Architect / Senior Principal Software Development Engineer (Layer 7 Security & Proxy)

Architect / Senior Principal Software Development Engineer (Layer 7 Security & Proxy)We are looking for an Architect / Senior Principal Software Development Engineer (Layer 7 Security & Proxy) to join our team. This is a hybrid role (minimum 3 days a week in Santa Clara, CA office), reporting to the Director, Software Development Engineering in the Zero Trust Exchange department. This architect role is essential to provide technical leadership for the ZIA proxy architecture, with a strong focus on advanced Layer 7 protocols and SSL inspection. You will help improve the quality of code shipped to production by driving sound architectural decisions, implementing innovative solutions, and raising the overall engineering bar for the team. Additionally, you will play a key role in modernizing the ZIA code base by addressing technical debt, fixing existing issues, and rewriting components where necessary. Ultimately, this role is critical for supporting and accelerating the delivery of key proxy roadmap features on a strong and scalable foundation.Role ExpectationsSupport end-to-end QUIC/ and proxy and TLS/SSL architecture in ZIADefine and evolve ZIA proxy architecturePartner with Product Management and engineering on solution design, trade-offs, and end-to-end delivery of core ZIA functionalityEstablish reference architectures and design patterns for ZIA components and integrationsProvide technical leadership, mentoring, and architectural governance across virtual and product teamsSuccess ProfileYou thrive in ambiguity, comfortably building the path as you walk it and viewing dynamic environments as the raw material to create something meaningful.You are customer-obsessed, building deep empathy for both internal and external users while anchoring your decisions in solving real-world problems.You are driven by innovation, bringing deep curiosity to complex technical challenges and constantly seeking better, more secure, and scalable solutions.You think at scale, connecting your daily work to the larger mission to build solutions that support a high-growth, global organization.You lead with integrity by holding yourself and others to high standards of accountability and building trust through consistent, transparent action.Minimum QualificationsFoundational understanding of AI/ML technologies and experience leveraging, securing, or positioning AI-driven solutions to optimize outcomes within your functional domain15+ years of experience of total experience and proven experience in designing and implementing networking security software and public clouds infrastructureDeep understanding of Proxies, QUIC, TCP/IP, TLS/DTLS and SSL proxiesProficient in C languageDemonstrated success in designing, optimizing, and troubleshooting high-throughput, low-latency network security productsBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related fieldPreferred QualificationsProven ability to leverage AI technologies and workflows to drive measurable operational efficiencyMastery of TCP/IP, DNS, VPN technologies (IPSec, SSL VPN), NAT, and load balancingKnowledge of BSD/Linux operating systems, virtualization technologies, and DPDK or similar kernel bypass techniques