Senior Staff Continuous AI Pentester (InfoSec)

Palo Alto Networks, Inc.; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 152,000 - 246,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. is seeking a senior security engineer to design and develop AI-powered security scanning tools that continuously discover vulnerabilities across our public-facing attack surface.

You will combine software engineering with hands-on security testing to build AI agents and automated workflows for investigating weaknesses and misconfigurations. This role focuses on improving scanning quality at enterprise scale while collaborating with internal teams to yield actionable

Qualifications

• 5-7+ years of Security Engineering experience in Pentesting, Offensive Security, Product Security, or Application Security.
• Strong hands-on experience with penetration testing methodologies.
• Experience building tools such as custom scanners, testing frameworks, or automation.
• Strong web/API testing skills and experience building security services or developer tooling.

Responsibilities

• Own tooling to continuously scan the extensive public-facing attack surface.
• Design and develop black-box scanning capabilities across web applications, APIs, and cloud services.
• Build AI agents that utilize security tools, analyze context, and adapt testing approaches.
• Take capabilities from prototype to production by developing tools or operating commercial solutions.
• Perform hands-on security testing to translate techniques into automated workflows.
• Combine established security tools with custom detection logic to investigate attack paths.
• Develop validation workflows that reduce false positives and produce reproducible evidence.
• Improve services for scan scheduling, tool execution, and results processing at scale.
• Select and evaluate frontier AI models balancing capability, accuracy, and cost.
• Produce actionable findings with clear evidence and remediation guidance for affected assets.
• Integrate findings into engineering workflows, including automated retesting to verify fixes.

Skills

Penetration testing

Security tooling

Web/API testing

Automation scripting

Tools

Custom scanners

Testing frameworks

Automation tools

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

Design and develop AI-powered security scanning tools to continuously discover and validate vulnerabilities across our public-facing attack surface. By combining software engineering with hands‑on security testing, you will build AI agents and automated workflows to investigate application weaknesses and misconfigurations. This role focuses on improving scanning quality at enterprise scale while partnering with internal teams to produce actionable findings and prioritize capabilities based on emerging threats.

Key Responsibilities

• Own tooling to continuously scan the extensive public-facing attack surface.
• Design and develop black-box scanning capabilities across web applications, APIs, and cloud services.
• Build AI agents that utilize security tools, analyze context, and adapt testing approaches.
• Take capabilities from prototype to production by developing tools or operating commercial solutions.
• Perform hands‑on security testing to translate techniques into automated workflows.
• Combine established security tools with custom detection logic to investigate attack paths.
• Develop validation workflows that reduce false positives and produce reproducible evidence.
• Improve services for scan scheduling, tool execution, and results processing at scale.
• Select and evaluate frontier AI models balancing capability, accuracy, and cost.
• Produce actionable findings with clear evidence and remediation guidance for affected assets.
• Integrate findings into engineering workflows, including automated retesting to verify fixes.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 5-7+ years of Security Engineering experience in Pentesting, Offensive Security, Product Security, or Application Security.
• Strong hands‑on experience with penetration testing methodologies.
• Experience building tools such as custom scanners, testing frameworks, or automation.
• Strong web/API testing skills and experience building security services or developer tooling.

Preferred Qualifications

• Software engineering experience building vulnerability scanners, DAST, ASM, or automated pentesting products.
• Deep understanding of how vulnerabilities work and are exploited.
• Meaningful contributions to open-source security projects.

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.

$152,300.00 - $246,400.00/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? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.