Principal Software Engineer - Backend

ABOUT THE ROLE We're seeking a highly impactful and influential Software Engineer to join our engineering team at Okta. As a Principal Software Engineer in the Device Identity and Access organization, you will leverage your deep expertise in distributed systems, particularly Java, 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 define the architectural vision, pioneer new capabilities, and drive the technical strategy to solve complex, company-wide challenges and shape the future of Okta's device identity ecosystem. WHAT YOU'LL DO As a Principal Software Engineer, you will: - Partner closely with Product Management, Engineering Directors, and Principal Architects to translate strategic business objectives into actionable, scalable technical roadmaps. - 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. - Act as a force multiplier across multiple teams, mentoring Staff and Senior engineers, guiding technical design reviews, and raising the engineering bar across the entire pillar. - 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. - Spearhead technical innovation, identifying emerging industry trends (such as advanced device security or AI-native development paradigms) and prototyping solutions to keep Okta ahead of the curve. WHAT YOU'LL NEED To be successful in this role, you will need: - 7+ years of progressive 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. - Security Domain Expertise: Deep understanding of endpoint security concepts (e.g., Trusted Platform Modules (TPM), Secure Enclave, Device Management/MDM protocols, and endpoint detection). - Cross-Platform Context: Strong conceptual understanding of how OS-level security features (iOS, Android, Windows, macOS) report state to the cloud. - Proficiency in leveraging AI coding assistants (e.g., GitHub Copilot) to accelerate the development lifecycle. WHY REMOTE As a remote employee at Okta, you will have the