Principal Escalation Engineer (Next Generation Firewall / Cloud Security)

Palo Alto Networks, Inc.; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 2,500,000 - 4,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. in Bengaluru seeks a Principal Escalation Engineer (Customer Engineering) to blend customer management with deep network and security expertise, driving escalations toward resolution, product feedback, and strong client relationships.

You will lead Sev1/Sev2 incident management, perform RCA with log tracing and PCAP analysis, mentor juniors, and coordinate with product and engineering teams to verify fixes and improve quality.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in IT with support or troubleshooting background.
• Deep knowledge of OSI layers 1‑7 and network protocols.
• Experience with BGP/OSPF routing and VPN technologies.
• Cloud networking exposure (AWS/Azure/GCP) and Linux/Python skills.
• Experience with LLМ‑based debugging tools is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead incident management for Sev1/Sev2 escalations across cloud networks.
• Perform RCA with log tracing, packet analysis, and code‑level digs.
• Coordinate between customers and product/engineering for fixes.
• Mentor junior engineers and promote best incident practices.
• Drive day‑to‑day problem resolution and tool development.

Skills

Incident Management

Root Cause Analysis

Cross‑functional Collaboration

Mentorship

Cloud Networking

Linux & Python

Education

BE/B.Tech or equivalent

Tools

Wireshark

PCAP analysis

Packet crafting

Job description

Principal Escalation Engineer (Customer Engineering)

This highly visible, senior‑level position in the customer engineering team requires out‑of‑box thinking and deep technical insight. The ideal candidate will blend customer management with expertise in telecommunications equipment and internet traffic, handling escalations that drive resolution, product improvement, and strong client relationships.

Key Responsibilities and Requirements

• Incident Management: Leading war rooms and managing Sev1/Sev2 incidents to resolve complex technical blockers across cloud infrastructures, distributed systems, and networks.
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Triaging escalated issues and performing deep‑dive diagnostics, log tracing, and code‑level investigations to eliminate recurring problems.
• Cross‑functional Collaboration: Acting as the primary liaison between customers and internal product/engineering teams to validate permanent bug fixes and improve overall product quality.
• Technical Requirements: 7+ years of industry experience with deep domain knowledge (Layer 1‑7 OSI networking, packet capture analysis, dynamic routing BGP/OSPF, firewall/VPN technologies, and advanced troubleshooting via tools like Wireshark).
• Mentorship: Advising and mentoring junior engineers while promoting best practices in incident management and problem resolution.

Your Impact

• Understand escalation processes, identify gaps, and drive process improvements.
• Collaborate with internal support, service delivery, and account teams to provide solutions to critical customer situations.
• Support and drive customer get‑well plans.
• Debug, break‑fix, and collaborate with internal engineering teams on issues.
• Coordinate day‑to‑day problem resolution to ensure timely outcomes.
• Co‑develop innovative tools to aid troubleshooting and resolution.

Qualifications

Your Experience

• BE/B.Tech or equivalent technical graduation is mandatory.
• Overall 7+ years of experience in IT industry with relevant background in support service, technical support, or similar troubleshooting roles.
• Deep knowledge of network operations/protocols (TCP/UDP, IPv4/IPv6, VLSM/CIDR, NAT) and authentication protocols (LDAP, TACACS+, Radius).
• Layer 1‑7 OSI troubleshooting.
• Configuration and troubleshooting of dynamic routing protocols (primarily BGP and OSPF).
• Hardware, software, and cloud‑based troubleshooting for network security equipment.
• Remote Access VPN support, including IPSEC, PKI & SSL technologies.
• Experience with cloud networking and instances on AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• PCAP analysis via Wireshark and other tools; packet crafting/replay and traffic generation tools.
• Linux and Python knowledge.
• Experience developing or using LLM‑based debug tools.
• Knowledge of C, C++ and Python programming languages (good to have).
• Relevant certifications (AWS, GCP, Azure, JNCIE, CCIE, etc.) are an advantage.

The Team

NGFW Customer Engineering team is the voice of the customers into engineering, optimizing Engineering‑Customer interactions by resolving critical customer situations and improving the factors leading to escalations.

Our Commitment

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 [e-mail].

All applicants are considered under the guidelines of equal opportunity employment and are protected by federal and state laws. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.