raise the technical bar across the organization.
• Work with Product, Security and Engineering to agree on priorities and deliver results.

Requirements

• 15+ years in software engineering, including 6+ years on identity or authentication systems.
• Deep knowledge of multi-tenant SaaS design, including MSSP or hierarchical tenancy with fine-grained access control at scale.
• A proven record of building and running high-volume authentication and very high-volume authorization systems, serving millions of AuthN and trillions of AuthZ decisions with ultra-low latency and 99.999% availability.
• Experience designing cross-region identity and authorization systems with strong consistency and failover guarantees.
• Experience with internal (service-to-service and machine identity) and external (user-facing) AuthN and AuthZ at hyperscale.
• Hands-on work with, or a strong vision for, next-generation authentication: passwordless, device trust, continuous verification and AI-driven access policies.
• Strong knowledge of ABAC, ReBAC, RBAC and policy engines such as OPA and Cedar.
• Proficiency in Go, Python or Java.
• Experience with cloud-native platforms (AWS, GCP or Azure) and Kubernetes.
• A proven ability to own technical strategy and influence across organizations.
• Strong communication skills for both technical and executive audiences.
• Proven experience using AI technologies to improve decision-making, streamline workflows and processes, raise efficiency and drive business outcomes.
• Bonus points: experience with Google Zanzibar-style authorization systems.
• Bonus points: prior experience in cybersecurity SaaS or MSSP platform products.

Conditions

Hybrid role: 2-3 days per week on-site at one of the posted locations.

For U.S. candidates, the base salary range is $195,000 - $290,000 per year. Placement within the range depends on experience, skills, certifications, job level, supervisory status and location.

Right to work: this topic appears as a heading in the posting, with no further detail given.

The company is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on protected characteristics and bases employment decisions on valid job requirements.

Benefits

• Eligibility for bonuses and equity grants, with compensation and equity awards described as market-leading.
• A comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, 401k and paid time off.
• Physical and mental wellness programs.
• Vacation and holidays for recharging.
• Paid parental and adoption leave.
• Professional development open to all employees, regardless of level or role.
• Employee networks, regional neighborhood groups and volunteer opportunities.
• An office with high-end amenities and a lively culture.
• Certified as a Great Place to Work across the globe.
• Full U.S. benefits details are linked from the posting.