Principal Engineer – Authentication & Authorization (Hybrid)

CrowdStrike•Sunnyvale, CA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

CrowdStrike is seeking a Principal Engineer to own and drive the technical strategy for its Authentication Platform. This role serves as the technical authority defining the architecture and long-term vision for identity and access management systems that secure enterprise customers globally. The Auth Platform team supports internal and external authentication and authorization and collaborates with product groups across the organization. Its services make more than one trillion decisions per day, requiring high reliability, scale, and security. The position is hybrid and requires working on-site 2–3 days per week at one of the posted locations. The engineer will architect and evolve multi-tenant identity infrastructure, scale authentication and authorization systems, lead cross-region identity architecture, and advance next-generation authentication and fine-grained access controls. The role also includes setting standards, driving Zero Trust initiatives, mentoring senior engineers, and partnering with Product, Security, and Engineering teams. CrowdStrike describes itself as a global cybersecurity leader whose platform processes nearly three trillion events per day.

Requirements

15+ years of software engineering experience, including 6+ years in identity/authentication 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 authentication and authorization systems, including service-to-service and machine identity, as well as external user-facing systems at hyperscale.
Hands-on experience or a strong vision for next-generation authentication systems, including passwordless authentication, 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 such as 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.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Google Zanzibar-style authorization systems.
Prior experience in cybersecurity SaaS or MSSP platform products.

Responsibilities

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 with ultra-low latency and 99.999% availability.
Lead cross-region authentication and authorization architecture for consistent, secure, and performant global identity operations.
Drive the vision for next-generation authentication systems, including passwordless authentication, 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 on priorities and deliver outcomes.

Benefits

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.
401(k).
Paid time off.
Eligibility for bonuses and equity grants.