Team Lead, Backend Engineer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Russia.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of the technical strategy and architecture for the Xsolla ID IAM platform, which includes authentication, authorization, and session management on a large scale.

• Design and enhance OAuth 2.0 / OIDC flows, token lifecycle management strategies, and security fundamentals.

• Lead decisions regarding the Ory ecosystem, custom authentication techniques, and the architecture of the Auth API orchestrator/plugin.

• Ensure web security principles are upheld across the platform.

• Oversee the CockroachDB strategy for geo-distributed data residency.

• Assess complex security-sensitive code and guarantee adherence to best practices.

• Lead the zero-downtime migration from the legacy Xsolla Login system, ensuring bidirectional identity synchronization.

• Identify systemic risks and performance bottlenecks, spearheading remediation efforts.

• Make pivotal decisions regarding system design, security architecture, and technology selections.

• Maintain active involvement in developing critical security features.

• Lead and mentor a team of up to 8 backend engineers.

• Conduct one-on-one meetings, performance evaluations, and career development discussions.

• Recruit and onboard team members possessing IAM/security expertise.

• Promote a security-first culture while managing team workload and delivery commitments.

• Ensure predictable delivery for the mission-critical platform.

• Collaborate with the Product team to outline the IAM roadmap and priorities.

• Coordinate with interdependent product teams, including Xsolla Pay, Wallet, App, and Backpack.

• Provide reports on security posture, platform reliability, and team progress.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years of commercial experience with Go, or over 7 years with other backend programming languages with proficiency in Go.

• Extensive knowledge of OAuth 2.0 / OIDC and IAM systems.

• Familiarity with authorization code + PKCE, client credentials, device flow, token introspection, and refresh strategies.

• Understanding of JWT, token refresh processes, and session management.

• Knowledge of password hashing techniques (bcrypt, Argon2) and secure storage methods.

• Solid understanding of web security fundamentals: cookie security, CSRF, XSS, TLS, and secure session management.

• Strong expertise in MySQL/PostgreSQL and Redis.

• Experience with distributed systems and their associated trade-offs.

• Proven experience in designing high-availability systems that meet 99.9%+ uptime standards.

• Awareness of security best practices and common vulnerabilities as outlined by OWASP.

• Proficient in Docker, Kubernetes, and production deployment processes.

• At least 2 years of experience in leading engineering teams.

• Demonstrated success in delivering mission-critical infrastructure.

• Capacity to lead technical initiatives spanning multiple quarters across teams and to influence architecture beyond the immediate team.

• Experience with security-focused code review methodologies.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce RFCs and design documents.

• Ability to balance security requirements with delivery schedules.

• Preferred hands-on experience with the Ory ecosystem.

• Experience with CockroachDB or other distributed SQL databases is preferred.

• Familiarity with NATS or Kafka is preferred.

• Experience with WebAuthn/FIDO2 passkey implementations is preferred.

• Knowledge of Web3 authentication is preferred.

• Experience with SCIM, SAML, or enterprise SSO is preferred.

• Background in fintech, payments, or gaming identity systems is preferred.

• Familiarity with SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, GDPR data minimization, and audit logging is preferred.

• Contributions to open-source security or identity projects are preferred.

• Background in platform or infrastructure engineering is preferred.

• Experience with large-scale user migrations is preferred.

• Practical, current experience with modern AI tools is preferred.

🏝️ Benefits

• Unlimited Flexible Time Off to support work-life balance.

• Private health insurance (ДМС) with dental coverage for you and your family.

• Customized career roadmap with clearly defined growth paths.

• Opportunities for professional development through training, security certifications, and conferences.

• Annual corporate events and team gatherings.

• Remote-first culture with flexible working hours (10:00–19:00).

• Leadership development programs and executive coaching.

• Competitive compensation that reflects leadership and security expertise.