Principal Engineer Software (Distributed Systems)

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks® everything starts and ends with our mission:

Being the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life.
Our vision is a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. We are a company built on the foundation of challenging and disrupting the way things are done, and we’re looking for innovators who are as committed to shaping the future of cybersecurity as we are.

Who We Are

We take our mission of protecting the digital way of life seriously. We are relentless in protecting our customers and we believe that the unique ideas of every member of our team contributes to our collective success. Our values were crowdsourced by employees and are brought to life through each of us everyday - from disruptive innovation and collaboration, to execution. From showing up for each other with integrity to creating an environment where we all feel included.

As a member of our team, you will be shaping the future of cybersecurity. We work fast, value ongoing learning, and we respect each employee as a unique individual. Knowing we all have different needs, our development and personal wellbeing programs are designed to give you choice in how you are supported. This includes our FLEXBenefits wellbeing spending account with over 1,000 eligible items selected by employees, our mental and financial health resources, and our personalized learning opportunities - just to name a few!

At Palo Alto Networks, we believe in the power of collaboration and value in-person interactions. This is why our employees generally work full time from our office with flexibility offered where needed. This setup fosters casual conversations, problem-solving, and trusted relationships. Our goal is to create an environment where we all win with precision.

Your Career

Help build what is next. Our Cloud Management Platform is a public cloud delivered management platform to manage all Palo Alto Networks Next generation network security solutions. It’s an easy-to-use, scalable and secure platform to operationalize and provide visibility using the Palo Alto Networks network security portfolio.

This role is located at our dynamic Santa Clara California headquarters campus and in office 3 days a week.

Your Impact

• Be part of technical leadership in distributed systems development 

• Delivered large-scale features as you excel at building robust, clean, and maintainable software

• Showcase your deep commitment to testing, metrics, observability, and tooling

• Be proactive in reducing technical debt and improving overall system health

• Lead with your strong focus on enhancing customer experience

• Thrive in ambiguous environments and can navigate uncertainty with confidence

• Be adept at rapid iteration and incorporating feedback effectively

• Foster an inclusive environment that brings out the best in everyone

• Demonstrate hands-on experience with cloud services such as AWS, GCP, or Azure

• Approach big problems incrementally, favoring test-and-learn methodologies over prolonged development cycles

• Self-driven and comfortable with progress being directed by teams and individuals

• Possess a growth mindset and are always eager to learn and improve

• Mentor new or junior team members.

Your Experience 

Required Skills:

• Recent and proficient experience with Go, Python, or similar programming languages

• Passion for technology coupled with pragmatic problem-solving abilities

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal

• Proven ability to lead and collaborate with many cross-functional teams with an emphasis on end-to-end delivery

• Ability to break down complex problems in ambiguous areas

Preferred Skills:

• Solid understanding of networking concepts

• Experience working with systems at scale

• Familiarity with security products and best practices

• Background in AI/ML technologies and applications

• Experience with graph databases (GraphDB)

Education:

• MS/BS in Computer Science or equivalent. 10+ years experience.

The Team

To stay ahead of the curve, it’s critical to know where the curve is, and how to anticipate the changes we’re facing. For the fastest growing cybersecurity company, the curve is the evolution of cyberattacks, and the products and services that proactively address them. Our engineering team is at the core of our products – connected directly to the mission of preventing cyberattacks. They are constantly innovating – challenging the way we, and the industry, think about cybersecurity. These engineers aren’t shy about creating products to solve problems no one has tackled before. They define the industry, instead of waiting for directions. We need individuals who feel comfortable in ambiguity, excited by the prospect of challenge, and empowered by the unknown risks facing our everyday lives that are only enabled by a secure digital environment.

Our engineering team is provided with an unrivaled opportunity to build the products and practices that will support our company growth over the next decade, defining the cybersecurity industry as we know it. If you see the potential of how incredible people products can transform a business, this is the team for you. If you don’t wait for directions, instead, identifying new features and opportunities we have to just get better, this is your new career.

Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. For candidates who receive an offer at the posted level, the starting base salary (for non-sales roles) or base salary + commission target (for sales/commissioned roles) is expected to be between: $185k - $220k /YR. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

Our Commitment

We’re problem solvers that take risks and challenge cybersecurity’s status quo. It’s simple: we can’t accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at  [email protected].

Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship?: Yes