Staff Software Engineer - Core Identity

Okta · San Francisco, California

Okta provides identity and access management solutions that help organizations secure user and device access across applications and environments. The company focuses on zero‑trust principles, building trusted infrastructure for human and AI identities, and delivering passwordless, continuous authentication through products such as FastPass, Okta Device Access and Device Assurance. In this Staff Software Engineer role on the Core Identity team, you will design and implement server‑side features in Java and Spring that power Okta’s device trust platform. Daily work includes leading cross‑functional design discussions, writing and reviewing high‑quality code, defining engineering best practices, mentoring junior engineers, and improving test coverage and CI/CD pipelines. You will also explore AI‑native engineering practices to accelerate delivery while maintaining security standards. The position suits engineers with seven or more years of backend Java experience, a track record of building scalable, high‑performance services, strong architectural judgment, and a passion for coaching others and driving technical excellence in a security‑focused enterprise setting.

staff software engineerjava backendspring frameworkdevice identityzero trustmentorshipci/cdscalable architectureai-native engineeringenterprise security

Secure Every Identity, from AI to Human Identity is the key to unlocking the potential of AI. Okta secures AI by building the trusted, neutral infrastructure that enables organizations to safely embrace this new era. This work requires a relentless drive to solve complex challenges with real-world stakes. We are looking for builders and owners who operate with speed and urgency and execute with excellence. This is an opportunity to do career-defining work. We're all in on this mission. If you are too, let's talk. Staff Software Engineer, Device Identity (Java) Device Identity and Access Organization The Device Identity and Access organization is at the forefront of Okta’s Zero Trust vision. As a foundational pillar within Okta Research and Development (ORD), our mission is to transform the device itself into a secure, trusted, and effortless identity factor. We are the teams responsible for ensuring users can seamlessly interact with their work from any endpoint, anywhere in the world. We engineer the end-to-end device experience—from our flagship FastPass , Okta Device Access (ODA), and Device Assurance . Our teams own the continuous authentication pipeline, device lifecycle management, and the sophisticated cloud services that analyze real-time trust and assurance signals to make frictionless, passwordless access a reality across Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux and Android. Our organization is comprised of engineers who thrive at the intersection of deep client-side platform engineering and massive-scale distributed systems. The work we do secures millions of enterprise endpoints globally, prevents modern identity attacks, and fundamentally changes how people work by making world-class security completely invisible to the end user. Explore our culture and technical innovations on the Okta Engineering Blog . The Staff Software Engineer Opportunity We seek a dynamic and influential Staff Software Engineer to join our Device Identity engineering team. The ideal candidate will leverage their deep Java experience to architect, build, and scale the critical server-side software and services at the heart of our security and identity platform. This is a high-visibility, hands-on opportunity to design solutions for current and emerging industry challenges. You will not only demonstrate an aptitude for software engineering excellence but also act as a player-coach, mentoring other engineers and elevating the team's capabilities. You will join an engineering team that shares a passion for elegant solutions and believes in designing for scale, rigorous code reviews, automated testing, and an iterative process to build high-quality enterprise software. What you’ll be doing Drive cross-functional collaboration with Product, Design, and QA to ensure the seamless delivery of our most critical engineering initiatives. Lead the design and implementation of new features and services within our core Java platform, taking ownership from conception to deployment. Define and champion engineering best practices , and make critical contributions to technical designs, proposals, and long-term architectural decisions. Mentor and coach other engineers through code reviews, technical guidance, and by setting a high bar for quality and security. Develop high-quality, maintainable software with comprehensive test coverage and drive improvements to our testing and CI/CD strategies. Create and maintain high-quality technical documentation and foster a culture of knowledge sharing within the team and the broader organization. Champion the adoption of AI-native engineering practices within our Product Development Lifecycle (PDLC), utilizing AI coding assistants to accelerate delivery while ensuring rigorous security and code quality standards. What you’ll bring to the role 7+ years of software development experience, with a proven track record of designing and building scalable, high-performance server-side features using Java and Spring. Deep expertise with high-performance Postgres or MySQL environments, including schema design and query optimization. Extensive experience designing, building, and securing RESTful APIs for large-scale systems. Expert knowledge of server-side technologies, including caching, asynchronous processing, and multi-threading. A deep understanding of design patterns, scalability patterns, security engineering, and object-oriented principles. Experience in fast-paced agile environments, with a strong understanding of CI/CD and automated testing. Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences and influence technical direction. Proficiency in leveraging AI coding assistants (e.g., GitHub Copilot) to accelerate the development lifecycle, with a focus on maintaining high standards for code quality and security. Nice-to-haves Understanding of Identity and Access Management protocols and technologies (FIDO, U2F, WebAuthn, SSO, SAML, OAuth, Federation, etc.) Knowl

Role	Staff Software Engineer - Core Identity
Company	Okta
Location	San Francisco, California
Type	full-time
Compensation	Not disclosed
Posted	2026-10-07
Deadline	Rolling

Typical process for this type of role

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1ApplicationSubmit your resume through the apply link.
2ScreeningRecruiter reviews your background against the role.
3AssessmentA technical test, assignment, or coding round, depending on the role.
4Interview(s)One or more rounds with the hiring team.
5OfferOffer letter with compensation and start date.

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About Okta

Okta, Inc. is an Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) company founded in 2009 and based in San Francisco. The company provides identity and access management solutions for workforces, customers, and AI agents. Its offerings include the Okta Platform for governance and the Auth0 Platform for authentication. Okta’s services are designed to secure human and machine identities, helping organizations manage access across their digital ecosystems. The company serves a diverse client base, including major government agencies and two-thirds of the Fortune 100, supporting thousands of organizations globally in securing their business operations and digital infrastructure.

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