Principal Software Engineer

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks®, we’re united by a shared mission—to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you’re ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you’re in the right place.

Who We Are

In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us!

We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Summary

We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join our high-impact engineering team. In this role, you will be instrumental in architecting, building, and maintaining the mission-critical UVEM network scanner services and on-prem engines.

As a proactive self-starter, you will lead the development of modern cloud services, network scanner engine, ensuring seamless scalability across diverse user profiles and global regions. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive innovation in a fast-paced environment where your work directly impacts the security posture of organizations worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Architecture & Design: Spearhead the design and implementation of highly scalable, secure, and performant backend services and on-prem network scanner engines.

• Cloud Development: Build and manage modern cloud-native services, primarily within the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) ecosystem.

• API Excellence: Design and maintain robust, RESTful APIs that serve both internal stakeholders and external global customers.

• Data Modeling: Architect complex data models across both relational (SQL) and non-relational databases to ensure data integrity and high availability.

• Performance Optimization: Use advanced data structures and algorithms to solve complex computational problems and optimize system latency.

• Production Reliability: Troubleshoot, maintain, and enhance production-level code, ensuring high uptime and reliability for new and existing services.

• DevOps Integration: Collaborate with CI/CD pipelines and containerization strategies (Docker/Kubernetes) to streamline deployment and configuration management.

• Mentorship & Collaboration: Work within an Agile environment, participating in peer code reviews and contributing to the technical growth of the team.

Qualifications

Technical Core:

• 6+ years of professional experience in security industry software engineering.

• Expert-level proficiency in at least one typed programming language (e.g., Golang, C/C++, python).

• Strong foundation in Operating Systems and network security.

Tools & Infrastructure:

• Hands-on experience with Containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).

• Experience with Cloud Computing platforms (GCP preferred; AWS/Azure also valued).

• Proficiency in CI/CD workflows and configuration management (GitLab CI preferred).

Soft Skills & Domain Knowledge:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts.

• A meticulous attention to detail and a "security-first" mindset.

• Experience working in Agile/Scrum development environments.

• Desirable: Knowledge of cybersecurity principles, Exposure management, Vulnerability management, Network Scanner

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 l