Senior IAM Engineer

Position Overview

The Senior IAM Engineer is a strategic and technical leader responsible for architecting, implementing, and evolving enterprise-wide Identity and Access Management solutions across cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments. This role defines the IAM security architecture roadmap, aligning it with business goals, regulatory requirements, and Zero Trust principles. The Senior IAM Engineer provides deep expertise in authentication, authorization, identity governance, privileged access, and directory services, while driving automation, integration, and innovation across IAM platforms. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, this role ensures secure user lifecycle management, enforces access controls, supports compliance audits, and mentors junior engineers. The position plays a critical role in enhancing the organization’s security posture through scalable, resilient, and policy-driven IAM frameworks.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and drive the IAM security architecture strategy, roadmap, and vision, ensuring alignment with business objectives, risk appetite, and regulatory requirements (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001, GDPR, SOC 2).
• Lead the design and continuous evolution of scalable, secure, and resilient IAM solutions across on-premises, cloud (Azure, AWS), and hybrid environments. This encompasses authentication, authorization, identity governance, privileged access management, and directory services.
• Provide deep technical expertise and guidance on a wide range of IAM technologies and protocols, including:
  • Single Sign-On (SSO) and Federation (SAML, OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect)
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) architectures and implementations
  • Leading Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) solutions (e.g., SailPoint, Zilla, Vesa)
  • Privileged Access Management (PAM) tools (e.g., Britive, CyberArk, Delinea, BeyondTrust)
  • Directory Services (Active Directory, Azure AD, LDAP)
  • API security as it relates to IAM
• Champion and architect Zero Trust principles within the IAM domain, focusing on continuous verification, risk-based access controls, and adaptive authentication mechanisms.
• Drive the automation of IAM processes and ensure seamless integration of IAM solutions with other security tools, applications, and infrastructure to enhance efficiency and security.
• Work closely with Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) teams to ensure IAM solutions meet compliance requirements, support audit activities, and contribute to a robust control environment.
• Collaborate with security engineering, application development, infrastructure, and business teams to embed security best practices throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Mentor and guide junior architects and engineers.
• Research, evaluate, and recommend emerging IAM technologies and security innovations, assessing their potential impact and value to the organization.
• Provide architectural guidance and support during security incidents related to identity and access, facilitating rapid identification, containment, and remediation.
• Assist in developing and implementing policies, procedures, and guidelines related to IAM.
• Implement and manage access controls, including role-based access control (RBAC), segregation of duties (SoD), and least privilege principles.
• Establish identity governance frameworks and conduct periodic access reviews to ensure compliance with SOX, SOC, CJIS, and ISO 27001 regulations.
• Collaborate with internal and external auditors to provide documentation, evidence, and support during SOX, SOC, CJIS, and ISO 27001 audits.
• Oversee user lifecycle management processes, ensuring timely provisioning and de-provisioning of user access rights.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 4 – 6 years (s) of experience in hands-on experience in managing information security
• Familiarity with cloud IAM solutions (Azure AD, SailPoint, Zilla, etc.)
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements beyond SOX that may impact IAM (GDPR, HIPAA)
• Experience with scripting and automation for IAM processes (PowerShell, Python, etc.)
• Proficiency in analyzing IAM-related data to identify trends, anomalies, and areas of improvement in compliance monitoring and reporting
• Strong communication skills to effectively present IAM-related information, compliance reports, and recommendations to management, auditors, and stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Relevant certifications such as AWS Certified Security – Specialty, Azure Security Engineer Associate, CISSP, or CCSP.
• Experience with multi-cloud security strategies and hybrid environments.
• Knowledge of security frameworks such as NIST, CSA CCM, and MITRE ATT&CK.

United States Equal Opportunity Employment:

First Advantage is proud to be a global leader in removing barriers and supporting our community members to ensure the changing demographics of the workforce are reflected in our hiring and employment practices. We value all of our candidates, employees, and clients, and place great emphasis on hiring and supporting qualified individuals in each role. We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, genetic information, or any other area protected by applicable law.