Principal Software Engineer - Back End (Wildfire)

Palo Alto Networks; California (MO); On-site; USD 147,000 - 238,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to shape the Threat Intelligence Services for cloud features across public and private environments.

You will participate in the full product lifecycle, contribute to the WildFire malware detection platform, and drive cloud-native architecture on GCP with microservices that scale to high submission rates. Leadership and collaboration with product managers and DevOps are essential.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of hands-on, principal level software engineer experience.
• Advanced programming in Python and GoLang.
• Experience designing microservices using containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience with AWS or GCP and cloud-native solutions.
• Knowledge of DevOps workflows and data infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement Threat Intelligence Services for public and private cloud features.
• Participate in all phases of the product lifecycle from definition to test.
• Work on the malware detection platform, WildFire.
• Lead design/deployment/scaling of cloud-native architecture on GCP.
• Drive architecture redesign to introduce microservices for high submission rates.

Skills

Python

GoLang

Docker

Kubernetes

Public Cloud

DevOps

Data infrastructure

SQL/NoSQL

Messaging systems

Leadership

Education

BS/MS in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

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

Your Career: As a Principal Software Engineer, you will play a key role in the design and implementation of our Threat Intelligence Services for public and private cloud features.

Participate in all phases of the product development lifecycle from definition, design, through implementation and test.

Bring your software engineering expertise to work on our cutting edge malware detection platform, WildFire.

Participate in the design, deployment and scaling of our architecture as we transform it by using cloud native solutions on GCP.

Lead the redesign of the architecture to introduce appropriate microservices to process high rates of sample submissions.

The Team

We are the Threat Prevention and Cloud Service Infrastructure team. We are at the core of our products and deliver the best of security services in the cloud to prevent cyberattacks.

We are constantly innovating and challenging the way we, and the whole industry, think about cybersecurity.

Your Impact

• Bring new ideas to develop security disciplines to solve real‑world problems
• Design and implement real‑time security services to our customers
• Establish a clear technical and architectural vision for key projects
• Collaborate closely with the product managers, architects and dev‑ops to achieve quality releases
• Make appropriate trade‑offs to optimize time‑to‑release while maintaining performance and scalability requirements
• Play a key role design/re‑design by using cloud native GCP solutions
• Promote best practices such as design reviews, code reviews, secure coding and performance tuning
• Mentoring junior developers

Qualifications

Your Experience

• 8+ years of hands‑on, principal level software engineer implementing massively scalable platforms leveraging cloud technologies and distributed systems
• Advanced level programming in Python, GoLang
• Experience designing microservices architecture using containerization technologies like Docker or Kubernetes
• Demonstrated experience working with Public Cloud Services such as AWS or GCP and designing cloud‑native solutions
• Knowledge of the DevOps workflow
• Experience with data infrastructure platforms
• Experience with SQL and No‑SQL DB technologies such as MySQL, Redis, BigTable, BigQuery
• Experience with the queuing system such as RabbitMQ or Kafka or PubSub
• Experience with multi‑threads and multi‑processes achieving a common goal
• Experience in leading and doing big projects end to end
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills required
• BS/MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related field

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.

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