Principal Engineer - Cortex Xpanse, Collections

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

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. seeks a Principal Software Engineer for the Collections team within the Cortex Xpanse ASM platform. This role focuses on designing distributed systems to map the internet and building high-throughput data pipelines essential for Xpanse’s operations.

The ideal candidate should have at least 8 years of experience, proficiency in Java or Golang, and a deep understanding of distributed systems. The position offers a competitive salary range from $147,000 to $237,500 annually.

Qualifications

• At least 8 years of experience in software engineering focused on backend systems.
• Strong proficiency in Java or Golang.
• Experience with real-time streaming or batch processing data pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Build, optimize, and scale distributed backend systems in Go.
• Develop data collection pipelines using Apache Beam.
• Investigate new data sources for customer impact analysis.

Skills

8+ years of professional software engineering experience

Proficiency in Java or Golang

Experience with data pipelines

Distributed systems knowledge

Cloud platform experience (GCP, AWS, Azure)

Tools

GCP

Kubernetes

Terraform

Apache Beam

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

The Collections team is the foundational engine behind the Cortex Xpanse Attack Surface Management (ASM) platform. We architect, scale, and orchestrate global internet-scale discovery and scanning infrastructure. In this role, you will design distributed systems that continuously map the entire IPv4 and IPv6 internet, while building high-throughput data pipelines to create the foundation for Xpanse’s Attack Surface Management. As a Principal Software Engineer, you will drive the design of scalable services and collaborate with engineering peers, product managers, and leadership to execute end-to-end, mission‑critical initiatives that directly impact our platform’s success.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, optimize, and scale distributed backend scanning systems in Go.
• Design and develop robust data collection pipelines using Apache Beam and Java multithreading frameworks.
• Investigate new data sources and perform data analysis to estimate customer impact.
• Take ownership of projects, drive them to completion, and support them in production.
• Partner with engineering peers and product managers to define product strategy and enable the creation of new customer‑facing features.
• Mentor and grow engineers, setting a high bar for technical excellence, architecture design, and system reliability.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience building backend systems.
• Proficiency in Java or Golang is preferred, though strong experience with other modern backend languages is welcome.
• Experience building data pipelines for real-time streaming or batch processing.
• Experience with distributed systems, API design, and decoupling complex data architectures.
• Experience with at least one major cloud platform (GCP, AWS, or Azure).

Preferred Qualifications

• Have expertise with any of the following: GCP, Kubernetes, Terraform, BigQuery, PostgreSQL, MySQL, BigTable, Apache Beam.
• Familiarity with low-level Internet protocols and high-throughput network scanning.
• Experience with cybersecurity, attack surface management, or internet measurement domains.

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? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.