Principal Software Test Engineer (Strata Cloud Manager)

ZipRecruiter; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 147,000 - 226,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dynamic engineering team as a Principal Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) focused on building a scalable cloud management platform at a leading cybersecurity firm. You will design and execute automated testing strategies to ensure high-quality products and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams. This role offers the opportunity to lead initiatives and contribute significantly to cybersecurity advancements.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience as a Software Developer, SDET, or Test Engineer.
• Expertise in test automation methodologies and tools.
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or JavaScript.

Responsibilities

• Designing and developing test automation for the security platform.
• Creating comprehensive test plans covering all customer use cases.
• Collaborating with Software Engineering and Product Management teams.

Skills

Test Automation

SDET Methodologies

Collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

GitLab CI/CD Pipelines

REST APIs

Selenium

Python/Pytest

JavaScript

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks, everything starts and ends with our mission: to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life. Our vision is a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. We are a company built on challenging and disrupting the way things are done, and we’re looking for innovators committed to shaping the future of cybersecurity.

Who We Are

We take our mission seriously. We are relentless in protecting our customers, and we believe that the unique ideas of every team member contribute to our success. Our values, crowdsourced from employees, are reflected in our culture of disruptive innovation, collaboration, integrity, and inclusion.

As part of our team, you will help shape the future of cybersecurity. We work fast, value ongoing learning, and respect each individual. Our development and wellbeing programs, including FLEXBenefits, mental and financial health resources, and personalized learning, support diverse needs.

We value collaboration and in-person interactions, typically working full-time from our office with flexibility where needed, fostering casual conversations, problem-solving, and trusted relationships.

Job Description

The Cloud Management Platform is a public cloud-delivered management platform for Palo Alto Networks' next-generation network security solutions. It is designed to be scalable, secure, and easy to use, enabling complex deployments across physical, virtual, or container environments. You will work with a team of motivated engineers to build a scalable, secure, multi-tenant cloud solution to manage devices in various forms. We seek passionate engineers who can code, build great products, and lead initiatives, emphasizing teamwork and high-level communication.

Your Impact

As a Principal Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET), your responsibilities include:

• Designing, developing, and executing test automation for our security platform within the Cloud Management Platform
• Creating comprehensive test plans covering all customer use cases
• Developing and maintaining test automation frameworks and tools
• Enabling engineers to build, test, and release features confidently and continuously
• Collaborating with Software Engineering and Product Management teams from design to release
• Understanding customer configurations, debugging, reproducing issues, verifying fixes, and adding test cases
• Conducting endurance and scale testing to ensure robustness under stress
• Applying creative and focused testing approaches to produce high-quality cybersecurity products
• Working on cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, and Azure to automate cloud management
• Configuring and expanding functional and system testbeds
• Participating in rigorous testing for specifications and developing testing methods or tools
• Debugging issues found during testing and verifying bug fixes

Your Experience

• Proven experience in writing test plans and cases, with strong understanding of SDET methodologies, tools, and procedures
• Expertise in test automation methodologies, tools, and frameworks
• Experience developing test automation for REST APIs using Python/Pytest
• UI automation/testing experience with Selenium, JavaScript, or Playwright
• Proficiency in at least one programming language (Python, Java, JavaScript)
• Experience building and maintaining GitLab CI/CD pipelines
• Knowledge of TCP/IP Networking and Cloud Security
• Understanding of networking concepts and protocols (L2-L7)
• Experience with cloud technologies like AWS, Azure, GCP
• Experience with Linux, Esxi Virtualization, Docker, or Kubernetes is a plus
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering or related field
• Minimum of 10+ years' experience as a Software Developer, SDET, or Test Engineer

Additional Information

The Team

Our engineering team is central to our mission of preventing cyberattacks, constantly innovating and challenging industry norms. We seek individuals comfortable with ambiguity, excited by challenges, and motivated by the importance of cybersecurity.

Compensation Disclosure

Salary ranges from $147,000 to $225,500 per year, depending on qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation may include stock options and bonuses. For details, see our benefits documentation.

Our Commitment

We value diversity and inclusion and are committed to providing accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Please contact us at [e-mail] if needed.

Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without discrimination based on race, religion, gender, or other protected characteristics.