Principal Software Engineer (Cortex Xpanse)

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 to join the Cortex Xpanse team in Santa Clara, California. This role focuses on building scalable backend services and APIs while working on the Attack Surface Management platform. Candidates should have 7+ years of software engineering experience, proficiency in languages such as Python or Java, and a solid understanding of API design. An annual salary ranges from $147,000 to $237,500, depending on qualifications and experience.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience in software engineering.
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or Golang.
• Extensive experience with API design and development.
• Working knowledge of data processing frameworks and tools.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain core services and data pipelines.
• Collaborate on architecture strategy and solutions.
• Drive technical best practices within the organization.
• Take ownership of projects and support them in production.

Skills

Software engineering

Python

Java

Golang

API design

Data pipelines

ETL processes

Cloud platforms

Mentoring

Tools

Apache Spark

Apache Beam

Job description

Job Summary

The Cortex Xpanse group is growing, and we’re looking for a Principal Software Engineer to join our team. This team is at the forefront of identifying and mitigating external security risks by continuously discovering and analyzing our customers' internet-facing assets. Your work will directly contribute to providing a comprehensive and actionable view of the external attack surface, enabling proactive security measures.

As a Principal Software Engineer on this team, you will contribute to the entire development lifecycle of our systems. Your responsibilities will range from designing and building scalable backend services and APIs to developing robust frameworks and internal tools. You will work on creating efficient, reliable systems that support our platform's core functionalities and enable other engineering teams to build and innovate effectively.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain the core services and data pipelines for our Attack Surface Management platform.
• Take part in architecture strategy sessions—work with your colleagues to design solutions that accommodate the requirements of the various modules across Cortex.
• Collaborate with your team to solve problems, reduce technical debt, and evolve development practices.
• Drive technical best practices and evangelize new technologies within the engineering organization.
• Collaborate with other engineers and ensure that your team delivers high-quality output.
• Take ownership of projects, drive them to completion, and support them in production.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience in software engineering, with a proven track record of designing, developing, deploying, and supporting complex, scalable software systems.
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Python, Java, or Golang.
• Extensive experience with API design and development, including RESTful APIs and microservices architecture.
• Demonstrated experience in building and maintaining data pipelines and ETL processes.
• Working knowledge of data processing frameworks and tools (e.g., Apache Spark, Apache Beam, or similar).
• Significant experience with software development best practices, including CI/CD, automated testing, and agile methodologies.
• Significant experience working with at least one major cloud platform (e.g., GCP, AWS, or Azure), and their data services.
• Proven experience driving design and implementation of technical solutions in the face of ambiguity—we will ask you about this.
• Experience and interest in mentoring other engineers in order to contribute to the technical growth of the team.

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.

$147,000.00 - $237,500.00/yr

A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

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].

Equal Opportunity Employer

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.

Immigration Sponsorship

Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.