Senior Systems Engineer

IBM; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

IBM is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to own identity, infrastructure, automation, and zero trust systems across enterprise environments. You will design, harden, and run this critical stack, partnering with security, infrastructure, and compliance teams to keep operations secure and auditable.

You will manage Okta/SAML/OIDC, SailPoint governance, and multi-cloud IAM across AWS, Azure, and GCP, while advancing automation via scripts and IaC.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in systems, identity, or cloud engineering at a fast-moving tech or SaaS company.
• Enterprise IdP administration with Okta and/or Azure AD at scale.
• Solid knowledge of SAML 2.0, OAuth 2.0/OIDC, and SCIM provisioning.
• Identity governance with SailPoint/IGA tooling and access reviews.
• Multi-cloud experience across AWS, Azure, GCP with IAM/RBAC controls.
• Zero Trust: Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect/Prisma Access administration.
• SaaS administration: Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 at org level.
• Experience supporting FedRAMP, SOC 2, ISO 27001 controls.
• Automation mindset: scripting (Python/shell) and GitOps/IaC.
• Strong written and verbal communication; able to explain tradeoffs clearly.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end identity, infrastructure, automation, and zero trust systems.
• Administer Okta SAML/OIDC, SCIM, and group rules; manage access policies.
• Lead SailPoint UARs and identity governance processes.
• Administer AWS, Azure, and GCP environments with IAM/RBAC and service accounts.
• Architect Palo Alto GlobalProtect/Prisma Access and HIP policy management.
• Oversee Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 at an organizational level.
• Lead audits and remediation for UARs and access controls; enforce least privilege.
• Identify recurring manual work and build scripts/integrations to automate.
• Maintain runbooks and architecture docs; collaborate with security and infra teams.

Skills

Identity & Access

Multi-Cloud

Zero Trust Security

SaaS Admin

Automation & Scripting

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Okta

Azure AD

SailPoint

IAM / RBAC

Job description

Introduction

We're not just building better tech. We're rewriting how data moves and what the world can do with it. With Confluent, an IBM Company, data doesn't sit still. Our platform puts information in motion, streaming in near real-time so companies can react faster, build smarter, and deliver experiences as dynamic as the world around them. It takes a unique mix of drive and curiosity to join this team. We’re here to tackle complex problems, get stuff done, and enjoy the ride while we do it. No egos, no solo acts—just sharp, collaborative humans working hard, celebrating the wins, and building the future together.

Your Role And Responsibilities

We're looking for a Senior Systems Engineer who can own systems end-to-end: designing, hardening, and running the identity, infrastructure, automations, and zero trust systems that every employee depends on. You're as comfortable untangling an OAuth scope issue in Okta as you are architecting a Global Protect rollout or leading a FedRAMP access review. You default to automation and documentation over one-off fixes, and you know how to partner with security, infrastructure, and compliance teams to keep a fast-moving company both productive and audit-ready.

• Identity & Access Management: administer and evolve enterprise IdP infrastructure across Okta (SAML/OIDC, SCIM, group rules, Auth Policies)
• Identity Governance: own identity governance processes in SailPoint (account aggregation, flatfile integrations, manual account correlation) and lead quarterly User Access Reviews (UARs)
• Multi-Cloud Administration: administer and govern AWS, Microsoft Azure, and GCP environments, including RBAC roles, subscription provisioning, VPC Service Controls, service accounts, and IAM policy resets
• Zero Trust & Network Security: Architect and administer Palo Alto Networks security platforms (GlobalProtect/Prisma Access), including Host Information Profile (HIP) check rules, connector configuration, split-tunneling/resource routing, URL/IP allowlisting, and egress IP management across standard and FedRAMP environments.
• SaaS, AI & Developer Platforms: administer Google Workspace (Domain-Wide Delegation, service accounts, API controls), GitHub Enterprise IAM, Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), Glean AI agent connectors, and Workato integrations
• Security Audits & Compliance: lead technical evidence collection and remediation for UARs and other access reviews, enforcing least-privilege and Just-in-Time (JIT) access patterns
• Automation: identify recurring manual work across identity, cloud, and access processes and build scripts or integrations (Okta Workflows, Python/shell, Workato) to eliminate it
• Escalate and partner with security, infrastructure, and network engineering on complex or cross-system issues, with clear, well-documented context
• Author and maintain runbooks and architecture documentation so the systems you own don't depend on tribal knowledge

Preferred Education

Bachelor's Degree

Required Technical And Professional Expertise

• 5+ years of experience in systems, identity, or cloud engineering, ideally at a fast-moving tech or SaaS company
• Enterprise IdP administration: hands-on, at-scale experience with Okta and/or Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD)
• Authentication protocols: solid working knowledge of SAML 2.0, OAuth 2.0 / OIDC (including Authorization Code with PKCE and Client Credentials / 2-legged flows), and SCIM provisioning
• Identity governance: experience with SailPoint (IdentityIQ/IdentityNow), Saviynt or a comparable IGA tool, including account correlation and access reviews
• Multi-cloud: working experience across AWS, Azure, and GCP — IAM/RBAC, service accounts, subscription/project provisioning, and network security controls (e.g., VPC Service Controls)
• Zero Trust & Network Security: Experience administering Palo Alto Networks enterprise VPN and SASE solutions (GlobalProtect, Panorama, and Prisma Access)—including HIP policy management, gateway troubleshooting, egress NAT management, and network-level access controls.
• SaaS administration: experience administering Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 at an organizational level, including domain-wide delegation and API security controls
• Compliance exposure: experience supporting audits or controls for frameworks such as FedRAMP, SOC 2, or ISO 27001
• Automation mindset: comfort with GitOps/IaC workflows and scripting (Python, shell, or similar) to replace manual, repetitive work
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to explain technical tradeoffs clearly to engineers, auditors, and non-technical stakeholders alike
• Strong troubleshooting instincts and comfort owning ambiguous, cross-system problems through to root cause

Preferred Technical And Professional Experience

• Experience with GitHub Enterprise administration (SSO mapping, team synchronization, repo access governance, audit logging)
• Experience with Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) or other VDI environments
• Familiarity with Jamf or Intune for device lifecycle and endpoint management
• Experience integrating enterprise AI tools or agents (e.g., Glean) with existing identity and SaaS systems
• Relevant certifications (AWS/Azure/GCP, Okta Certified Professional, CISSP, or similar)
• Exposure to additional compliance frameworks such as IRAP