Principal Product Designer : Design Systems (Net Sec)

Palo Alto Networks; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 137,500 - 222,375; Full time

Job summary

A cybersecurity company is seeking a Principal Product Designer to enhance its design system and collaborate closely with engineers. This role requires expertise in product design, proficiency in front-end technologies, and a data-driven approach. Responsibilities include modernizing the design system using GenAI, transforming workflows into appealing user experiences, and ensuring design and production alignment. Applicants should have 6+ years of experience and knowledge of accessibility standards. This position is based in Santa Clara, CA, with a hybrid work model.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of Product Design Experience, focus on systems and UI libraries.
• Proficiency in front-end technologies.
• Understanding of accessibility standards.

Responsibilities

• Modernize and Scale the Design System with GenAI.
• Transform workflows into user-friendly experiences.
• Build functional prototypes using HTML/CSS/JS.
• Bridge the gap between design and production.

Skills

Product Design Experience

Technical Proficiency in HTML/CSS/JS

Understanding of WCAG guidelines

Systems-Thinking Mindset

Tooling and Governance Experience

Collaborative and Data-driven

Tools

Figma

Front-end Frameworks

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

As part of our Network Security (NetSec) Platform team, you’ll help shape intuitive, scalable experiences for complex enterprise environments. You’ll drive impact by elevating our design system into a flexible, empowering platform that supports both product delivery and design excellence, end‑to‑end, from concept to code.

About The Role

This isn’t a typical design role. You’ll be on the front lines, defining how GenAI and design intersect at our company. We’re looking for a hybrid Principal Product Designer who lives at the intersection of design and systems. You’re a collaborative builder who thrives in a fast‑paced environment. You love bringing ideas to life, crafting everything from polished demos to high‑fidelity components that get your team aligned and excited. You’re driven to constantly push your craft, delivering smart, scalable templates, and partnering closely with engineers to ensure high‑quality, file‑to‑production alignment through shared tooling and languages. Success in this role means reducing dev handoff friction by driving 100% parity between Figma tokens and our production codebase and defining scalable governance models with GenAI. To foster the collaboration this role needs, you’ll join us at our Santa Clara, CA office at least three days a week as part of our hybrid in‑office model.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Modernize and Scale our Design System with GenAI: Design components and build custom Figma plug‑ins. You will create integrations and leverage MCP (Model Context Protocol) and GenAI‑native design tools (like FigmaMake, Cursor, Lovable, and Polymet) to accelerate workflows and define our future standards of excellence.
• Design In‑Product: Transform mundane workflows into delightful experiences. You’ll deliver quality‑of‑life features based on customer feedback from concept to final implementation, using data and usability testing to inform design decisions.
• Prototype with Intent: Go beyond static mocks. You will build functional prototyping kits using HTML/CSS/JS to test complex GenAI interactions that standard design tools can’t capture.
• Bridge the Gap to Production: Ensure Figma components and their code counterparts remain in sync. You’ll define Component Architecture (variants, props, and slots) and leverage Design Tokens to create a seamless workflow for both designers and developers.

Qualifications

What You Should Have

• 6+ years of Product Design Experience, with expertise in creating and evolving systems, UI libraries, and token‑based architecture using Figma and front‑end frameworks.
• Technical Expertise: Proficiency in front‑end fundamentals (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript). You are comfortable speaking the language of engineers and understanding the constraints of modern frameworks.
• Accessibility: A strong understanding of WCAG guidelines to ensure our design system and product experiences are inclusive by default.
• Systems‑Thinking Mindset: Ability to connect design patterns to product goals, workflows, and constraints, with a focus on scalability and practical implementation.
• Tooling and Governance: Experience with scalable contribution models and governance practices that enable efficiency without slowing progress.
• Collaborative and Data‑driven: A track record of driving execution independently while using user feedback to continuously improve the experience.

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.

$137,500.00 - $222,375.00/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.