Principal Machine Learning Engineer

About Zscaler

Serving thousands of enterprise customers around the world including 40% of Fortune 500 companies, Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) was founded in 2007 with a mission to make the cloud a safe place to do business and a more enjoyable experience for enterprise users. As the operator of the world’s largest security cloud, Zscaler accelerates digital transformation so enterprises can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The pioneering, AI-powered Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform, which is found in our SASE and SSE offerings, protects thousands of enterprise customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location.

Named a Best Workplace in Technology by Fortune and others, Zscaler fosters an inclusive and supportive culture that is home to some of the brightest minds in the industry. If you thrive in an environment that is fast-paced and collaborative, and you are passionate about building and innovating for the greater good, come make your next move with Zscaler. 

Our Engineering team built the world’s largest cloud security platform from the ground up, and we keep building. With more than 100 patents and big plans for enhancing services and increasing our global footprint, the team has made us and our multitenant architecture today's cloud security leader, with more than 15 million users in 185 countries. Bring your vision and passion to our team of cloud architects, software engineers, security experts, and more who are enabling organizations worldwide to harness speed and agility with a cloud-first strategy.

We’re seeking a Principal Machine Learning Engineer to join our Engineering Team. This role is onsite in San Jose, CA, at least three days a week. Reporting to the Director of Machine Learning Engineering, you will be responsible for:

• Designing and optimizing AI/ML models and pipelines to enhance engineering workflows, testing automation, and cybersecurity intelligence
• Leading development of scalable AI/ML solutions, from ideation and training to deployment and monitoring, providing technical guidance to junior and mid-level engineers
• Architecting AI platforms and infrastructures to support distributed training, real-time inference, and observability at scale
• Building AI/ML model orchestration pipelines using Kubernetes and MLOps frameworks
• Collaborating cross-functionally to align AI initiatives with business objectives

What We’re Looking for (Minimum Qualifications) 

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or related discipline (Master's/PhD preferred)  
• 10+ years industry/academic experience in machine learning, statistical modeling, or applied AI
• Strong proficiency in Python, SQL, ML libraries/frameworks, and container/orchestration technologies (like Docker and Kubernetes) for AI/ML development.
• Hands-on experience with cloud-based AI/ML platforms (AWS SageMaker, GCP Vertex AI, or Azure ML)   
• Experience with translating complex technical concepts to stakeholders

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Proven track record of designing, building, and shipping large-scale AI-driven applications  
• Strong experience with LLM architectures, agent frameworks, prompt engineering, and SOTA AI technologies  
• Background in cybersecurity SaaS products or contributions to open-source AI/ML projects

#LI-Hybrid  

#LI-YC2

Zscaler’s salary ranges are benchmarked and are determined by role and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations and could be higher or lower based on a multitude of factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

The base salary range listed for this full-time position excludes commission/ bonus/ equity (if applicable) + benefits.

Base Pay Range$175,000—$250,000 USD

At Zscaler, we believe that diversity drives innovation, productivity, and success. We are looking for individuals from all backgrounds and identities to join our team and contribute to our mission to make doing business seamless and secure. We are guided by these principles as we create a representative and impactful team, and a culture where everyone belongs. For more information on our commitments to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, visit the Corporate Responsibility page of our website.

Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the