Principal Engineer Software, Tools and Platforms; Cortex

Company Description

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks everything starts and ends with our mission:

Being the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life.

Our vision is a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. We are a company built on the foundation of challenging and disrupting the way things are done, and we’re looking for innovators who are as committed to shaping the future of cybersecurity as we are.

Who We Are

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 Description

Your Career

We seek a Principal Software Engineer who is first and foremost a software craftsman with a passion for building innovative tools and platforms. The ideal candidate will possess a deep-rooted background in software engineering and a strong understanding of the needs and challenges of R&D and Dev Ops teams. This role is for a true developer at heart, someone who excels at building high-quality, maintainable, and scalable software.

If you have a passion for creating tools that enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and support the operational needs of a growing infrastructure, you’re the candidate we’re looking for.

Your Impact

• Architect and implement resilient infrastructure solutions, with a strong focus on performance, security, and sound system design principles.
• Write product or system development code.
• Lead the design and development of complex product and system features.
• Initiate and lead technical design reviews with peers and stakeholders, driving decisions on best design practices and architectural patterns.
• Maintain/build resilient infrastructure focused on performance, security, and sound system design practices
• Provide expert‑level code reviews, offering in‑depth feedback on best practices, including style, accuracy, testability, efficiency, and overall code quality.
• Spearhead the creation and improvement of technical documentation, establishing standards and best practices.
• Provide advanced operational support and lead troubleshooting efforts for tools and applications maintained by the Cortex Dev Ops Tooling team.

Qualifications

Your Experience

• Graduate degree or equivalent practical experience in the field of Computer Science or Electrical Engineering or equivalent military experience
• Proficiency with software development in one or more programming languages (Python preferred)
• Proficiency in developing large-scale infrastructure, distributed systems or networks, or experience with Compute technologies, storage, or hardware architecture
• Proficiency with any major Cloud Provider(s)
• Experience with developing, deploying, and/or maintaining micro‑services architecture with Kubernetes
• Proficiency in code and system health, diagnosis and resolution, and software test engineering

Additional Information

The Team

As part of Palo Alto Networks’ Cortex Dev Ops Tooling team, you will be at the heart of our software‑driven approach to infrastructure and operations. Our team is the powerhouse behind the infrastructure, cost optimization, and security, driving customer tenants’ orchestration and lifecycle management across our suite of SaaS products, including XDR, XSIAM, XPANSE, and XSOAR. In the Cortex Dev Ops Tooling group, you’ll play a pivotal role in architecting, building, and refining the sophisticated internal platform tools vital to our engineering teams’ productivity and innovation.

As a software engineer on our team, you will ensure robust and scalable solutions, driving operational excellence through top‑tier software development.

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/commissioned roles) is expected to be between $176,000/YR – $224,500/YR. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus.…