Staff Software Engineer (Java)

TL;DR

Staff Software Engineer (Java): Designing and owning core authorization and access control systems for a global design platform with an accent on high-availability infrastructure and IAM at scale. Focus on building SpiceDB-backed authorization platforms, solving complex distributed systems challenges, and enabling secure agentic AI workflows.

Location: Hybrid in Sydney, Australia (Must be based in Sydney)

Company

A global design platform redefining how the world experiences design.

What you will do

• Design, build, and own core components of authorization and access control systems, including the SpiceDB-backed platform.
• Develop patterns, tooling, and integrations to help product teams implement authorization at scale.
• Make technical trade-offs for critical high-availability infrastructure serving hundreds of millions of users.
• Partner with Security, API Platform, and product engineering to align requirements and drive adoption.
• Shape the identity model, access control model, and authorization for agentic AI workflows.
• Mentor and uplift engineers on system design and IAM best practices.

Requirements

• Direct experience designing and operating authorization systems (RBAC, ReBAC, ABAC, or Zanzibar-style) in production at scale.
• Strong backend engineering skills, specifically building high-performance services (Java is a plus).
• Deep knowledge of distributed systems and computer science fundamentals.
• Proven track record of driving the adoption of platform capabilities across engineering teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.
• Must be based in Sydney, Australia.

Nice to have

• Experience with policy languages or authorization engines such as OPA or Cedar.
• Experience with Zanzibar-style authorization systems (SpiceDB, Google Zanzibar).
• Experience evolving large services in production without disrupting dependents.

Culture & Benefits

• Hybrid work model providing flexibility between remote work and on-campus collaboration.
• Access to a uniquely designed flagship campus in Sydney's Surry Hills neighborhood.
• Inclusive culture that values diverse skills and backgrounds.
• Virtual interview process for candidate convenience.