Senior IAM Engineer

College of American Pathologists•Northfield, IL

3d•$118,000 - $150,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Identity & Access Management (IAM) Engineer is responsible for the implementation, operation, and continuous improvement of identity and access management capabilities across the enterprise. This role leads the design and enforcement of identity controls to ensure secure, efficient, and compliant access to systems and data. The position works closely with security leadership, IT teams, and application owners to implement scalable identity solutions, strengthen authentication and access controls, and support evolving business and security requirements.

Requirements

Detail-oriented with a focus on accuracy and consistency in access control implementation
Strong sense of ownership and accountability for assigned responsibilities
Curious and proactive in identifying opportunities to improve security and processes
Willingness to learn and adapt to evolving technologies and security threats
Collaborative mindset with a focus on enabling the business securely
Demonstrates accountability for outcomes and ability to operate with limited direction
Comfortable working through ambiguity and making sound decisions
Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams including IS, application owners, and business stakeholders
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to diagnose and resolve complex issues
Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver work in a structured and timely manner
Strong written and verbal communication skills including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences
Ability to document processes, configurations, and standards clearly and concisely
Ability to make informed technical decisions and provide guidance on identity-related implementations
Ability to influence stakeholders and drive adoption of security controls and standards
Strong understanding of identity and access management concepts including authentication, authorization, and federation
Knowledge of identity protocols such as SAML, OAuth 2.0, and OpenID Connect
Familiarity with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Single Sign-On (SSO), and Conditional Access concepts
Understanding of identity lifecycle management including provisioning and deprovisioning processes
Familiarity with privileged access management (PAM) concepts and service account governance
Ability to troubleshoot identity and access issues across integrated systems
Ability to design and implement access control strategies aligned to security requirements
Strong understanding of modern identity threats and mitigation techniques
Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience)
5+ years of experience in identity and access management or related security engineering roles
Hands-on experience with IAM platforms such as Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, SailPoint, or similar
Experience implementing SSO, MFA, and identity federation solutions
Strong understanding of authentication and authorization protocols (SAML, OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect)
Experience designing and implementing Conditional Access or equivalent access control policies
Familiarity with identity lifecycle management and access provisioning processes
Familiarity with privileged access management (PAM) concepts and service account governance
Ability to troubleshoot complex identity and access issues across integrated systems

Nice To Haves

Relevant certifications such as Microsoft Identity certifications, CISSP, CISM, or similar are preferred but not required

Responsibilities

Designs, implements, and maintains IAM solutions, including Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and identity federation
Configures and manages identity platforms (e.g., Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, or similar)
Implements and maintains Conditional Access policies aligned to organizational security requirements
Integrates applications with identity providers using standard protocols (e.g., SAML, OAuth, OpenID Connect)
Establishes and enforces authentication and access control standards across the environment
Manages and continuously improves MFA strategy, including enforcement, exclusions, and user experience considerations
Supports secure onboarding of applications and services into centralized identity systems
Reviews and improves role-based and attribute-based access models where applicable
Establishes and maintains controls for privileged access, including administrative roles and elevated permissions
Supports the implementation and ongoing improvement of Privileged Access Management (PAM) capabilities
Develops and enforces standards for service accounts and other non-human identities, including credential management and access restrictions
Identifies opportunities to reduce standing privilege and improve least privilege across systems and platforms
Partners with infrastructure and application teams to improve visibility and governance of non-human identities
Supports identity lifecycle processes for both human and non-human identities, including provisioning, deprovisioning, and access changes
Identifies opportunities to improve automation and consistency in access management workflows
Partners with IT and business teams to ensure appropriate access controls are implemented and maintained
Contributes to the maturation of identity governance and privileged access capabilities over time
Troubleshoots and resolves identity-related issues, including authentication failures and access inconsistencies
Supports incident response efforts involving identity or access-related events
Monitors IAM systems for reliability, performance, and security issues
Works with cross-functional teams to ensure identity services are integrated into new and existing systems
Evaluates and recommends improvements to IAM tools, configurations, and processes
Supports ongoing maturation of identity capabilities, including privileged access and identity governance
Stays current with evolving identity threats, technologies, and best practices
Owns and maintains security standards, control requirements, and guidance within the assigned security practice domain
Leads security scoping activities for enterprise initiatives involving controls within the assigned practice area
Defines security requirements, deliverables, and acceptance criteria for initiatives impacting the practice domain
Oversees alignment of implementation plans to established security standards
Collaborates with project managers and business stakeholders to ensure security milestones are defined, tracked, and documented
Escalates material deviations from established standards and supports formal risk documentation where appropriate
Develops and maintains key performance indicators and metrics related to the assigned security practice domain
Provides periodic reporting on control maturity, risk posture, and initiative progress
Communicates practice-level performance insights to security leadership and relevant stakeholders