Principal Solutions Architect

Palo Alto Networks, Inc.; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 284,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. is seeking a visionary Principal AI Solution Architect to lead the solution strategy, architectural design, and enterprise‑wide AI transformation.

You will serve as the strategic bridge between core business needs and AI capabilities, embedding generative AI, automation, analytics, and ML into our workflows and products. You will partner with Product, Engineering, Data, Security and IT leaders to build a unified AI architecture, ensuring secure, scalable, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in CS, Data Science, Engineering or related field with 15+ years of experience or PhD with 10+ years in enterprise architecture/engineering/data architecture
• Deep understanding of AI/ML concepts and how to apply them to business problems
• Experience designing AI integrations across large enterprise ecosystems and cloud platforms
• Strong written and verbal communication for executive audiences
• Autonomy and initiative in ambiguous environments
• Collaborative mindset and mentorship of junior staff
• Hands-on experience deploying AI/ML models into production using modern tools

Responsibilities

• Drive end-to-end AI architecture for enterprise initiatives
• Bridge business strategy with technical execution across Product, Data, Security and IT
• Design holistic integrations with data lakes, ERP/CRM, cloud infra and user apps
• Enforce standards for Responsible AI, data privacy, and security
• Identify dependencies, risks and synergies across domains
• Mentor and elevate engineers, data scientists and ML engineers
• Lead hands-on development to ensure architectural excellence from concept to production

Skills

AI/ML concepts

Systems thinking

First‑principles mindset

Executive presence

Self-starter

Team collaboration

Hands-on AI deployment

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in CS/Engineering

PhD in related field (preferred)

Tools

LLMs

Agentic frameworks

Model orchestration frameworks

Vector databases

Cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure)

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.

The Team

Information Technology

Job Summary

We are seeking a visionary, future‑focused Principal AI Solution Architect to lead the solution strategy, architectural design, and enterprise‑wide AI transformation. In this highly visible role, you will serve as the strategic bridge between core business needs and emerging artificial intelligence capabilities. You will not just be designing traditional system configurations; you will be applying a first‑principles mindset to embed generative AI, intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and machine learning into our core business workflows and products. By understanding the deep domain nuances of AI models, data engineering, and MLOps (Machine Learning Operations), you will connect the dots across disparate systems and data silos. You will partner with cross‑functional teams to build a unified, scalable, secure, and AI‑optimized technical solution architecture.

Key Responsibilities

• AI‑Infused Architectural Leadership: Drive the end‑to‑end technical architecture for our enterprise AI initiatives, proactively embedding advanced AI and machine learning capabilities (e.g., LLMs, agentic workflows, predictive modeling, and intelligent automation) into business operations and customer‑facing products.
• Cross‑Functional Alignment: Act as a strategic partner to the business. Bring leaders from Product, Engineering, Data, Security, and IT along on the journey, bridging the gap between business strategy and technical execution to create a unified AI architecture.
• Enterprise Integration: Design holistic integration strategies. You will look beyond standalone models to understand how AI interacts with the entire enterprise ecosystem, including data lakes, core transactional systems (CRM, ERP), cloud infrastructure, and user‑facing applications.
• Champion Best Practices: Establish and enforce best‑in‑class industry design principles. Ensure all solutions prioritize Responsible AI/ethics, data privacy, security, high availability, performance, and the scalability of ML pipelines.
• Connect the Dots: Proactively identify dependencies, risks, and synergies across different technical domains, data sources, and ongoing projects. Ensure isolated systems and fragmented data are woven into a cohesive, streamlined AI architecture.
• Collaborative Mentorship: Act as a self‑starter and a core team collaborator. Guide, mentor, and elevate the technical capabilities of junior architects, data scientists, and machine learning engineers.
• Player‑Coach Mindset: Drive technical and functional architecture with a hands‑on approach to ensure AI architectural excellence from concept through to production deployment.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering or a related field with 15+ years of experience or a Ph.D in related filed with 10+ years of experience in enterprise architecture, software engineering, or data architecture
• AI Domain Expertise: Profound understanding of AI/ML concepts, generative AI paradigms, natural language processing, and deep learning, paired with a proven understanding of how AI can solve complex business problems and drive ROI.
• Systems Thinking & Integration: Proven track record of designing complex AI integrations (APIs, event‑driven architectures, data pipelines, model orchestration) across large‑scale enterprise ecosystems and cloud platforms.
• First‑Principles Mindset: Ability to strip away assumptions, drill down to the fundamental truths of a business or technical problem, and build innovative solutions upward.
• Executive Presence: Exceptional communication skills. You are comfortable translating deeply technical machine learning concepts into business value for C‑suite executives and driving consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Self‑Starter Mentality: High level of autonomy and initiative. You thrive in ambiguity, take ownership of challenges, and independently drive initiatives to completion.
• Team‑Oriented: A strong collaborator who believes that the best architectures are built through shared knowledge, low ego, and teamwork.
• Hands‑on AI Application: Experience using AI‑driven tools, model orchestration frameworks, building and deploying scalable machine learning models into production.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced AI & Data Architecture: Hands‑on experience designing architectures that utilize Large Language Models (LLMs), Agentic frameworks, Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG), and Vector Databases within an enterprise context.
• Platform Certifications: Recognized architectural certifications in leading enterprise cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) with a specific focus on Data & Machine Learning specialties.
• Complex Industry Experience: Proven experience navigating the unique complexities of deploying AI in high‑volume, highly regulated, or complex data ecosystems.
• Custom Application Building: Experience with building custom AI‑native applications or integrating foundational models into existing legacy platforms.
• Agile Proficiency: Experience with Agile development methodologies (Scrum/Kanban) applied specifically to data science and AI lifecycles.
• Leadership Track Record: Prior experience working in a Principal or Director‑level capacity, demonstrating ownership over a significant product area or enterprise AI capability.

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.

$175,400.00 - $283,800.00/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