Principal Software Engineer (Cortex Platform)

Jobs Paloaltonetworks; California; On-site; USD 147,000 - 238,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a Principal Backend Engineer to join the Cortex backend engineering group. You will help build and scale the Cortex Platform, contributing to products like XSOAR, XDR, and XSIAM, while shaping shared infrastructure for thousands of customers.

You will lead full-stack backend efforts, mentor teammates, and drive architectural decisions in a fast-paced security-focused environment. The role emphasizes production readiness and innovative problem solving.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience developing scalable server-side apps.
• 7+ years hands-on Go and/or Python programming.
• Experience with major cloud platforms (GCP, AWS, Azure).
• Proven microservices architecture experience.
• Strong CS fundamentals and distributed computing knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end backend feature development from design to maintenance.
• Collaborate with peers across teams to integrate solutions.
• Participate in code reviews, design reviews, and architecture decisions.
• Maintain production-first mindset with real-time issue mitigation.
• Explore new technologies to scale and improve Cortex Platform.
• Design elegant, scalable, maintainable backend services.
• Mentor junior engineers and share knowledge.

Skills

Backend engineering

Go

Python

Cloud platforms

Microservices

Distributed systems

Education

Bachelor/Master in CS

Tools

Kubernetes

Docker

Serverless

BigQuery/Elasticsearch

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 Team

Cortex – Cortex is a world‑leading cybersecurity platform that provides comprehensive security solutions to protect organizations from advanced threats. Our team develops and maintains the core components of the Cortex platform, including the data pipeline, analytics engine, and user interface. We are a fast‑paced, innovative team passionate about building the best security products in the world.

Job Summary

We are seeking a Principal Backend Engineer to join our Cortex backend engineering group, a team dedicated to developing, innovating, and scaling the Cortex Platform. In this role, you will contribute to the core backend of Cortex products like XSOAR, XDR, and XSIAM, as well as shared infrastructure. We are looking for a passionate engineer with a can‑do attitude who thrives on solving complex problems and delivering value to thousands of customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end backend development of features and components, from design and development to testing, deployment, and maintenance.
• Collaborate effectively with peers across diverse teams and disciplines to shape solutions and ensure seamless integration with other product components.
• Drive team‑wide technical excellence by actively participating in code reviews, design reviews, and architectural decisions.
• Maintain a production‑first mindset, providing real‑time mitigation and solutions to production issues to ensure platform stability and customer satisfaction.
• Challenge the status quo by exploring and applying new technologies and methodologies to innovate and scale the Cortex Platform.
• Simplify complex systems by designing and implementing elegant, scalable, and maintainable backend services.
• Mentor junior engineers, empowering others by sharing knowledge and fostering a culture of technical growth and accountability.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience, including the development of scalable server‑side applications.
• 7+ years of extensive hands‑on programming skills in Go and/or Python.
• Proven experience with major cloud platforms (e.g., GCP, AWS, Azure).
• Deep understanding of and experience with Microservices architecture (e.g., Kubernetes, Docker, Serverless).
• Strong computer science fundamentals and experience with distributed computing concepts (e.g., CAP theorem, master election, distributed databases).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with big‑data architectures using technologies like Kafka, Splunk, or Flink.
• Hands‑on experience with both SQL and NoSQL databases (e.g., BigQuery, Elasticsearch).
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure‑as‑code practices.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity, information security, or software security principles.

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