Principal Engineer – Authentication & Authorization

CrowdStrike

. Own and drive the technical strategy and roadmap for the Authentication Platform .

Posted 10/23/2026full-timeUnited StatesLead💰 $195,000 - $290,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates extensive expertise in multi-tenant identity infrastructure and high-volume authentication systems, with a strong focus on fine-grained access controls and adaptive authentication strategies. Proven ability to lead technical strategy and mentor teams while collaborating effectively across product, security, and engineering domains.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Multi-Tenant SaaS ArchitectureHigh-Volume Authentication SystemsFine-Grained Access ControlsOAuth 2.0, OIDC, SAMLAI-Driven Access Policies

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

GoPythonJavaABACReBACRBACKubernetesZero TrustContinuous AuthenticationToken Lifecycle Management

Soft Skills

Strong Communication SkillsMentoring

Tools & Technologies

AWSGCPAzureOPACedar

Industry Keywords

Cybersecurity SaaSMSSPIdentity SystemsAuthorization SystemsHierarchical Tenancy

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

AWSAzureCyber SecurityGoogle Cloud PlatformJavaKubernetesPythonGo

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own and drive the technical strategy and roadmap for the Authentication Platform
Architect and evolve multi-tenant identity infrastructure supporting MSSP models, including hierarchical tenancy, delegated administration, cross-tenant access patterns, and fine-grained access controls
Design and scale high-volume authentication and extremely high-volume authorization systems handling millions of AuthN and trillions of AuthZ decisions with ultra-low latency and 99.999% availability
Lead cross-region AuthN/AuthZ architecture for consistent, secure, and performant identity operations across global deployments
Drive the vision for next-generation authentication systems, including passwordless, continuous authentication, and AI-driven adaptive access controls
Lead the design of fine-grained access controls including ABAC, ReBAC, and policy engine frameworks
Define standards for OAuth 2.0, OIDC, SAML, FIDO2/WebAuthn, and token lifecycle management
Drive Zero Trust and adaptive authentication initiatives
Mentor senior engineers and elevate the technical bar across the organization
Partner with Product, Security, and Engineering teams to align priorities and deliver outcomes

Requirements

What you’ll need

15+ years of software engineering experience with 6+ years in identity/auth systems
Deep expertise in multi-tenant SaaS architecture including MSSP or hierarchical tenancy models with fine-grained access controls at scale
Proven experience building and operating high-volume authentication and extremely high-volume authorization systems, handling millions of AuthN and trillions of AuthZ decisions with ultra-low latency and 99.999% availability
Experience designing cross-region identity and authorization architectures with strong consistency and failover guarantees
Experience with internal service-to-service and machine identity AuthN/AuthZ systems and external user-facing AuthN/AuthZ systems at hyperscale
Hands-on experience or strong vision for 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 AWS, GCP, or Azure and Kubernetes
Proven ability to own technical strategy and influence across organizations
Strong communication skills for technical and executive audiences
Proven experience utilizing AI technologies to enhance decision-making, streamline workflows and processes, improve efficiency and drive business outcomes
Experience with Google Zanzibar-style authorization systems
Prior experience in cybersecurity SaaS or MSSP platform products

Benefits

Comp & perks

Market leader in compensation and equity awards
Comprehensive physical and mental wellness programs
Competitive vacation and holidays for recharge
Paid parental and adoption leaves
Professional development opportunities for all employees regardless of level or role
Employee Networks, geographic neighborhood groups, and volunteer opportunities to build connections
Vibrant office culture with world class amenities
Health insurance
401k
Paid time off
Bonuses
Equity grants
Comprehensive benefits package