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Sr Principal Software Engineer (Cortex Xpanse, Vulnerability Assessment)

Company Description

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.

Job Description

Your Career

In the role of Senior Principal Software Engineer on the Vulnerability Assessment Research team, you will serve as a respected technical leader within the organization, collaborating frequently across teams. You will be responsible for overseeing projects from inception to execution as either the project lead or mentor, guiding the design and implementation process. Additionally, you will take the lead in coordinating planned work across the product in conjunction with product management, UX design, and other engineering stakeholders. Leveraging your broad perspective, you will identify and address existing and potential challenges and collaborate with senior engineers and department leadership to analyze and resolve them effectively.

Your Impact 

As a Senior Principal Software engineer on the Vulnerability Assessment Research team, you will:

  • Work regularly across teams as an acknowledged technical leader in the organization
  • Drive projects from requirements to complete design and implementation as project lead or mentor thereof
  • Lead efforts to align planned work across the product in collaboration with product management, UX design, and fellow engineering stakeholders
  • Utilize your big-picture perspective to spot existing and impending problems, then work with senior engineers and leadership across the department to analyze and solve them
  • Proactively spot, articulate, and mitigate risks in ongoing and planned projects to ensure smooth execution and high output. This may include providing ad hoc mentorship, communicating with project stakeholders, or rolling up your sleeves and stepping in to help move things along
  • Guide the key technical work on the team, including shaping architectural decisions, communicating impact and requirements to stakeholders, and driving toward end-to-end value
  • Mentor engineers across the department
  • Regularly provide cross-team technical collaboration and consultation
  • Design, build, and optimize data models and queries for speed and scale, using data storage technologies like MySQL and BigQuery
  • Design and build business logic and API endpoints using Python

Qualifications

Your Experience 

  • 8+ years of industry experience as a professional software engineer building customer-facing software for a SaaS business
  • Strong knowledge of distributed systems and architecture, including an understanding of what it takes to deploy and maintain such systems
  • Experience with on-prem deployment and the risks associated with shipping software to a customer environment
  • Good understanding of networking and cybersecurity fundamentals
  • Extensive experience providing technical leadership within and across teams building enterprise features on a  multi-tenant SaaS platform at scale
  • Excitement to dig in, prototype, build, test, and see projects through to production
  • Ability to balance shipping new products and features with addressing technical debt and investments in architecture and infrastructure
  • Expert knowledge and informed opinions on at least one of:

    • Databases, data modeling, profiling, and performance optimization

    • Methods and tradeoffs for handling concurrency

    • API design and distributed backend systems

  • BS in computer science or related engineering discipline, or equivalent work experience or equivalent military experience required
  • Proficient in one or more programming languages (ideally in Python)
  • Experience using cloud managed services (ideally in GCP)

Additional Information

The Team

The Cortex Xpanse group is building an Exposure Management product to bring together the Palo Alto Networks proactive security product suite. As part of this effort, we are expanding the Cortex Vulnerability Assessment Research team and we’re looking for an experienced engineer to join us. At Xpanse, we believe that making the internet a safer place for our customers matters. The Unified Vulnerability and Exposure Management group builds the software that provides our customers visibility into their behind-the-firewall attack surface, allowing them to prioritize and remediate critical vulnerabilities using the XSIAM platform.

In this role, you will work with a highly talented team of engineers building a new product that leverages cutting-edge AI technology. You will drive technical designs and critical decisions related to the architecture, deployment strategy, and capabilities of the Vulnerability Assessment Research system. As you support your team, you will also be a part of the team of technical leaders building Unified Vulnerability and Exposure Management. You will collaborate closely with other engineers in the group and with other teams across the Cortex product suite. As part of this, you will help shape Palo Alto Networks vision of a proactive security platform. Your expertise will help secure  the world's most important organizations and impact the future of the cybersecurity industry.

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 $182,000/YR - $295,000/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.

Average salary estimate

$238500 / YEARLY (est.)
min
max
$182000K
$295000K

If an employer mentions a salary or salary range on their job, we display it as an "Employer Estimate". If a job has no salary data, Rise displays an estimate if available.

What You Should Know About Sr Principal Software Engineer (Cortex Xpanse, Vulnerability Assessment) , Palo Alto Networks

Join Palo Alto Networks as a Senior Principal Software Engineer on the Cortex Xpanse Vulnerability Assessment team, where innovation meets cybersecurity. In this role based in Santa Clara, CA, you will take on a leadership position, overseeing projects from conceptualization to execution while working alongside a collaborative and talented group of engineers. Your responsibilities include mentoring team members, leading cross-team efforts, and ensuring seamless coordination with product management and design stakeholders. We are seeking someone with over 8 years of experience in building customer-facing software, providing technical leadership, and understanding distributed systems and cybersecurity fundamentals. Your role will involve architecting scalable solutions, optimizing databases, and integrating APIs, all while maintaining your passion for seeing projects through to production. At Palo Alto Networks, we value continuous learning, and you will have the opportunity to shape the cybersecurity landscape, driving innovation forward. With a flexible work environment, this is your chance to make a significant impact on the future of cybersecurity and the safety of the digital world. If you're excited to tackle challenges head-on and mentor the next wave of engineers, we would love to hear from you!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Sr Principal Software Engineer (Cortex Xpanse, Vulnerability Assessment) Role at Palo Alto Networks
What are the primary responsibilities of the Senior Principal Software Engineer at Palo Alto Networks?

As the Senior Principal Software Engineer at Palo Alto Networks, you will oversee projects from inception to execution and act as a technical leader within the Cortex Xpanse Vulnerability Assessment team. Your responsibilities include mentoring engineers, guiding design and implementation processes, and coordinating efforts across product management and design teams. You will also identify risks and challenges in ongoing projects to ensure a smooth execution and high-quality output.

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What qualifications are necessary for a Senior Principal Software Engineer at Palo Alto Networks?

To qualify for the Senior Principal Software Engineer role at Palo Alto Networks, candidates should have at least 8 years of industry experience in software engineering, preferably focusing on customer-facing SaaS applications. A strong knowledge of distributed systems, cybersecurity fundamentals, and experience in leading projects in a multi-tenant environment are essential. Proficiency in Python and familiarity with cloud services (ideally GCP) are also important for success in this position.

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How does Palo Alto Networks promote employee development for Senior Principal Software Engineers?

At Palo Alto Networks, employee development is integral to the company culture, especially for Senior Principal Software Engineers. The organization provides personalized learning opportunities, mentorship programs, and flexible well-being spending accounts. Additionally, the culture encourages ongoing learning and collaboration, allowing engineers to engage with colleagues and grow their expertise in cybersecurity.

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What kind of work environment can a Senior Principal Software Engineer expect at Palo Alto Networks?

Senior Principal Software Engineers at Palo Alto Networks can expect a dynamic and collaborative work environment based in the Santa Clara office. The company values in-person interactions which foster creativity and problem-solving. You will work closely with various teams, leveraging your expertise to shape architectural decisions and contribute to the overall vision of the company's security solutions.

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What impact does a Senior Principal Software Engineer have at Palo Alto Networks?

As a Senior Principal Software Engineer at Palo Alto Networks, you will significantly influence the future of cybersecurity by driving technical decisions and architectural designs for cutting-edge products. Your work will help secure organizations across the globe and ensure the continued success of Palo Alto Networks' initiatives in proactive security and vulnerability management.

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Common Interview Questions for Sr Principal Software Engineer (Cortex Xpanse, Vulnerability Assessment)
Can you describe a complex software engineering project you led and the outcome?

When addressing a complex project, detail your role in leading the team, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them. Showcase your project management skills, technical expertise, and the end results that benefited the company, especially in relation to customer satisfaction and security.

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How do you approach mentoring junior engineers on your team?

A good answer would discuss your philosophy on mentorship, emphasizing the importance of providing guidance, sharing knowledge, and encouraging independence. Share specific techniques you’ve used, such as code reviews, pair programming, or regular feedback sessions, to foster growth.

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What strategies do you employ to ensure effective cross-team communication?

Highlight specific strategies you’ve implemented, such as regular meetings, collaborative tools, or shared documentation. Emphasize your belief in transparency and fostering relationships within the organization to drive innovation and problem-solving.

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Can you explain your experience with distributed systems and architecture?

Discuss your hands-on experience with distributed systems, focusing on specific projects where you designed or optimized the architecture. Share your understanding of deployment, monitoring, and scaling challenges as well as how you addressed them effectively.

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Describe a time when you identified a risk in a project and how you mitigated it.

Provide a specific example detailing the risk you identified, your assessment process, and the steps you took to mitigate it. Emphasize your proactive approach to problem-solving and how that led to successful project completion.

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How do you balance addressing technical debt and developing new features?

Share your methodology for prioritizing technical debt relative to new feature development, possibly discussing frameworks such as Agile or Kanban. Illustrate how addressing both is essential for long-term software sustainability and business success.

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What is your experience with API design, and can you give an example of a system you've developed?

Discuss your API design philosophy, the best practices you follow, and challenges you’ve faced during API development. Providing a specific example of an API you've built will demonstrate your technical understanding and practical application.

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How do you ensure the security and performance of the software you develop?

Explain your approach to software security, such as conducting regular audits, implementing secure coding practices, and using security frameworks. Talk about performance optimization techniques you’ve applied to ensure efficient software operation and high availability.

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What role does continuous learning play in your career as a software engineer?

Emphasize your commitment to lifelong learning, mentioning specific resources you utilize, such as online courses, workshops, and conferences. Discuss how continuously updating your skills has helped you stay relevant and innovative in the field.

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Why are you interested in the Senior Principal Software Engineer position at Palo Alto Networks?

Articulate your passion for cybersecurity, the company’s mission, and how your skills align with the job requirements. Convey enthusiasm for being part of a team that makes a significant impact on safeguarding digital life.

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Being the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life.

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Full-time, on-site
DATE POSTED
March 16, 2025

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