Principal Software Engineer (Prisma Access - Networking)

Your Career

Prisma Access™ SASE (formally GlobalProtect Cloud Service) provides protection straight from the cloud to make access to the cloud secure. It combines the connectivity and security you need and delivers it everywhere you need it. Using cutting-edge public and private cloud technologies extending the next-generation security protection to all cloud services, customers on-premise remote networks and mobile users.

We are seeking an experienced Software Engineer to design, develop and deliver next-generation technologies within our Prisma Access team. We want passionate engineers who love to code and build great products. Engineers who bring new ideas in all facets of software development. We are looking for leaders who take ownership of their areas of focus and who are driven to solve problems at every level. Collaboration and teamwork are at the foundation of our culture and we need engineers who can communicate at a high level and work well with others towards achieving a common goal.

Your Impact

• Design, develop and implement highly scalable software features on our next-generation security platform as part of Prisma Access
• Work with different development and quality assurance groups to achieve best in quality software
• Suggest and implement improvements to the development process
• Work with DevOps and the Technical Support teams to troubleshoot customer issues

Qualifications

Your Experience 

• B.S. with 10+ years or M.S. with 8+ years of experience in systems engineering, specifically focusing on high-performance networking or operating system internals.
• Expertise in L3 Control Plane protocols: Architectural knowledge of BGP (including EVPN/VXLAN), OSPF, and IPv6 stack internals.
• Strong Linux Systems Programming: Proficiency in C/C++ and Python is required, with a focus on multi-threaded applications, IPC, and Linux kernel interfaces (e.g., Netlink).
• Proven experience in refactoring or migrating core system components (like routing stacks) within a live production environment.
• Demonstrated history and/or interest in contributing to open-source networking or systems projects; ability to influence community roadmaps and maintain upstream relations.
• Familiarity with integrating software routing suites with underlying hardware abstraction layers.
• Distributed Systems: Understanding of high availability (HA) in networking, including graceful restart mechanisms and state synchronization across distributed nodes.
• Cloud & Virtualization: Experience with software-defined networking (SDN) in cloud environments (AWS/GCP/Azure) and container networking interfaces (CNI).

Additional Information

The Team

To stay ahead of the curve, it’s critical to know where the curve is, and how to anticipate the changes we’re facing. For the fastest growing cybersecurity company, the curve is the evolution of cyberattacks, and the products and services that proactively address them. Our engineering team is at the core of our products – connected directly to the mission of preventing cyberattacks. They are constantly innovating – challenging the way we, and the industry, think about cybersecurity. These engineers aren’t shy about building products to solve problems no one has pursued before. They define the industry, instead of waiting for directions. We need individuals who feel comfortable in ambiguity, excited by the prospect of challenge, and empowered by the unknown risks facing our everyday lives that are only enabled by a secure digital environment.

Our engineering team is provided with an unrivaled chance to create the products and practices that will support our company growth over the next decade, defining the cybersecurity industry as we know it. If you see the potential of how incredible people products can transform a business, this is the team for you. If you don’t wait for directions, instead, identifying new features and opportunities we have to just get better, this is your new career.

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 $0 - $0/YR. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

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Our Commitment

We’re problem solvers that 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  accommodations@paloaltonetworks.com.

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?: Yes

About the Company

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.