Technical Lead Software Engineer, Identity Infrastructure

Block is one company built from many blocks, all united by the same purpose of economic empowerment. The blocks that form our foundational teams - People, Finance, Counsel, Hardware, Information Security, Platform Infrastructure Engineering, and more - provide support and guidance at the corporate level. They work across business groups and around the globe, spanning time zones and disciplines to develop inclusive People policies, forecast finances, give legal counsel, safeguard systems, nurture new initiatives, and more. Every challenge creates possibilities, and we need different perspectives to see them all. Bring yours to Block.
The Team & Role
Our team is responsible for the foundational authentication and authorization mechanisms that ensure secure communication between services across Block's infrastructure. We play a critical role in safeguarding service interactions within Block's data centers, GCP, and AWS environments. This includes driving the evolution of identity, credential, and access management to support the scalability and security demands of a rapidly growing organization.
Operating at the intersection of cutting-edge security practices and robust cloud infrastructure, our mission is to modernize Block's identity infrastructure. As a Staff Software Engineer, you will design and build high-impact systems that enable secure, scalable, and reliable authentication and authorization across the organization.
In this role, you will act as a technical leader, shaping the architectural vision for identity systems, mentoring team members, and serving as a key decision-maker in technical discussions that influence Block's security posture. You will identify strategic opportunities, lead complex technical initiatives, and foster a culture of security-first engineering excellence.
As a Staff Software Engineer, Identity Infrastructure, you will be at the forefront of designing, developing, and enhancing identity, credential, and access management solutions. Collaborating closely with security, platform engineering, and infrastructure teams, you will ensure the security, scalability, and efficiency of these critical systems. Your contributions will have a direct and lasting impact on Block's security posture and operational excellence.
You Will

• Lead technical discovery and design processes for major identity infrastructure initiatives, facilitating discussions and building consensus across engineering teams.
• Serve as a technical authority for identity and authentication patterns, helping teams across the organization make informed decisions about security architecture.
• Drive technical standards and best practices for identity management, establishing patterns that other teams can follow.
• Act as a bridge between security and engineering teams, translating security requirements into practical technical solutions.
• Lead architectural decision-making processes, including writing and reviewing technical design documents, and ensuring alignment with security and scalability goals
• Proactively identify technical debt and security risks in identity systems, developing and executing remediation strategies
• Design, develop, and maintain robust identity, credential, and access management (ICAM) systems to support internal and external services across Block's data centers, GCP, and AWS environments.
• Architect secure and scalable authentication and authorization solutions, ensuring high availability and performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including security and infrastructure, to deliver innovative solutions that align with organizational goals.
• Stay ahead of the curve by researching and implementing modern authentication protocols (e.g., OAuth, SAML) and cryptographic standards to secure service-to-service communications.
• Partner with security and engineering teams to ensure identity infrastructure meets the highest security standards and complies with industry regulations.
• Contribute to the strategic roadmap by identifying opportunities to improve scalability, reliability, and security within the identity infrastructure.
• Participate in architectural reviews, provide technical mentorship, and share expertise to elevate the team's overall technical capabilities.
• Ensure the reliability, security, and scalability of authentication and authorization services, supporting Block's rapidly growing infrastructure.
• Drive initiatives to improve security monitoring, incident response, and the overall security posture of identity services.
• Implement and advocate for best practices in secure software development, cloud infrastructure security, and system resilience.

You Have

• Proven track record of technical leadership in identity and access management
• Extensive experience designing and implementing identity, credential, and access management solutions in complex environments.
• Deep understanding of authentication protocols (e.g., OAuth, SAML) and cryptographic standards for securing service-to-service communications.
• Strong expertise in cloud infrastructure (GCP, AWS) and data center security.
• Proven ability to design and deliver large-scale infrastructure projects that prioritize security, scalability, and performance.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across teams and influence technical decisions.
• Familiarity with zero trust architecture and modern security frameworks
• A passion for fostering secure, scalable, and innovative solutions that drive organizational success.

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment on our team, and always assess candidates on an individualized basis.
We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we're doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page .
Block will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.
Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate's starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.
To find a location's zone designation, please refer to this resource . If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information.
Zone A:
$263,600 - $395,400 USD
Zone B:
$263,600 - $395,400 USD
Zone C:
$263,600 - $395,400 USD
Zone D:
$263,600 - $395,400 USD
Every benefit we offer is designed with one goal: empowering you to do the best work of your career while building the life you want. Remote work, healthcare coverage, flexible time off, and modern family planning are just some of our offerings. Check out our other benefits at Block.
Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) builds technology to increase access to the global economy. Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we're helping build a financial system that is open to everyone.