Sr. Principal Software Engineer - Network Security - PanOS

Palo Alto Networks • San Jose, CA

21d • $183,600 - $297,000 • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking innovative engineers to design and develop security features for our next-generation firewalls. As a key member of the Layer-7 Security group, you will take ownership of your focus areas, applying your programming skills to solve real-world security problems. You will collaborate with multi-functional teams including product management, quality assurance, and field support throughout the entire software development cycle. This role requires a drive to build global products and a passion for bringing new ideas to the security discipline.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Computer Science or related technical field, or equivalent practical/military experience
• 12+ years of professional software engineering experience, including significant time in senior technical leadership roles
• Strong proficiency in C and C++ programming languages on Unix-based platforms.
• Solid understanding of software development methodologies, version control systems, and agile practices.

Nice To Haves

• In-depth knowledge of networking concepts, including TCP/IP, and familiarity with security protocols such as TLS and L4-L7 protocols.
• Experience working with TLS and Web proxies.
• Experience in developing and optimizing software for performance, scalability, and security.
• Excellent understanding of various AI agents and ability to use them as a co-pilot.

Responsibilities

• Innovate, design, and develop new security features in our next-generation firewalls, focusing on Layer 7 identity and inspection.
• Develop functional specifications, assess task requirements and scheduling, and assist in development, debugging, and support.
• Suggest and implement improvements to the development process.
• Clearly communicate goals and desired outcomes to internal project teams.
• Interview, mentor, and coach new team members.
• Identify performance bottlenecks and continuously implement improvements.

Benefits

• 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/com-missioned roles) is expected to be the annual range listed below. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree