Palo Alto Networks · 8 hours ago
Sr Principal Software Engineer (Posture Security)
Santa Clara, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$225K/yr - $250K/yr
10+ years expPalo Alto Networks is a leader in cybersecurity, focused on protecting our digital way of life. They are seeking a seasoned Architect/Sr. Principal Engineer to join their Cortex Cloud Posture Security team, responsible for designing and developing scalable backend systems for cloud security posture management.
Agentic AICloud SecurityCyber SecurityNetwork SecuritySecurity
Responsibilities
Lead the architectural vision and design for complex, large-scale backend systems and microservices that form the backbone of our Cortex Cloud Posture Security offerings
Develop and implement high-quality, resilient, and scalable backend services primarily using Go and Python
Drive system design discussions and decisions, ensuring solutions meet current Posture Security needs while being adaptable for future growth and technological advancements in cloud security
Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product management, frontend engineers, security researchers, and SRE, to define, design, and ship new features and platform enhancements for Cortex Cloud Posture Security
Mentor and guide senior and junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and continuous learning within the Posture Security team
Define and evangelize best practices for backend development, testing, and deployment within the organization, particularly as they apply to cloud-native security solutions
Analyze and resolve complex technical challenges and production issues, ensuring the reliability and performance of our Cortex Cloud Posture Security services
Contribute to and lead code reviews, design reviews, and architectural reviews related to Posture Security components
Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends in cloud security, backend development, and posture management, evaluating and recommending their adoption where appropriate
Optionally, leverage your understanding of UI development and user experience to contribute to a more holistic product design and improved collaboration with frontend teams working on the Cortex Cloud interface
Qualification
Required
10+ years of experience in backend software development, with a proven track record of designing and delivering complex, distributed systems, preferably in a cloud security context
Deep expertise in Go and/or Python for backend development
Strong understanding of software architecture principles, including microservices, event-driven architecture, and distributed systems patterns
Proven experience with system design, data modeling, and API design (RESTful, gRPC)
Experience with various database technologies (SQL and NoSQL), message queues (e.g., Kafka, RabbitMQ), and caching solutions
Solid understanding of cloud platforms (GCP, AWS, or Azure) and containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes), with a strong emphasis on security best practices within these environments
Demonstrated ability to lead technical projects and mentor engineers
Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and troubleshooting skills
Strong communication and collaboration abilities, with a knack for explaining complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
Preferred
Understanding of UI technologies (e.g., React, Angular, Vue.js) and how backend systems support frontend applications for displaying complex security data
Deep experience with cybersecurity, specifically Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP), or related cloud security domains
Contributions to open-source projects related to cloud security or backend infrastructure
Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Terraform
Familiarity with compliance frameworks (e.g., CIS, NIST, SOC2) and their implications for cloud security products
Benefits
Restricted stock units
Bonus
Company
Palo Alto Networks
Palo Alto Networks is a cybersecurity company that offers cybersecurity solutions for organizations.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Palo Alto Networks has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (579)
2024 (482)
2023 (341)
2022 (452)
2021 (493)
2020 (235)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$65MKey Investors
Icon VenturesLehman HoldingsGlobespan Capital Partners
2012-07-20IPO
2008-11-03Series C· $10M
2008-08-18Series C· $27M
Leadership Team
Helmut Reisinger
CEO EMEA
Nikesh Arora
Chairman CEO
Recent News
2026-01-13
Jerusalem Post
2026-01-11
2026-01-09
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