Principal Software Engineer (Prisma Access)
About The Position
As a Principal Software Engineer for Prisma Access, you will lead the architecture, systems design, and performance optimization of cloud infrastructure underpinning Palo Alto Networks' flagship solution. The role bridges low-level Linux systems programming, packet processing, and routing protocols with hyperscale multi-cloud infrastructure. You will build, harden, and scale resilient multi-cloud network data paths and control-plane connectivity operating globally across AWS, GCP, and OCI. The position calls for a hands-on systems leader who can diagnose complex networking bottlenecks, design carrier-grade distributed systems, and use modern AI-augmented engineering workflows to improve engineering velocity. Most teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when needed.
Requirements
- 10+ years of progressive systems engineering and software development experience in cloud networking infrastructure, high-throughput systems, or distributed security platforms.
- Strong programming proficiency in C/C++, Go, or Rust, along with extensive Python scripting and automation experience.
- Hands-on expertise in the Linux networking subsystem, including netfilter, iptables/nftables, network namespaces, routing tables, and socket programming.
- Experience with high-performance packet acceleration frameworks such as eBPF, DPDK, or SR-IOV.
- Knowledge of dynamic routing protocols such as BGP and OSPF; routing daemons such as FRR or BIRD; tunneling protocols such as IPSec, GRE, or WireGuard; and transport protocols including TCP/UDP, SSL/TLS, and QUIC.
- Demonstrated experience deploying and operating mission-critical network appliances or services within AWS, GCP, or OCI environments.
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent practical industry experience.
Responsibilities
- Drive kernel-level profiling and TCP/IP stack tuning, socket optimization, memory and CPU cache efficiency, and interrupt handling to achieve deterministic, low-latency packet forwarding.
- Architect, optimize, and maintain high-throughput networking pipelines, kernel/user-space data paths, and control-plane routing engines across distributed multi-cloud environments.
- Design resilient, hyperscale cloud connectivity topologies across AWS, GCP, and OCI, integrating cloud-native primitives with software-defined overlays and containerized workloads.
- Establish systems-level telemetry, distributed tracing, and deep packet inspection diagnostics to ensure adherence to SLAs and SLOs.
- Build scalable automation for fleet provisioning, configuration deployment, and validation using Terraform, Kubernetes, and Python-based toolchains.
- Integrate agentic coding environments, automated diagnostic harnesses, and AI-assisted workflows into day-to-day systems development.
- Partner with Product Management, Cloud Architecture, SecOps, and Support to resolve complex customer escalations, establish architectural standards, conduct design reviews, and mentor senior systems engineers.
Benefits
- Compensation may include restricted stock units and a bonus. The job description refers to an employee benefits description but does not list specific benefits.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
