Principal Identity System Engineer

10000 Sanford; South Dakota; Hybrid; USD 103,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, seeks a Principal Identity Systems Engineer to set the vision and drive enterprise IAM across on‑prem and cloud environments. You will architect hybrid identity, enforce least privilege, and lead modernization of Active Directory, Entra ID, PKI, and authentication services.

You will collaborate with executives, governance teams, and security leadership to align with business objectives and regulatory requirements while mentoring engineers and shaping

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required, in lieu of education, leadership may consider an Associate's Degree plus 3 years of applicable experience in computer science or related field.
• Minimum of 8 years applicable work experience required.
• Including but not limited to: supporting Active Directory, Domain Services, Hybrid Identities, & Entra ID; implementing SSO/MFA workflows using SAML 2.0 and/or OIDC; maintaining Public Key Infrastructure (PKI); supporting Identity Lifecycle & Access Governance workflows and technical integrations; implementing information security standards and procedures including HIPAA and PCI; expert knowledge of cloud security principles.

Responsibilities

• Set strategy and drive enterprise IAM programs across on‑prem and cloud environments.
• Architect domain/forest structures and hybrid identity synchronization; enforce secure authentication protocols.
• Mentor senior engineers, develop standards/playbooks, and lead audit/compliance initiatives.

Skills

Active Directory

Entra ID

Hybrid Identities

SSO/MFA

PKI

Identity Governance

Privileged Access Management

Automation

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field

Associate's Degree + 3 years of applicable experience

Tools

SAML/OIDC tooling

IAM tooling

PKI tooling

Job description

Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America's heartland. Work Shift: 8 Hours - Day Shifts (United States of America) Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 Compensation: Salary Range: $49.50 - $81.50 Pay starts at $49.50 and increases according to applicable experience. Union Position: No

Department Details Summary

The Principle Identity Systems Engineer is responsible for setting strategy and designing secure enterprise identity and access management infrastructure that enables reliable authentication, authorization, and access management across hybrid environments. Engineers in this family ensure that users, systems, and applications are authenticated, authorized, and protected in alignment with security standards, regulatory requirements, and business needs.

Job Description

The Principal Identity Systems Engineer is a senior technical leader responsible for setting the vision and driving enterprise-wide strategies for identity platforms across on-premises and cloud environments. This role defines and champions the IAM roadmap, establishes architectural standards for hybrid identity, Zero Trust, and cloud integrations, and collaborates closely with executives, architects, and security leadership to ensure alignment with business objectives and regulatory requirements. The Principal Identity Systems Engineer leads modernization efforts around Active Directory, Entra ID, PKI, and authentication services while evaluating emerging technologies to strengthen enterprise identity security. Core responsibilities include architecting domain and forest structures, overseeing hybrid identity synchronization, enforcing secure authentication protocols, and automating access governance, provisioning, and privileged access management. This role also monitors and enhances KRIs to proactively identify risks, conducts expert-level troubleshooting and root cause analysis, and provides guidance on audit and compliance initiatives. In addition, the Principal Identity Systems Engineer mentors senior and lead engineers, develops standards and playbooks, and represents identity services as a strategic enabler of secure, scalable business operations. Balancing deep technical execution with enterprise strategy, this position ensures the identity ecosystem is resilient, future-ready, and integral to the organization’s long-term security posture. This role requires deep technical expertise in Active Directory, Entra ID, authentication protocols, Identity Governance Administration (IGA), Privileged Access Management (PAM) and PKI with a strong focus on information security, compliance, strong problem-solving skills, a security-first mindset, and least-privilege enforcement. The Principal Identity Systems Engineer ensures the organization’s identity platforms are resilient, scalable, and secure to support business operations and protect sensitive data. The Principal Identity Systems Engineer will work closely with cross-functional IT, application, and security teams to ensure alignment with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree required, in lieu of education, leadership may consider an Associate's Degree plus 3 years of applicable experience in computer science or related field.

Minimum of 8 years applicable work experience required.

Including but not limited to:

• Supporting Active Directory, Domain Services, Hybrid Identities, & Entra ID
• Implementing SSO/MFA workflows using SAML 2.0 and/or OIDC
• Maintaining Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
• Supporting Identity Lifecycle & Access Governance workflows and technical integrations
• Implementation of information security standards and procedures including HIPAA and PCI
• Expert knowledge of Cloud security principles

One or more security certifications (CISSP, CISA, CISM, Security+, CEH, etc.) are required

Sanford is an EEO/AA Employer M/F/Disability/Vet.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-877-949-5678 or send an email to [e-mail].

The Sanford organization owns and manages multiple distinct brands, including Sanford Health, Marshfield Clinic, and Good Samaritan, as well as Lewis Drug, Sanford Health Equip, Solutions by Sanford, Great Shots, and Blue Rock Bar & Grill. Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America's heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 53,000 employees and serves over 2 million patients and nearly 425,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 56 hospitals, 288 clinic locations, 147 senior care communities, 4,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies. The organization's transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to 78 specialties. Learn more about Sanford Health's commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.

Good Samaritan, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of senior care and services, is committed to transforming the aging experience through innovation, compassion and personalized care. As part of Sanford Health, an integrated nonprofit health system headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Good Samaritan serves 10,000 seniors and offers access to a full continuum of care, including 94 rehabilitation and skilled nursing centers, 56 assisted living and memory care facilities, 44 independent living locations and 37 home health and hospice agencies. The senior care provider delivers services across the upper Midwest, with 70% of residents living in rural communities. Learn more about Good Samaritan's mission and commitment to delivering high quality senior care in rural America at good-sam.com.