Senior Application Security Engineer (Java), VP

About Citi: Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. As a bank with a brain and a soul, Citi creates economic value that is systemically responsible and in our clients’ best interests. As a financial institution that touches every region of the world and every sector that shapes your daily life, our Operations & Technology teams are charged with a mission that rivals any large tech company. Our technology solutions are the foundations of everything we do from keeping the bank safe, managing global resources, and providing the technical tools our workers need to be successful to designing our digital architecture and ensuring our platforms provide a first-class customer experience. We reimagine client and partner experiences to deliver excellence through secure, reliable, and efficient services. Our commitment to diversity includes a workforce that represents the clients we serve from all walks of life, backgrounds, and origins. We foster an environment where the best people want to work. We value and demand respect for others, promote individuals based on merit, and ensure opportunities for personal development are widely available to all. Ideal candidates are innovators with well-rounded backgrounds who bring their authentic selves to work and complement our culture of delivering results with pride. If you are a problem solver who seeks passion in your work, come join us. We’ll enable growth and progress together. The Role: Citi's Technology Infrastructure team is seeking a Senior Application Security Engineer (Java) to own the end-to-end engineering lifecycle, maintenance, evaluation, and rollout of critical authentication and information security platforms. This role bridges Java development, infrastructure automation via Shell scripting and SQL, and deep domain expertise in multifactor authentication mechanisms such as MFA/2FA, OTP, Challenge/Response, and RADIUS. The engineer will certify new SafeWord product releases, stage security patches, and test MFA/RADIUS integrations as part of day-to-day work. They will collaborate closely with operational and engineering teams to certify new releases, troubleshoot complex production issues, and maintain high availability, resilience, and security across enterprise authentication services. The role also supports the team's ongoing initiatives to upgrade legacy authentication components, integrate modern multi-factor mechanisms, and migrate authentication services from VMs toward containerized, cloud-based OpenShift platforms. Responsibilities Maintain, enhance, and debug Java-based applications and microservices supporting authentication flows and security controls. Evaluate new software versions, third-party libraries, and security updates for compatibility, performance, and risk impact. Implement and configure authentication frameworks and protocols including 2FA/MFA, OTP, Challenge/Response, and RADIUS. Certify new versions of the SafeWord authentication product prior to production rollout. Stage and validate security patches across authentication infrastructure. Test MFA and RADIUS integrations to confirm functionality and compatibility across enterprise applications. Build and maintain automation scripts in Shell (Bash) to streamline operational tasks and deployments. Write and optimize database scripts and procedures using SQL and PL-SQL. Partner with operational teams to test, validate, and certify new software releases before deployment. Support the migration of authentication services from virtual machines toward containerized platforms on cloud ECS OpenShift. Support the integration of modern multi-factor authentication mechanisms across enterprise applications as part of the team's legacy upgrade initiatives. Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for authentication platform operations. Qualifications 4+ years' progressive experience in software engineering, application security, and/or infrastructure engineering with a strong focus on authentication systems within that experience. Strong hands-on experience in Java programming, debugging, and maintaining enterprise Java applications. Solid understanding of authentication mechanisms including Two-Factor/Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA/MFA), One-Time Passwords (OTP), and Challenge/Response architectures. Practical knowledge of network authentication protocols including RADIUS, LDAP/Active Directory, Kerberos, SAML, and PAM. Advanced proficiency in Linux/Unix operating systems, including system administration, process management, file permissions, and performance tuning. Strong Shell scripting skills in Bash and KornShell for task automation and system orchestration. Proficiency in writing SQL and PL-SQL queries and scripts. Strong fundamentals in TCP/IP, DNS, SSL/TLS certificates, load balancing, and firewall rule configurations. Hands-on experience with Splunk, including search syntax, alerts, and dashboards. Hands-on experience with AppDynamics, including APM and transaction tracing. Working knowledge of cloud concepts, including AWS, GCP, or enterprise private clouds. Proven ability to collaborate cross-functionally with operations, security operations, and engineering teams. Clear written and verbal communication skills for technical documentation and incident retrospectives. Strong attention to security best practices, access governance, and audit readiness. Familiarity with containerization and orchestration technologies such as Docker, OpenShift, or Kubernetes is preferred . Experience within Financial Services, Banking, or other highly regulated enter