Sr/Staff AI Engineer

Palo Alto Networks; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 144,000 - 233,000; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks is seeking an experienced IT Automation & AI Engineering professional to shape AI-first enterprise applications. You will own architectural patterns, drive scalable AI capabilities, and collaborate across teams to deliver secure, high‑impact software platforms.

You will guide design decisions for cloud-native services, API integration, and production operations while mentoring engineers and advancing technical standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Senior: 5+ years of software engineering experience (or 3+ with a Master’s degree).
• Staff: 8+ years of software engineering experience (or 6+ with a Master’s degree, or 3+ with a PhD).
• Strong full-stack and distributed systems engineering experience with demonstrated ownership of complex production systems.
• Production experience designing and building AI-integrated systems using LLMs, RAG, embeddings, tool calling, or agentic workflows.
• Experience with AI orchestration, retrieval, evaluation, guardrails, human-in-the-loop workflows, and production observability.
• Strong understanding of APIs, enterprise data, cloud-native architecture, security, reliability, and production operations.
• Proven ability to translate ambiguous problems into clear technical architectures and influence technical direction.

Responsibilities

• Architect and deliver production AI-first enterprise applications across full-stack systems, cloud-native services, and applied AI.
• Design agentic and retrieval-based systems utilizing LLMs, RAG, embeddings, tool calling, and multi-step workflows.
• Establish robust practices for AI evaluation, guardrails, security, observability, reliability, latency, and cost management.
• Translate ambiguous business problems into scalable technical architectures and drive complex initiatives through production.
• Build reusable engineering patterns and shared capabilities applicable across multiple applications and development teams.
• Drive AI-native engineering practices using tools like Cursor and Claude Code while mentoring engineers and raising technical standards.

Skills

Full-stack

Distributed systems

AI integration

APIs & cloud-native

Security & reliability

Education

BSc in CS/Engineering

Tools

TypeScript

Node.js

React

Python

SQL

Vertex AI

LangChain

Docker

Kubernetes

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.

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

The Team

Information Technology - The IT Automation & AI Engineering team builds modern, AI‑first enterprise applications and automation platforms that support multiple business functions across the company. We focus on scalable architecture, strong engineering fundamentals, and practical application of AI to drive measurable business impact. In this role, you will help shape technical direction, architectural patterns, and reusable AI‑first capabilities that extend across a broader portfolio of enterprise applications.

The IT Engineering team builds AI‑first enterprise systems that power critical business workflows across the company. You will design and deliver high‑impact applications while advancing how modern AI capabilities are applied across enterprise software. Operating at the intersection of full‑stack development, cloud‑native services, and applied AI, you will shape scalable architectures and translate complex business problems into durable technical solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect and deliver production AI‑first enterprise applications across full‑stack systems, cloud‑native services, and applied AI.
• Design agentic and retrieval‑based systems utilizing LLMs, RAG, embeddings, tool calling, and multi‑step workflows.
• Establish robust practices for AI evaluation, guardrails, security, observability, reliability, latency, and cost management.
• Translate ambiguous business problems into scalable technical architectures and drive complex initiatives through production.
• Build reusable engineering patterns and shared capabilities applicable across multiple applications and development teams.
• Drive AI‑native engineering practices using tools like Cursor and Claude Code while mentoring engineers and raising technical standards.

Qualifications

Note- While the Company will consider applicants who have current work authorization and require a transfer of an existing H‑1B visa, the Company is not currently considering applicants who require new visa sponsorship (including new H‑1B petitions) or individuals currently in OPT/CPT status who will require future sponsorship to maintain work authorization.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Senior: 5+ years of software engineering experience (or 3+ with a Master’s degree).
• Staff: 8+ years of software engineering experience (or 6+ with a Master’s degree, or 3+ with a PhD).
• Strong full‑stack and distributed systems engineering experience with demonstrated ownership of complex production systems.
• Production experience designing and building AI‑integrated systems using LLMs, RAG, embeddings, tool calling, or agentic workflows.
• Experience with AI orchestration, retrieval, evaluation, guardrails, human‑in‑the‑loop workflows, and production observability.
• Strong understanding of APIs, enterprise data, cloud‑native architecture, security, reliability, and production operations.
• Proven ability to translate ambiguous problems into clear technical architectures and influence technical direction.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency in TypeScript, Node.js/NestJS, React, Python, and SQL.
• Experience with Vertex AI, LangChain/LangGraph, MCP, A2A protocols, or similar AI platforms and frameworks.
• Experience with vector databases, semantic search, context engineering, LLM evaluation, and AI security controls.
• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, event‑driven systems, and modern cloud infrastructure.
• Experience using AI‑native development environments such as Cursor, Claude Code, or Windsurf in professional engineering workflows.
• Experience building reusable enterprise platforms or shared technical capabilities adopted across multiple teams.

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.

$144,200.00 - $233,200.00/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