Principal Engineer Software, Tools and Platforms (Cortex)

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

We seek a Principal Software Engineer who is first and foremost a software craftsman with a passion for building innovative tools and platforms. The ideal candidate will possess a deep-rooted background in software engineering and a strong understanding of the needs and challenges of R&D and DevOps teams. This role is for a true developer at heart, someone who excels at building high-quality, maintainable, and scalable software. If you have a passion for creating tools that enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and support the operational needs of a growing infrastructure, you're the candidate we're looking for.

Your Impact

• Architect and implement resilient infrastructure solutions, with a strong focus on performance, security, and sound system design principles.
• Write product or system development code.
• Lead the design and development of complex product and system features.
• Initiate and lead technical design reviews with peers and stakeholders, driving decisions on best design practices and architectural patterns.
• Maintain/build resilient infrastructure focused on performance, security, and sound system design practices
• Provide expert-level code reviews, offering in-depth feedback on best practices, including style, accuracy, testability, efficiency, and overall code quality.
• Spearhead the creation and improvement of technical documentation, establishing standards and best practices.
• Provide advanced operational support and lead troubleshooting efforts for tools and applications maintained by the Cortex DevOps Tooling team.

Your Experience 

• Graduate degree or equivalent practical experience in the field of Computer Science or Electrical Engineering or equivalent military experience
• Proficiency with software development in one or more programming languages (Python preferred)
• Proficiency in developing large-scale infrastructure, distributed systems or networks, or experience with Compute technologies, storage, or hardware architecture
• Proficiency with any major Cloud Provider(s)
• Experience with developing, deploying, and/or maintaining micro-services architecture with Kubernetes
• Proficiency in code and system health, diagnosis and resolution, and software test engineering

The Team

As part of Palo Alto Networks' Cortex DevOps Tooling team, you will be at the heart of our software-driven approach to infrastructure and operations. Our team is the powerhouse behind the infrastructure, cost optimization, and security, driving customer tenants' orchestration and lifecycle management across our suite of SaaS products, including XDR, XSIAM, XPANSE, and XSOAR. In the Cortex DevOps Tooling group, you'll play a pivotal role in architecting, building, and refining the sophisticated internal platform tools vital to our engineering teams' productivity and innovation. As a software engineer on our team, you will ensure robust and scalable solutions, driving operational excellence through top-tier software development.

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 $176000/YR - $234500/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