Sr NPI Reliability Engineer

Palo Alto Networks; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 108,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking an experienced NPI Hardware Reliability Engineer to drive reliability and quality throughout the NPI lifecycle for next‑generation network security hardware.

You will collaborate across Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Supplier Quality, Test, and Operations to ensure products are designed, validated, and manufactured with high reliability and quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in EE/ME/Materials/Reliability or related field.
• 5+ years in hardware reliability, quality, NPI, or manufacturing.
• Experience with reliability qualification of complex electronic hardware.
• Strong failure analysis and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with contract manufacturers and suppliers.
• Experience with NPI processes and production ramp.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to read schematics, BOMs and manufacturing docs.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute the NPI hardware reliability strategy and gate plans.
• Assess architecture and BOMs to identify electrical, mechanical, thermal, and environmental risks early.
• Define accelerated life, stress, and environmental tests and pass/fail criteria.
• Lead root-cause investigations and implement corrective actions.
• Establish quality controls and containment for critical hardware.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in EE/ME/Materials/Reliability or related field

Job description

Our MissionAt 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.

Our MissionAt 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

Palo Alto Networks is seeking an experienced NPI Hardware Reliability Engineer to join the Technical Operations Hardware Quality Engineering organization. This role will be responsible for establishing and driving hardware reliability and quality processes throughout the New Product Introduction (NPI) lifecycle for next‑generation network security and firewall platforms.

The NPI Hardware Reliability Engineer will work at the intersection of Product Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Supplier Quality, Test Engineering, and Operations to ensure new hardware products are designed, validated, manufactured, and launched with a high level of quality and reliability.

The ideal candidate has strong experience in hardware reliability, product qualification, failure analysis, NPI, and manufacturing processes, with the ability to translate reliability requirements into practical validation and production controls.

Key Responsibilities

NPI Reliability & Quality

• Own and execute the NPI hardware reliability strategy, milestones, and phase‑gate qualification plans from early development through production ramp.
• Partner with Hardware Engineering to assess architecture, design changes, and BOMs to identify electrical, mechanical, thermal, and environmental risks early in the product lifecycle.
• Define and execute accelerated life, stress, and environmental test plans (including thermal cycling, drop/vibe, and HALT/ALT), setting sample sizes, conditions, and pass/fail criteria.
• Analyze test data and trends to validate product readiness against defined reliability targets prior to commercial release.

Failure Analysis & Corrective Action

• Lead root‑cause failure investigations across NPI testing, pilot builds, and early production using structured methods (8D, FMEA, FTA, DOE, Weibull).
• Collaborate with Design, Manufacturing, Supplier Quality, and CMs to implement, validate, and track closed‑loop corrective actions.
• Feed field and post‑mortem learnings back into early NPI cycles to prevent recurring failure modes.

Manufacturing & Supplier Reliability

• Assess supplier and manufacturing reliability risks during EVT, DVT, and PVT builds, auditing critical processes, materials, and component qualifications.
• Establish quality controls, test coverage, and containment protocols for critical hardware components and sub‑assemblies.

Analytics & Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Define NPI reliability metrics, statistical models, and dashboards to communicate risks and launch readiness to executive leadership.
• Act as the Technical Operations SME for hardware reliability, partnering closely with cross‑functional engineering, program management, and external CM partners.

Process & Framework Infrastructure

• Build, standardize, and scale the company’s NPI Hardware Reliability framework, including templates, phase‑gate criteria, and lessons‑learned mechanisms across multi‑hardware platforms.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Reliability Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in hardware reliability, product quality, NPI, manufacturing engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience with reliability qualification and validation of complex electronic hardware.
• Strong understanding of hardware failure mechanisms and reliability engineering principles.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers and external suppliers.
• Experience with NPI processes and production ramp of complex electronic products.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Experience with structured root‑cause and failure‑analysis methodologies.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, schematics, BOMs, specifications, and manufacturing documentation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Reliability Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience with networking, server, datacenter, storage, telecommunications, or cybersecurity hardware.
• Experience qualifying high‑complexity systems containing PCBs, processors, memory, power supplies, thermal systems, fans, chassis, connectors, and high‑speed interfaces.
• Experience with HALT, HASS, accelerated life testing, Weibull analysis, reliability prediction, and statistical analysis.
• Experience with FMEA, Fault Tree Analysis, DOE, and reliability modeling.
• Experience with hardware quality systems and ISO 9001‑based processes.
• Experience using data analytics and visualization tools to monitor reliability and quality performance.
• Experience with RMA / field‑return analysis and incorporating field lessons into NPI.
• Experience leading cross‑functional technical projects without direct authority.

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.

$108,200.00 - $174,900.00/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.