About
Highly accomplished Identity and Access Management (IAM) Engineer with 4 years of experience designing, implementing, and optimizing robust identity lifecycle and access control strategies across complex cloud and hybrid environments. Expertise includes building scalable RBAC frameworks in Okta and Azure Entra ID, leading enterprise-wide MFA deployments, and driving access governance through automation and role standardization. Proven ability to integrate 40+ applications into Okta and SailPoint IDN, enhancing security posture and operational efficiency.
Work
Optiv
|Identity Access Management Engineer
Fremont, CA, US
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Summary
As an Identity Access Management Engineer at Optiv, Rakesh Thalari manages multiple concurrent projects, designs and implements robust SSO solutions, and integrates diverse directories while leading advanced MFA and RBAC policy enforcement to ensure secure, seamless access across hybrid environments.
Highlights
Managed multiple concurrent IAM projects, integrating 40+ applications into Okta and SailPoint IDN, delivering outcomes within established timelines and demonstrating strong project management skills.
Implemented and maintained secure Single Sign-On (SSO) solutions using Okta Workforce Identity, integrating 40+ enterprise applications via SAML, OIDC, and SCIM to enable seamless and secure user access across hybrid environments.
Developed and maintained Okta Workflows to automate onboarding, provisioning, deprovisioning, and group assignments, significantly reducing manual errors and improving operational efficiency.
Engineered and enforced contextual MFA policies leveraging Okta Adaptive MFA and conditional access based on risk signals, significantly strengthening security across device, network, and location.
Promoted a security-by-design approach, embedding least privilege principles and RBAC into onboarding workflows and access models to minimize risk across cloud and on-prem platforms.
Maintained comprehensive IAM documentation, including architectural diagrams and troubleshooting guides, and delivered end-user/stakeholder training on access protocols, improving knowledge transfer and system adoption.
University of the Pacific
|Teaching Assistant
Fremont, CA, US
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Summary
As a Teaching Assistant at the University of the Pacific, Rakesh Thalari led and mentored over 25 students in an introductory Cybersecurity course, designing and delivering instructional materials, and evaluating projects for security vulnerabilities.
Highlights
Led and mentored 25+ students in an introductory Cybersecurity course, fostering a collaborative learning environment and enhancing their understanding of cybersecurity concepts and best practices.
Designed and delivered comprehensive instructional materials on cybersecurity fundamentals, including network security, encryption, and secure coding principles, enriching student learning.
Evaluated student projects for security vulnerabilities, providing constructive feedback to improve security posture and reinforce security-by-design principles.
Provided individual mentorship and guidance to 25+ students, resolving over 100 project-related inquiries and troubleshooting software/network connectivity issues to hone problem-solving abilities.
Capgemini
|Identity Access Management Engineer
Fremont, CA, US
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Summary
At Capgemini, Rakesh Thalari implemented and managed IAM infrastructure at scale using Terraform, enforced Conditional Access Policies, and enhanced monitoring of Microsoft Entra ID logs to significantly improve security and operational efficiency.
Highlights
Implemented Conditional Access Policies to enforce MFA and risk-based authentication, successfully reducing unauthorized access incidents by 30%.
Managed and deployed scalable IAM infrastructure using Terraform, automating provisioning and configuration of identity resources across Okta, Entra ID, and cloud environments for consistent, secure operations.
Supported the migration of 10,000+ users to centralized access control by assisting in mapping Entra ID group roles and entitlements for Okta-based SSO integrations.
Enhanced monitoring of Microsoft Entra ID logs, achieving a 40% reduction in the meantime to detect potential security breaches across the organization.
Developed PowerShell automation scripts to streamline user provisioning, group management, license assignments, and reporting tasks, significantly reducing manual effort and improving accuracy.
Education
Trine University
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Master
Cybersecurity
Skills
Identity & Access Management (IAM)
Okta, SailPoint IdentityNow, SailPoint IIQ, Microsoft Entra ID, PingFederate, RBAC/ABAC/PBAC, MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication), SSO (Single Sign-On), Just in Time Provisioning (JIT), API Security, Identity Lifecycle Management, Access Governance, Okta Certified Administrator, Certified Cybersecurity Professional.
Security Practices
Zero Trust, Least Privilege, Conditional Access, Risk-based Authentication, Security by Design, Access Reviews, Entitlement Management, Security Posture.
Cloud & Hybrid Environments
Active Directory, LDAP, Azure AD, On-premise Integration, Cloud Environments, Hybrid Architectures.
Automation & Scripting
Python, PowerShell, Okta Workflows, Terraform, Postman, Visual Studio Code, Automation Scripting.
Web Technologies & Protocols
SAML, OAuth, OpenID Connect, SCIM, HTML, CSS, Apache Tomcat Server.
Data Analysis & Reporting
Power BI, Microsoft Excel, System Monitoring.