Sr. Principal Data Engineer

Palo Alto Networks; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 184,000 - 297,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking a Data Plane Engineer to build the core infrastructure powering our next-generation security platform. You will design and develop detection and prevention engines with ultra-low latency and high throughput at line speed.

You will work on sidecar architectures, trace stores for telemetry, and high-performance algorithms for real-time enforcement, collaborating with threat research and ML teams to integrate advanced models into the data plane.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of software engineering focusing on systems programming, HPC, or networking infra.
• Strong memory management, concurrency, and multi-threading expertise.
• Rust programming knowledge is highly desired.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and optimize the core inline detection/prevention engine for maximum throughput and low latency.
• Develop robust sidecar architectures to securely intercept, inspect, and route traffic in distributed and cloud-native environments.
• Engineer and maintain efficient trace stores for deep network telemetry and forensics.
• Architect high-performance algorithms for sub-ms policy evaluation and real-time enforcement.
• Implement memory management optimizations, local caching, and high-speed data streaming pipelines.
• Collaborate with threat research and ML teams to integrate detection models into the data plane.

Skills

Memory management

Concurrency / multi-threading

Low-latency systems

Distributed systems

Caching strategies

Data streaming

Networking protocols (TCP/IP, HTTP/2,g

Rust programming

Education

BS/MS in Computer Science or Computer Engineering

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

Your Career

As a Data Plane Engineer, you will be instrumental in building the core infrastructure that powers our next-generation security platform. You will design and develop our detection and prevention engines, focusing on ultra-low latency, high-throughput packet processing, and sidecar architectures. Operating at the heart of our network security stack, your work will ensure that our customers can enforce complex security policies at line speed without compromising on performance or reliability.

Your Impact

• Design, build, and optimize our core inline detection/prevention engine, ensuring maximum throughput and absolute minimal latency for network traffic.

• Develop robust sidecar architectures to securely intercept, inspect, and route traffic in distributed and cloud-native environments.

• Engineer and maintain highly efficient trace store mechanisms for deep network telemetry, observability, and rapid threat forensics.

• Architect high-performance algorithms to achieve sub-ms policy evaluation, enabling real-time security enforcement at scale.

• Implement advanced memory management techniques, focusing on local cache optimization and high-speed data streaming pipelines.

• Collaborate closely with threat research and machine learning teams to seamlessly integrate advanced detection models directly into the data plane.

Qualifications

Your Experience

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).

• 5+ years of software engineering experience focusing on systems programming, high-performance computing, or networking infrastructure.

• Exceptional programming skills with a deep understanding of memory management, concurrency, and multi-threading.

• Knowledge of Rust is highly desired and considered a strong additional advantage.

• Strong background in optimizing distributed systems for low-latency (sub-millisecond) performance.

• Familiarity with caching strategies, data streaming architectures, and network protocols (TCP/IP, HTTP/2, gRPC).
  

The Team

We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time (3 days a week at our Santa Clara headquarters), with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

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.

$183,600.00 - $297,000.00/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