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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for IDAM Developer

💰 $110,000 - $160,000

ITCybersecuritySoftware DevelopmentIdentity & Access Management

🎯 Role Definition

An Identity and Access Management (IDAM) Developer is a specialized engineering role at the intersection of software development and cybersecurity. This individual is the technical backbone of an organization's digital identity strategy, responsible for designing, building, customizing, and maintaining the systems that control who has access to what. They ensure that the right individuals have the right access to the right resources at the right time, and for the right reasons. By developing secure and efficient authentication, authorization, and user lifecycle processes, the IDAM Developer plays a critical role in protecting sensitive data, enabling business productivity, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Software Developer
  • Systems Administrator
  • Cybersecurity Analyst

Advancement To:

  • Senior IDAM Developer
  • IDAM Architect
  • Cybersecurity Engineering Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Cloud Security Engineer
  • DevSecOps Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Design, develop, and implement robust, scalable, and secure Identity and Access Management (IDAM) solutions to streamline user lifecycle management, including onboarding, transfers, and offboarding processes.
  • Lead the integration of enterprise applications (both on-premise and cloud/SaaS) into the central IDAM platform using standard protocols like SAML, OAuth, OIDC, and SCIM to ensure secure single sign-on (SSO).
  • Architect and manage periodic access review and certification campaigns, ensuring that user access rights are regularly validated by business owners to meet compliance requirements like SOX, GDPR, and HIPAA.
  • Develop and customize complex workflows, forms, and business logic within the IDAM tool (e.g., SailPoint, Okta) to automate access requests, approvals, and provisioning tasks based on specific business requirements.
  • Engineer and maintain custom connectors for applications and systems that do not support standard integration protocols, utilizing languages like Java or Beanshell and working with various APIs (REST, SOAP).
  • Create and maintain automation scripts using Python, PowerShell, or other languages to handle bulk identity tasks, data synchronization, and operational maintenance, reducing manual effort and improving efficiency.
  • Act as a senior technical escalation point for complex IDAM-related incidents, performing in-depth root cause analysis for issues related to authentication, authorization, and provisioning failures.
  • Proactively identify and implement security enhancements to the IDAM infrastructure, including the integration of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Privileged Access Management (PAM), and adaptive access policies.
  • Create and meticulously maintain comprehensive technical documentation, including solution designs, integration guides, runbooks, and standard operating procedures for the IDAM ecosystem.
  • Collaborate closely with cybersecurity, infrastructure, application development, and business teams to gather requirements, define solutions, and ensure successful deployment and adoption of IDAM services.
  • Configure and manage integrations with core directory services such as Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, and LDAP, ensuring data consistency and synchronization of identity attributes.
  • Plan, coordinate, and execute platform upgrades, patching, and maintenance activities for the IDAM systems to ensure they remain secure, supported, and feature-rich.
  • Design, develop, and consume RESTful APIs to enable seamless, real-time integration between the IDAM platform and other enterprise systems, such as HRIS (e.g., Workday) and ITSM tools (e.g., ServiceNow).
  • Analyze business needs and collaborate with stakeholders to design, implement, and maintain a comprehensive Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) model, simplifying access management and improving security posture.
  • Implement and manage robust monitoring and alerting for the IDAM environment to ensure high availability and performance, and to proactively detect and respond to system anomalies or security events.
  • Provide critical support during internal and external audits by generating detailed access reports, providing evidence of controls, and explaining IDAM processes to auditors.
  • Develop and maintain custom reports and dashboards to provide key metrics on identity lifecycle, access requests, and overall IDAM program health for leadership.
  • Evaluate, pilot, and recommend new IDAM technologies, features, and industry best practices to continuously improve the organization's identity security posture.
  • Contribute to the strategy and implementation of Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions, including credential vaulting, session monitoring, and just-in-time access.
  • Establish and enforce coding standards for all custom development within the IDAM platform, leading peer code reviews to ensure quality, security, and maintainability.

Secondary Functions

  • Support security and compliance teams with ad-hoc reporting and data analysis requests related to user access and identity events.
  • Contribute to the broader cybersecurity strategy and the long-term roadmap for the Identity and Access Management program.
  • Partner with business stakeholders and application owners to translate their access control and security needs into technical IDAM requirements.
  • Actively participate in agile ceremonies, including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives, within the cybersecurity engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • IDAM Platform Expertise: Hands-on development experience with leading IDAM platforms such as SailPoint (IdentityIQ, IdentityNow), Okta, ForgeRock, Ping Identity, or Saviynt.
  • Authentication & Authorization Protocols: Deep technical knowledge of identity federation and SSO protocols including SAML 2.0, OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect (OIDC), and WS-Federation.
  • Directory Services Management: Proficiency in managing and integrating with directory services like Microsoft Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, and other LDAP-compliant directories.
  • Programming & Scripting: Strong programming skills in Java or .NET for developing custom connectors, combined with scripting proficiency in Python, PowerShell, or Bash for automation.
  • API Integration: Proven experience in designing, developing, and consuming RESTful and SOAP APIs for system integration and data synchronization.
  • Provisioning Protocols: Solid understanding and practical experience with provisioning protocols, particularly SCIM (System for Cross-domain Identity Management).
  • Cloud Identity & Security: Experience with Identity as a Service (IDaaS) solutions and managing identities within major cloud platforms (AWS IAM, Azure AD, Google Cloud Identity).
  • Database & SQL Knowledge: Competency in working with databases (e.g., SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL) and writing SQL queries for reporting and troubleshooting.

Soft Skills

  • Analytical & Problem-Solving: Exceptional ability to analyze complex technical problems, perform root cause analysis, and develop effective, long-term solutions.
  • Communication & Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Attention to Detail: A meticulous and detail-oriented approach to development, configuration, and documentation to ensure accuracy and security.
  • Ownership & Accountability: A strong sense of ownership for the IDAM platform, taking accountability for its stability, security, and successful operation.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree in Cybersecurity or a related discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology
  • Cybersecurity

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-7 years of professional experience.

Preferred: 5+ years of dedicated experience in an Identity and Access Management development or engineering role, with a proven track record of successful enterprise-scale implementations.

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