Principal Architect, Software Tools & Platform Engineering

Palo Alto Networks; California; Hybrid; USD 147,000 - 238,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to craft high-quality, scalable software. You’ll bridge R&D and DevOps needs, building tools that boost productivity and reliability across production systems.

You will lead design reviews, implement robust infrastructure, and contribute to documentation and tooling used across our Cortex DevOps teams. This role emphasizes hands-on coding, architecture, and collaboration in a hybrid office environment.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree or equivalent practical experience in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering or equivalent military experience
• Proficiency with software development in one or more programming languages (Python preferred)
• Experience developing large-scale infrastructure, distributed systems or networks, or Compute/storage/hardware architecture
• Experience with major Cloud Providers
• Experience with microservices architecture with Kubernetes
• Proficiency in code health, diagnosis, and software test engineering

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement resilient infrastructure solutions with a focus on performance, security, and sound 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, guiding design decisions and practices
• Maintain/build resilient infrastructure focused on performance, security, and sound design practices
• Provide expert-level code reviews and feedback on style, accuracy, testability, efficiency and code quality
• Spearhead creation and improvement of technical documentation and standards
• Provide advanced operational support and lead troubleshooting for Cortex DevOps Tooling tools and applications

Skills

Python

Kubernetes

Cloud platforms

Distributed systems

Microservices

Testing & QA

Education

Graduate degree or equivalent practical experience in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering

Job description

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to craft high-quality, scalable software. You’ll bridge R&D and DevOps needs, building tools that boost productivity and reliability across production systems.

You will lead design reviews, implement robust infrastructure, and contribute to documentation and tooling used across our Cortex DevOps teams. This role emphasizes hands-on coding, architecture, and collaboration in a hybrid office environment.