Sr. Principal Engineer Software (Unit 42)

Palo Alto Networks, Inc.; Connecticut; On-site; USD 126,000 - 204,500; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. is seeking a talented member for the Unit 42 Engineering team to assist in developing tools for threat researchers. This role involves implementing modern AI techniques and collaborating on workflow integrations, utilizing technologies such as Python, SQL, Docker, and Kubernetes.

The ideal candidate should possess strong programming skills, eagerness to learn databases, and contribute to enhancing efficiency in security research processes. This position offers a competitive salary range of $126,000 to $204,500 per year.

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of modern AI tools and techniques.
• Experience in building AI-based agents using frontier models.
• Foundational knowledge of Python and SQL with eagerness to learn.
• Understanding of REST APIs and their integration.
• Basic knowledge of queuing technologies.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the development of features for threat data collection.
• Collaborate to implement REST APIs and workflows.
• Contribute to the maintenance of frameworks supporting researchers.
• Gain hands-on experience with tools like Git and CI/CD.

Skills

Modern AI tools and techniques

Python

SQL

Docker

Kubernetes

REST APIs

RabbitMQ

Elasticsearch

Tools

Git

CI/CD (Gitlab CI)

Airflow

BigQuery

Job description

Job Summary

The Unit 42 Engineering team specializes in providing tools enabling threat researchers and incident response consultants to work more efficiently across the vast amounts of data Palo Alto Networks has at its disposal. Our experts bridge the gap between application development using modern best practices/technology and the world-class research teams within Unit 42. This role will challenge you to become a true force‑multiplier, assisting the security research team through designing and building threat centric application workflows, process automations, and the creation of intelligent data architectures for threat intelligence and telemetry collection at scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in the development and implementation of features and integrations to support threat data collection, analysis, and countermeasure creation.
• Collaborate with the team to implement REST APIs and workflows, learning about integration with various data sources such as SQL, NoSQL, BigQuery, and document stores.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of frameworks that support threat researchers, gaining experience with tooling and automation to improve efficiency.
• Work with senior team members to understand technical dependencies, document technical specifications, and support integration with existing systems.
• Participate in the deployment process, gaining hands‑on experience with modern tools such as Git, CI/CD (Gitlab CI, Docker, Airflow, Kubernetes), and containerization.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• In depth knowledge of Modern AI tools and techniques
• Experience building AI based Agents using frontier models such as Gemini, Claude, etc.
• Foundational knowledge of Python and SQL, with an eagerness to learn and work with various database technologies, including non-relational databases like Elasticsearch, Cassandra, BigQuery, or similar.
• Familiarity with containerization concepts, ideally with some exposure to Docker and container orchestration tools like Kubernetes.
• Solid programming skills, with the ability to contribute to the development and implementation of features under guidance.
• Understanding of REST APIs and how to integrate with them.
• Basic understanding of queuing technologies such as RabbitMQ or Pub/Sub, and an interest in learning to build solutions using these technologies.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, with a willingness to collaborate effectively in a team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with front‑end frameworks such as React is a plus.
• Exposure to cloud environments like AWS or GCP is desirable.
• Interest in threat intelligence and applied security is beneficial, but not required.
• Some exposure to API design is a plus.

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.

126,000.00 - 204,500.00/yr

Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.

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.