Sr. Staff Software Development Engineer-AI Security (Network, Security, LLM)

About Zscaler Zscaler accelerates digital transformation to ensure our customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. As an AI-forward enterprise, we are constantly pushing the envelope, leveraging the world’s largest security data lake to power our cloud-native Zero Trust Exchange platform. This innovation protects our customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Here, impact in your role matters more than title and trust is built on results. We say, impact over activity. We seek innovators who actively use AI to amplify their impact and who thrive in an environment where we leverage intelligent systems to stay ahead of evolving threats. We believe in transparency and value constructive, honest debate—we’re focused on getting to the best ideas, faster. We build high-performing teams that can make an impact quickly and with high quality. To do this, we are building a culture of execution centered on customer obsession, collaboration, ownership, and accountability. We value high-impact, high-accountability with a sense of urgency where you’re enabled to do your best work and embrace your potential. If you’re driven by purpose, thrive on solving complex challenges, and want to be part of the team that’s helping to secure the AI age, we invite you to bring your talents to Zscaler and help shape the future of cybersecurity.Role We are looking for a Sr. Staff Software Development Engineer-AI Security to join our team. This is a Hybrid (based in San Jose, CA or Bellevue, WA with a 3 days in office requirement) role, reporting to the Director of Software Engineering in the Emerging Tech department. You will be responsible for designing and implementing core infrastructure components and distributed systems, serving as a foundational architect for our AI security solution. This high-impact role focuses on scaling security infrastructure to support hundreds of millions of users, collaborating with stakeholders across the development lifecycle to drive innovation and technical excellence. What you’ll do (Role Expectations) Architect, develop, and optimize a low-latency, high-throughput AI Security plane utilizing Rust, specifically leveraging its async/await model for highly efficient I/O and service-oriented architecture Build resilient, distributed, and scalable systems, emphasizing concurrency, fault tolerance, and robust messaging protocols Implement and maintain gRPC services and APIs to ensure seamless integration of the AI Security plane with control and orchestration infrastructure Systematically enhance performance across the entire stack, including LLM models, by employing profiling tools for both kernel-space and user-space components Lead complex, multi-functional projects and initiatives, defining the technical roadmap and driving execution across teams Who You Are (Success Profile) You thrive in ambiguity. You're comfortable building the path as you walk it. You thrive in a dynamic environment, seeing ambiguity not as a hindrance, but as the raw material to build something meaningful. You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action. You operate with integrity because you genuinely care about the outcome. True ownership involves leveraging dynamic range: the ability to navigate seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution. You are a problem-solver. You love running towards the challenges because you are laser-focused on finding the solution, knowing that solving the hard problems delivers the biggest impact. You are a high-trust collaborator. You are ambitious for the team, not just yourself. You embrace our challenge culture by giving and receiving ongoing feedback—knowing that candor delivered with clarity and respect is the truest form of teamwork and the fastest way to earn trust. You are a learner. You have a true growth mindset and are obsessed with your own development, actively seeking feedback to become a better partner and a stronger teammate. You love what you do and you do it with purpose. What We’re Looking for (Minimum Qualifications) Foundational understanding of AI/ML technologies and experience leveraging, securing, or positioning AI-driven solutions to optimize outcomes within your functional domain 8+ years of software engineering experience Deep experience in systems programming using Rust, with a focus on asynchronous frameworks such as Tokio or async-std Proven ability to design and implement horizontally scalable, highly available, and observable distributed systems Strong command of Linux internals (including kernel-user space interaction, networking, sockets, and namespaces) combined with skill in performance instrumentation, containerized environments, Git workflows, and CI/CD pipelines What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications) Experience architecting real-time threat detection, input/output sanitization, or guardrail execution frameworks specifically tailored for protecting LLM and generative AI applications Expert in systems languages such as C/C++ or Rust with a focus on performance optimization, including deep understanding of Linux networking stacks, Kubernetes networking, service meshes, and LLM model optimization Practical experience with gRPC, Protobufs, and L4-L7 networking protocols, including TCP/IP, TLS, QUIC, and WebSockets (WSS) #LI-Hybrid #LI-YC2Zscaler’s salary ranges are benchmarked and are determined by role and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations and could be higher or lower based on a multitude of factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. The base salary range listed for this full-time position excludes commission/ bonus/ equity (if applicable) + benefits.Base Pay Range$154,000—$220,000 USDAt Zscaler, we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure. Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families throughout their life stages, including: Various health plans Time off plans for vacation and sick time Parental leave options Retirement options Education reimbursement In-office perks, and more! Learn more about Zscaler's hybrid working model and benefits here. By applying for this role, you adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and Zscaler policies, including those related to security and privacy standards and guidelines. Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions), age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. See more information by clicking on the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal link. Pay Transparency Zscaler complies with all applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency rules. Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled, have long term conditions, mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy-related support.