Senior Principal Test Architect - Hardware & Automation

Palo Alto Networks; California (MO); On-site; USD 159,000 - 257,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a senior Test Architect to define system- and platform-level test strategies across multiple networking products. You will collaborate with Hardware, ASIC, Platform, and Manufacturing teams to optimize design-for-test and drive robust test automation.

The role emphasizes deep hardware circuit knowledge, Linux-based systems, and advanced scripting in Python/JScript, with optional C/C++. A strong background in debugging complex cross-domain issues is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience.
• 12–15+ years of experience in test, validation, systems, or hardware/software integration roles.
• Deep expertise in hardware circuitry and system architecture.
• Strong programming skills: Python or JScript (expert level), C/C++ is nice to have
• Proven experience building and maintaining large-scale automation frameworks.
• Extensive experience in Linux-based systems.
• Strong understanding of networking technologies and protocols.
• Demonstrated ability to debug highly complex, intermittent, and cross-domain issues.

Responsibilities

• Define and own system-level and platform-level test architecture across multiple networking products.
• Establish long-term test strategies covering NPI, sustaining, and manufacturing.
• Identify systemic quality risks early and drive mitigation plans before release.
• Deeply understand and review schematics, board layouts, and system architecture.
• Anticipate and debug complex issues involving: Power sequencing, reset topology, clocks High-speed interfaces (PCIe, Ethernet, SerDes).
• Drive root-cause analysis across ASIC, hardware, firmware, and OS boundaries.
• Architect and evolve scalable automation frameworks and regression infrastructure.
• Write and review production-quality code for test, diagnostics, and tooling.
• Set coding standards and best practices for test automation.
• Leverage data, analytics, and AI-assisted tools to improve failure detection and test efficiency.
• Partner with Hardware, ASIC, Platform, Software, and Manufacturing teams to influence design-for-test and reliability.
• Represent test engineering in architecture reviews, EC/ECO discussions, and readiness reviews.
• Mentor senior engineers and raise the overall technical bar of the test organization.
• Impact Guide manufacturing test strategy, yield improvement, and failure triage at CM sites.
• Prevent unnecessary hardware scrap through strong root-cause analysis and software mitigation.
• Drive alignment between lab validation and factory test coverage.

Skills

Python

C/C++

Linux

Networking

Debugging

JScript

Education

EE/CS degree

Job description

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a senior Test Architect to define system- and platform-level test strategies across multiple networking products. You will collaborate with Hardware, ASIC, Platform, and Manufacturing teams to optimize design-for-test and drive robust test automation.

The role emphasizes deep hardware circuit knowledge, Linux-based systems, and advanced scripting in Python/JScript, with optional C/C++. A strong background in debugging complex cross-domain issues is required.