Principal Software Engineer, IAM Architect (Home) at Western Governors University

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

We are looking for an experienced IAM Architect to design, implement, and maintain scalable and secure identity and access management solutions. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in IAM technologies, strong analytical skills, and a proven track record of architecting and implementing IAM solutions in complex enterprise environments. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and maintain a cohesive enterprise architecture framework that supports the organization's objectives.  This role offers the opportunity to shape the technological landscape of our organization and drive transformative change.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities: 

• Collaborate with stakeholders to understand business requirements and translate them into IAM solutions that meet security, compliance, and usability requirements.

• Design and architect end-to-end IAM solutions, including user provisioning, authentication, authorization, and identity lifecycle management.

• Lead the evaluation and selection of IAM technologies, tools, and vendors to support business objectives.

• Develop architectural blueprints, technical specifications, and design documentation for IAM solutions.

• Provide technical leadership and guidance to development teams throughout the IAM implementation lifecycle.

• Conduct IAM risk assessments and audits to identify security gaps and recommend remediation measures.

• Design and implement IAM policies, standards, and procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.

• Stay abreast of emerging IAM technologies, trends, and threats to drive continuous improvement and innovation.

• Collaborate with other architects, security teams, and stakeholders to ensure alignment with overall enterprise architecture and security strategies.

• Participate in the development of IAM roadmaps, strategies, and initiatives to enhance security posture and user experience.

Job Qualifications/ Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor or master degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field.

• Proven experience as an IAM Architect or similar role (technical lead, principal engineer, etc)., with at least 5 years of experience in designing and implementing IAM solutions.

• In-depth knowledge of enterprise architecture principles, frameworks, and methodologies.

• Strong expertise in IAM technologies and standards, including identity federation, SSO, MFA, RBAC, and LDAP.

• Hands-on experience with IAM platforms such as Microsoft Identity Manager, Okta, Ping Identity, or similar.

• In-depth understanding of authentication protocols and technologies, including OAuth, OpenID Connect, SAML, and Kerberos.

• Knowledge of cloud identity and access management solutions, preferably with experience in AWS IAM, Azure AD, or Google Identity.

• Experience with IAM integration patterns, APIs, and identity governance and administration (IGA) platforms.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a keen attention to detail.

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively communicate and document technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive consensus in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

• Strong leadership abilities with a passion for mentoring and coaching team members.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of UML

• Experience using Jira.

• Experience using Lucid or Visio or another visualization tool.

• Previous development experience

• Certification in cloud technologies and enterprise architecture (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman)

• Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes)

If you are a strategic thinker with a passion for aligning technology with business goals and possess the expertise to design and implement enterprise IAM architecture, we encourage you to apply. Join our team and contribute to shaping the future of our organization through innovative and effective technology solutions.

As an equal opportunity employer, we recognize our strength lies in our people and commit to creating an inclusive environment where all can thrive, regardless of race, age, gender orientation, sexual orientation, religion, or disability.

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