Principal Software Engineer (Cortex Platform)

The Team Cortex is a world‑leading cybersecurity platform that provides comprehensive security solutions to protect organizations from advanced threats. Our team is responsible for developing and maintaining the core components of the Cortex platform, including the data pipeline, analytics engine, and user interface. We are a fast‑paced and innovative team that is passionate about building the best security products in the world. Job Summary We are seeking a Principal Backend Engineer to join our Cortex backend engineering group, a team dedicated to developing, innovating, and scaling the Cortex Platform. In this role, you will contribute to the core backend of Cortex products like XSOAR, XDR, and XSIAM, and shared infrastructures. We are looking for a passionate engineer with a can‑do attitude who thrives on solving complex problems and delivering value to thousands of customers. Key Responsibilities Lead the end‑to‑end backend development of features and components, from design and development to testing, deployment, and maintenance. Collaborate effectively with peers across diverse teams and disciplines to shape solutions and ensure seamless integration with other product components. Drive team‑wide technical excellence by actively participating in code reviews, design reviews, and architectural decisions. Maintain a production‑first mindset, providing real‑time mitigation and solutions to production issues to ensure platform stability and customer satisfaction. Challenge the status quo by exploring and applying new technologies and methodologies to innovate and scale the Cortex Platform. Simplify complex systems by designing and implementing elegant, scalable, and maintainable backend services. Mentor junior engineers, empowering others by sharing knowledge and fostering a culture of technical growth and accountability. Qualifications Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience. 8+ years of professional software engineering experience, including the development of scalable server‑side applications. Extensive hands‑on programming skills in Go and/or Python. Proven experience with major cloud platforms (e.g., GCP, AWS, Azure). Deep understanding of and experience with Microservices architecture (e.g., Kubernetes, Docker, Serverless). Strong computer science fundamentals and experience with distributed computing concepts (e.g., CAP theorem, master election, distributed databases). Preferred Qualifications Experience with big‑data architectures using technologies like Kafka, Splunk, or Flink. Hands‑on experience with both SQL and NoSQL databases (e.g., BigQuery, Elasticsearch). Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure‑as‑code practices. Knowledge of cybersecurity, information security, or software security principles. 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 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. 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 View email address on click.appcast.io. 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. #J-18808-Ljbffr