Principal Software Development Engineer - Rust

Zscaler; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 5,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time off plans

Parental leave options

Retirement options

In-office perks

Job summary

Zscaler is seeking a Principal Software Development Engineer - Rust to join our team in a hybrid role. You will design and scale high-performance backend services for our converged platform, mentoring engineers and collaborating across teams to deliver robust distributed systems.

The role emphasizes ownership, architectural excellence, and impactful execution. Applicants should have extensive Rust experience, proficiency with async frameworks, and a track record in building scalable, observable

Qualifications

• Foundational understanding of AI/ML and applying AI-driven solutions to optimize outcomes in your domain.
• 14+ years of software development experience with emphasis on systems programming and Rust.
• Extensive experience with async frameworks such as Tokio or async-std.
• Proven track record building resilient, observable, and horizontally scalable distributed systems.
• Deep understanding of Linux fundamentals, networking, container-based environments, CI/CD, and kernel-user space interaction.

Responsibilities

• Design and build a low-latency, high-throughput data forwarding plane using Rust and async/await models for efficient service-oriented infrastructure
• Develop distributed, scalable systems with a focus on concurrency, fault tolerance, and messaging
• Implement and maintain gRPC-based APIs to integrate forwarding plane with control and orchestration layers
• Optimize system performance through deep profiling across kernel-space and user-space
• Drive technical excellence through code reviews, architecture discussions, documentation, and mentoring engineers

Skills

AI/ML foundations

Rust programming in systems

Async frameworks (Tokio/async-std)

Distributed systems design

Linux fundamentals & kernel-user space

Tools

gRPC

Protobufs

eBPF/DPDK

Job description

Principal Software Development Engineer - Rust

About Zscaler

Zscaler accelerates digital transformation to ensure our customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. As an AI-forward enterprise, we are constantly pushing the envelope, leveraging the world’s largest security data lake to power our cloud-native Zero Trust Exchange platform. This innovation protects our customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location.

Here, impact in your role matters more than title and trust is built on results. We say, impact over activity. We seek innovators who actively use AI to amplify their impact and who thrive in an environment where we leverage intelligent systems to stay ahead of evolving threats. We believe in transparency and value constructive, honest debate—We're focused on getting to the best ideas, faster. We build high-performing teams that can make an impact quickly and with high quality. To do this, we are building a culture of execution centered on customer obsession, collaboration, ownership, and accountability.

We value high-impact, high-accountability with a sense of urgency where you're enabled to do your best work and embrace your potential. If you're driven by purpose, thrive on solving complex challenges, and want to be part of the team that’s helping to secure the AI age, we invite you to bring your talents to Zscaler and help shape the future of cybersecurity.

Role

We are looking for a Principal Software Engineer to join our team. This is a hybrid role, reporting to the Sr. Director of Software Engineering in the Platform Convergence department. In this role, you will design and scale high-performance backend services to drive the evolution of our converged platform. You will collaborate across teams to build robust distributed systems while mentoring engineers to uphold technical excellence.

What you’ll do (Role Expectations)

• Design and build a low-latency, high-throughput data forwarding plane using Rust and async/await models for efficient service-oriented infrastructure
• Develop distributed, scalable systems with a heavy focus on concurrency, fault tolerance, and messaging
• Implement and maintain gRPC-based APIs and services to integrate forwarding plane capabilities with control and orchestration layers
• Optimize system performance through deep profiling across kernel-space and user-space
• Drive technical excellence through code reviews, architectural discussions, documentation, and mentoring junior engineers

Who You Are (Success Profile)

• You thrive in ambiguity. You're comfortable building the path as you walk it. You thrive in a dynamic environment, seeing ambiguity not as a hindrance, but as the raw material to build something meaningful.
• You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action. You operate with integrity because you genuinely care about the outcome. True ownership involves leveraging dynamic range: the ability to navigate seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands‑on execution.
• You are a problem-solver. You love running towards the challenges because you are laser-focused on finding the solution, knowing that solving the hard problems delivers the biggest impact.
• You are a high‑trust collaborator. You are ambitious for the team, not just yourself. You embrace our challenge culture by giving and receiving ongoing feedback—knowing that candor delivered with clarity and respect is the truest form of teamwork and the fastest way to earn trust.
• You are a learner. You have a true growth mindset and are obsessed with your own development, actively seeking feedback to become a better partner and a stronger teammate. You love what you do and you do it with purpose.

What We’re Looking for (Minimum Qualifications)

• Foundational understanding of AI/ML technologies and experience leveraging, securing, or positioning AI-driven solutions to optimize outcomes within your functional domain
• 14+ years of software development experience with specific expertise in systems programming and Rust
• Extensive experience with async frameworks such as Tokio or async-std
• Proven track record of building resilient, observable, and horizontally scalable distributed systems
• Deep understanding of Linux fundamentals, networking, container-based environments, CI/CD, and kernel-user space interaction

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience leveraging AI-assisted developer tools, automated profiling, or AI acceleration libraries to optimize low-latency software architecture
• Professional experience with systems languages like C/C++ or Go in performance‑critical environments and kernel‑space technologies like eBPF, XDP, or DPDK
• Hands‑on experience with gRPC, Protobufs, and L2-L4 networking protocols including TCP/IP, UDP, and QUIC

#LI-RM6 #LI-Hybrid

At Zscaler, we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure.

Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families throughout their life stages, including:

• Time off plans for vacation and sick time
• Parental leave options
• Retirement options
• In-office perks, and more!

Learn more about Zscaler's hybrid working model and benefitshere .

By applying for this role, you adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and Zscaler policies, including those related to security and privacy standards and guidelines.

Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions), age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. See more information by clicking on the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal link.

Pay Transparency

Zscaler complies with all applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency rules.

Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled, have long term conditions, mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy‑related support.