Principal AI Tool Engineer for Software Automation/Testing

Palo Alto Networks, Inc.; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 147,000 - 237,500; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. is seeking a highly experienced testing engineer to design and develop testing frameworks for AI/ML models and LLM applications. You will build automated pipelines for model validation, regression testing, and benchmarking and collaborate with engineers and product teams to define test strategies.

The role emphasizes evaluating datasets, synthetic data, and safety metrics, plus monitoring model performance in production and ensuring adherence to ethical AI standards.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in software engineering, QA automation, or ML engineering.
• Strong programming skills in Python (preferred).
• Experience with testing frameworks (PyTest, unittest).
• Familiarity with APIs, distributed systems, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and software design principles.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop testing frameworks for AI/ML models and LLM applications.
• Build automated pipelines for model validation, regression testing, and benchmarking.
• Create evaluation datasets, synthetic data, and test scenarios for edge cases.
• Implement metrics to assess accuracy, robustness, latency, and safety.
• Develop tools for prompt testing, output validation, and hallucination detection.
• Collaborate with engineers and product teams to define test strategies.
• Monitor model performance in production and build alerting systems.
• Ensure compliance with ethical AI standards, fairness, and bias testing.
• Debug model behavior and identify root causes of failures.
• Demonstrate analytical thinking and problem-solving.

Skills

Python

Testing frameworks

APIs

CI/CD

Distributed systems

ML concepts

Model evaluation

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in CS/AI/ML

Tools

LangChain

OpenAI Evals

CI/CD tooling

Job description

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

• Design and develop testing frameworks for AI/ML models and LLM applications
• Build automated pipelines for model validation, regression testing, and benchmarking
• Create evaluation datasets, synthetic data, and test scenarios for edge cases
• Implement metrics to assess accuracy, robustness, latency, and safety
• Develop tools for prompt testing, output validation, and hallucination detection
• Collaborate with engineers, and product teams to define test strategies
• Monitor model performance in production and build alerting systems
• Ensure compliance with ethical AI standards, fairness, and bias testing
• Debug model behavior and identify root causes of failures
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• Attention to detail and quality-focused mindset
• Strong collaboration and communication skills
• Ability to design scalable and reusable testing systems

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, or related field
• 8+ years of experience in software engineering, QA automation, or ML engineering
• Strong programming skills in Python (preferred) or similar languages
• Experience with testing frameworks (e.g., PyTest, unittest)
• Familiarity with machine learning concepts and model evaluation techniques
• Experience working with APIs, distributed systems, and CI/CD pipelines
• Knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and software design principles

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with LLMs and prompt engineering
• Familiarity with evaluation tools like LangChain, OpenAI Evals, or similar frameworks
• Knowledge of AI safety, bias detection, and adversarial testing
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, and Azure)
• Understanding of observability tools and monitoring systems
• Exposure to synthetic data generation and simulation environments

#LI-BL1

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/com-missioned roles) is expected to be the annual range listed below. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

$147,000.00 - $237,500.00/yr

Our Commitment

We’re trailblazers that dream big, 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 [e-mail].

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