Director of Authentication Engineering

Onward Search is a specialized staffing and talent solutions company that helps professionals find top jobs with the nation’s leading brands.

We’re looking to hire a Director of Authentication Engineering for a hybrid contract opportunity in Indianapolis, IN with a leading company in the financial space. This role will lead the delivery and operational excellence of the enterprise Authentication Platform for both workforce and customer identities. The contract is set to begin in early September and run through March 2026. The position is hybrid and can be based in Indianapolis, IN; Newark, DE; or Reston, VA.

This is an exciting leadership opportunity to drive authentication modernization initiatives, oversee critical platform transitions, and align enterprise authentication with Zero Trust principles and regulatory compliance frameworks.

Director of Authentication Engineering Responsibilities:

• Serve as the accountable leader for Authentication Engineering, ensuring that the Enterprise Authentication Platforms meet business, security, and compliance objectives.
• Drive modernization from legacy Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID and scale PingOne CIAM for customer authentication.
• Act as product owner for day-to-day backlog and delivery within the roadmap set by the Senior Director. Align priorities with stakeholders, and deliver against quarterly OKRs and SLOs.
• Provide design authority by issuing reference architectures and guardrails for Entra ID (Conditional Access, MFA/passwordless, Identity Protection, PIM) and federation patterns.
• Partner with Security IAM to implement authentication policies under governance, ensuring alignment with Zero Trust principles and regulatory frameworks (CJIS, PCI, HIPAA).

Director of Authentication Engineering Qualifications:

• 10+ years in authentication/identity services with 3+ years leading engineering teams.
• Proven leadership in hybrid identity environments (Active Directory + Microsoft Entra ID) and large-scale migrations.
• Experience with PingOne CIAM and standards-based federation (OIDC/SAML).
• Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks (CJIS, PCI, HIPAA) and Zero Trust principles.
• Demonstrated ability to manage stakeholders, vendors, and delivery governance.
• Proficiency in PowerShell and Microsoft Graph; familiarity with CI/CD and infrastructure as code.

Perks & Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance.
• Life Insurance.
• 401(k) Program.
• Commuter Benefit.
• eLearning & Ongoing Training.
• Education Reimbursement.

Eligibility requires working over 30 hours per week on an assignment lasting at least 10 weeks.

If you meet the qualifications and are excited about this opportunity, apply today! Our team will connect with you to discuss next steps, support you through the interview process, and advocate for your success.