Principal Software Engineer - Access Foundation

Get to know Okta

Okta is The World’s Identity Company. We free everyone to safely use any technology—anywhere, on any device or app. Our Workforce and Customer Identity Clouds enable secure yet flexible access, authentication, and automation that transforms how people move through the digital world, putting Identity at the heart of business security and growth.

At Okta, we celebrate a variety of perspectives and experiences. We are not looking for someone who checks every box - we’re looking for lifelong learners and people who can improve us with their unique experiences.

Join our team! We’re building a world where Identity belongs to you.

Company Description:

Okta is the leading independent provider of enterprise identity. The Okta Identity Cloud enables organizations to securely connect the right people to the right technologies at the right time. With over 6,500 pre-built integrations to applications and infrastructure providers, Okta customers can easily and securely use the best technologies for their business. Over 7,950 organizations, including 20th Century Fox, JetBlue, Nordstrom, Slack, Teach for America and Twilio, trust Okta to help protect the identities of their workforces and customers

Access Management Foundation Team

The Access Management Pillar at Okta is on a mission to seamlessly and securely authorize users to access any resource they need to get their work done. Our goal is to lead the industry in Zero Trust identity management.

The Access Foundation Backend Team is at the core of this mission, building and maintaining the foundational components and frameworks that power Okta's identity and access management solutions. We develop Okta cloud services and client software that allow users to seamlessly login to devices and use Okta authenticators to access applications securely. Learn more about Okta’s Engineering on our blog.

About You

We are looking for a seasoned Principal Engineer to join our team and help us build the future of identity and access management. Ideal candidate should be

• A strong Java developer with a passion for building high-quality, secure, and performant applications and frameworks.


• Excited by the opportunity to work on cutting-edge security and identity management challenges and are a thought leader who can drive technical strategy and mentor other engineers.


• A collaborative individual with excellent communication skills, capable of working with cross-functional teams to deliver on a shared vision.


• Not just be a builder; but a force multiplier who can create frameworks and solutions that enable other teams to be more productive.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain core components of the Okta Access Management platform


• Lead the architectural design and implementation of new features and services, with a focus on scalability, performance, and security.


• Build and maintain frameworks that enable other engineering teams to ship modular and secure code quickly.


• Collaborate with product managers, architects, and other engineering teams to define the technical strategy and lead the prototyping of framework components


• Following best practices, contribute to technical designs, proposals, and architectural decisions.


• Drive a culture of quality and continuous improvement, with a focus on robust testing, monitoring, and operational excellence.


• Stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies in identity, security, and distributed systems.

Minimum Requirements:

• 12+ years of experience building and scaling Java-based web applications and services.


• A deep understanding of design patterns, scalability patterns, security engineering, and object-oriented principles.


• Experience working in a fast-paced, agile environment, with a strong understanding of CI/CD practices.


• Strong communication skills and the ability to work across functions

Nice to have:

Experience with identity and access management (IAM) protocols such as SAML, OAuth, FIDO, and WebAuthn

• Experience with security best practices and threat modeling

Experience with one or more UI technologies such as Angular, ReactJS, Backbone, and Vue.

• Knowledge of cybersecurity principles, secure coding practices, and certifications like CISSP or Security+.

Education and Training:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience.


• 12+ years of software development experience

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