Sr Staff Software Engineer (AI)

Palo Alto Networks, Inc.; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 126,000 - 204,500; Full time

Job summary

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. is searching for a Sr Staff Software Engineer (AI) in Santa Clara, California. The ideal candidate will design and develop next-generation technologies for the Prisma Access team, focusing on LLM orchestration, backend services, and AI components. The role requires strong programming skills in Python or Golang, cloud computing experience with GCP or AWS, and at least 5 years in software engineering. The compensation ranges from $126,000.00 to $204,500.00 annually, including stock options and bonuses.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in a relevant software engineering role.
• Strong programming skills in Python or Golang.
• Experience with networking/security and large-configuration domains is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build scalable backend services in Python/Go running on GCP or AWS.
• Develop schema-driven data models and validation layers.
• Implement AI-powered intelligent suggestion and recommendation components.
• Design guardrails for AI outputs to ensure reliability and accuracy.
• Build RAG pipelines using vector search and document indexing.
• Optimize AI system performance for latency and correctness.

Skills

LLM applications

backend architecture

cloud services

Python

Golang

Education

M.S./B.S. degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

GCP

AWS

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Sr Staff Software Engineer (AI) to design, develop and deliver next‑generation technologies within our Prisma Access team. We want passionate engineers who love to code and build great products, who bring new ideas in all facets of software development, and who take ownership of their areas of focus and are driven to solve problems at every level. Collaboration and teamwork are at the foundation of our culture, and we need engineers who can communicate at a high level and work well with others toward achieving a common goal. You will design and implement LLM orchestration pipelines, including prompt workflows and structured output generation.

Key Responsibilities

• Build scalable backend services in Python/Go running on GCP or AWS.
• Develop schema‑driven data models and validation layers for complex configurations.
• Implement intelligent suggestion and recommendation components powered by AI.
• Design guardrails to ensure reliability, safety, and accuracy in AI outputs.
• Build RAG pipelines using vector search, embeddings, and document indexing.
• Optimize AI system performance for latency, cost, and correctness.

Qualifications

• Strong experience with LLM applications, backend architecture, and cloud services required.
• Networking/security or large‑configuration‑domain experience is a strong plus.
• M.S./B.S. degree in Computer Science or related field or equivalent military experience required.
• 5+ years' experience.
• Excellent programming skills in Python or Golang.
• Experience with GCP or AWS.

Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus.

$126,000.00 - $204,500.00/yr

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.