Principal Software Development Engineer | Cortex Detection team (Backend)

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.

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

Cortex is expanding. We combine the high energy of a startup with the massive resources of the world’s cybersecurity leader. We aren't just processing data; we are managing hundreds of petabytes of it, waiting Cortex for you to apply your "magic" to invent the next generation of threat detection. As a Principal Software Development Engineer, you will be a cornerstone of the Cortex Detection Backend team. This role is designed for a technical powerhouse who thrives in the "sweet spot" between high-level architectural strategy and hands-on execution. You will influence our product roadmap, mentor elite engineers, and build systems that protect thousands of the world's most sensitive organizations.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect & Innovate: Design and build a new set of capabilities focused on Data Analytics and Threat Detection. You will solve cloud security challenges that have never been tackled before.
• Scale Without Limits: Ensure our microservices architecture remains robust and resilient under massive loads, processing millions of events per second.
• Technical Leadership: Act as a technical sounding board and mentor. You will guide design discussions, conduct deep-dive research, and foster a culture of engineering excellence.
• Strategic Collaboration: Work closely with Product Management, R&D leaders, and Security Researchers to define requirements and turn ambiguous problems into elegant technical solutions.
• Drive Execution: Take ownership of the software development life cycle, ensuring high-velocity delivery in a fast-paced Agile environment.
  
  

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in backend software engineering.
• Deep proficiency in modern backend languages.
• Extensive experience with Kubernetes (K8s) and microservices architecture.
• Deep understanding of both SQL and NoSQL databases, including complex data modeling and performance optimization for massive datasets.
• Expertise in scaling high-availability environments while championing a culture of engineering excellence and continuous operational improvement.
• Experience leading technical projects or mentoring high-performing teams.
• A track record of taking full ownership of production systems and solving high-stakes engineering bottlenecks.
• B.Sc. in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent practical experience (e.g., alumni of elite technological military units).
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in high-scale SaaS or cybersecurity environments.
• Deep proficiency in Go or Python.
• Practical experience with GCP (Google Cloud Platform).
  
  

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 [email protected].

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? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.