Revolutionizing protection.

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!

This role is remote, but distance is no barrier to impact. Our hybrid teams collaborate across geographies to solve big problems, stay close to our customers, and grow together. You will be part of a culture that values trust, accountability, and shared success where your work truly matters.

Job Summary

Unit 42 is the global threat intelligence and incident response arm of Palo Alto Networks. We are at the forefront of cybersecurity, providing industry-leading expertise to defend enterprises and organizations against the world’s most sophisticated threats. By joining our team, you will be part of a mission-driven organization dedicated to protecting our digital way of life through innovation and relentless problem-solving.

The Role

We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join our high-impact engineering team. In this role, you will be instrumental in architecting, building, and maintaining the mission-critical backend infrastructure that powers Unit 42’s customer-facing web applications.

As a proactive self-starter, you will lead the development of modern cloud services, ensuring seamless scalability across diverse user profiles and global regions. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive innovation in a fast-paced environment where your work directly impacts the security posture of organizations worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Architecture & Design: Spearhead the design and implementation of highly scalable, secure, and performant backend services.

• Cloud Development: Build and manage modern cloud-native services, primarily within the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) ecosystem.

• API Excellence: Design and maintain robust, RESTful APIs that serve both internal stakeholders and external global customers.

• Data Modeling: Architect complex data models across both relational (SQL) and non-relational databases to ensure data integrity and high availability.

• Performance Optimization: Use advanced data structures and algorithms to solve complex computational problems and optimize system latency.

• Production Reliability: Troubleshoot, maintain, and enhance production-level code, ensuring high uptime and reliability for new and existing services.

• DevOps Integration: Collaborate with CI/CD pipelines and containerization strategies (Docker/Kubernetes) to streamline deployment and configuration management.

• Mentorship & Collaboration: Work within an Agile environment, participating in peer code reviews and contributing to the technical growth of the team.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional experience in backend software engineering.

• Expert-level proficiency in at least one typed programming language (e.g., Python, Golang, C/C++, or Java).

• Mastery of SQL and deep experience with database design (SQL and NoSQL).

• Proven track record of designing and scaling RESTful APIs.

• Strong foundation in advanced data structures and algorithms.

Tools & Infrastructure:

• Hands-on experience with Containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).

• Experience with Cloud Computing platforms (GCP preferred; AWS/Azure also valued).

• Proficiency in CI/CD workflows and configuration management (GitLab CI preferred).

• Expertise in version control systems, specifically Git.

Soft Skills & Domain Knowledge:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts.

• A meticulous attention to detail and a "security-first" mindset.

• Experience working in Agile/Scrum development environments.

• Desirable: Knowledge of cybersecurity principles, threat intelligence, or incident response workflows.

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