Principal Software Engineer (Cloud Platform and AI Engineering)

Jobs Paloaltonetworks; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 147,000 - 238,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a Principal Software Engineer for the ATP Cloud team to own the AI-powered platform vision and to shape agentic workflows within our cloud services on GCP. You will influence product direction, mentor engineers, and drive AI-driven solutions across production systems.

The role emphasizes architecture, scalability, and hands-on development with Python/Go, Kubernetes, and modern AI tooling, in a fast-paced, in-person office setting in Santa Clara, CA.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Computer Science or equivalent
• 8+ years of experience on large cloud infrastructure platforms
• Strong Python and/or GoLang skills
• Hands-on experience building AI agents or agentic workflows
• Experience with MCP or similar agent-tool integration patterns
• Experience with LLMs, prompt engineering, and backend AI integration
• Solid knowledge of distributed systems and microservices
• Rich GCP experience with Vertex AI, Pub/Sub, GKE, Cloud Run
• Kubernetes and Docker proficiency
• SQL and NoSQL (MySQL, Redis, BigQuery) knowledge

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture and technical roadmap for AI agentic workflows
• Design and scale backend systems on GCP integrating AI capabilities
• Drive adoption of Vertex AI tools and define AI agent deployment practices
• Collaborate with product, researchers and AI teams to translate problems into AI solutions
• Set engineering standards for building and operating AI-augmented services
• Mentor engineers to grow cloud and AI expertise

Skills

Python

GoLang

AI agents

GCP

Kubernetes

Docker

Linux

Distributed systems

Microservices

LLMs

Education

BS/MS in Computer Science or equivalent

Tools

Vertex AI Agent Builder

Google ADK

Pub/Sub

GKE

Cloud Run

Secret Manager

NGINX

Envoy

BigQuery

MySQL

Redis

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

Our ATP Cloud team is at the forefront of integrating AI into cybersecurity infrastructure — building intelligent systems that fundamentally change how we detect, respond to, and resolve incidents at scale. As a Principal Software Engineer, you will own the technical vision for our AI-powered platform, shaping how agentic workflows and LLM-driven automation are built into the backbone of our cloud services on GCP. This is a high-impact role where your decisions will directly influence product direction and team growth.

Your Impact

• Own the architecture and technical roadmap for AI agentic workflows that automate complex operational and engineering challenges
• Design and scale backend systems on GCP that seamlessly integrate AI capabilities into production services
• Drive the adoption of GCP-native AI tools (Vertex AI Agent Builder, Google ADK) and define how our team builds and ships AI agents
• Partner with product managers, cybersecurity researchers, and AI application teams to translate business problems into AI-driven solutions
• Set the engineering bar for the team — establish best practices for building, testing, and operating AI-augmented services in production
• Influence technical direction across the organization and mentor engineers to grow their cloud and AI expertise

Qualifications

Your Experience

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or equivalent military experience required
• 8+ years of experience working on large cloud infrastructure platforms
• Strong proficiency in Python and/or GoLang
• Hands‑on experience building AI agents or agentic workflows (e.g., using Google ADK, Vertex AI Agent Builder, or custom agent frameworks)
• Experience with MCP (Model Context Protocol) or similar agent‑tool integration patterns
• Practical experience working with LLMs, prompt engineering, and integrating AI models into backend services
• Experience building semantic layers, KV caching, or similar techniques to optimize LLM performance and reduce inference cost
• Solid skills in multi‑threaded and multi‑process programming and experience in distributed systems
• Strong microservice development experience
• Rich GCP experience and its suite of managed services (Vertex AI, Pub/Sub, GKE, Cloud Run, Secret Manager)
• Solid knowledge and skills in Linux, Kubernetes, and Docker
• Solid knowledge of web servers/proxies such as NGINX, Envoy
• Comprehensive experience with SQL and NoSQL technologies such as MySQL, Redis, BigQuery
• Hands‑on experience with messaging/queuing systems such as Pub/Sub or Kafka
• Solid understanding of system design, scalability, optimization, and performance metrics
• Exceptional problem‑solving skills and the ability to work in a fast‑paced environment
• Teamwork, problem‑solving, and a can‑do attitude

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