Principal Software Engineer - Backend (Machine Identity Security, SaaS Control Plane)

Our MissionAt 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 AreIn 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!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.Job SummaryWe are seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join our Machine Identity Security team, focused on backend systems that power the control plane of our platform. In this role, you will lead the design and evolution of scalable backend services, APIs, and integrations that enable secure machine identity and certificate lifecycle management at scale. You will work on high-throughput, low-latency distributed systems supporting large-scale request volumes and real-time system interactions. You will operate at a systems level, shaping how control plane capabilities are built, exposed, and consumed across the platform. This includes defining APIs, managing service interactions, and ensuring reliability under load across distributed environments. You will be responsible for shaping the technical direction of control plane services, influencing architectural decisions across teams, and driving consistency in how systems are designed, built, and scaled across the platform. This role requires strong technical depth, product awareness, and the ability to guide complex engineering decisions across multiple teams.ResponsibilitiesLead the design and development of backend services and APIs that power the Machine Identity Security control planeOwn and drive backend architecture and system design for control plane services, with a focus on scalability, reliability, and extensibilityDefine and influence how control plane capabilities are exposed through APIs, SDKs, and integrationsBuild and guide the development of integrations between the control plane and external systems/tools (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, enterprise platforms)Design and operate high-throughput distributed systems supporting large-scale, multi-tenant SaaS control plane environments, with a focus on latency, reliability, and data consistencyOptimize backend services for performance at scale, including request throughput, concurrency, and system efficiency under loadPartner closely with product, platform, and security teams to define and evolve control plane capabilities and long-term system directionDrive consistency and best practices across teams building control plane services, influencing design patterns, service communication, and data handling at a platform levelDiagnose and resolve complex technical issues across distributed control plane services, setting patterns and approaches for other engineers to followMentor engineers and contribute to raising the technical bar through design reviews and technical leadershipDrive technical decisions and influence backend direction across teams working on the platformDrive improvements in development workflows, CI/CD pipelines, and engineering standardsContribute to evolving engineering practices that incorporate modern development tooling responsibly, with attention to security, correctness, and maintainabilityQualifications Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience8+ years of professional experience in software development, with demonstrated ownership of complex backend or control plane systemsStrong experience building backend services and APIs using Java (primary); Go experience is a plusDeep experience designing and scaling distributed systems and microservices architecturesHands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), ideally in SaaS environmentsStrong system design expertise, including API design, performance optimization, and scalability patternsExperience building or operating systems under real production load, including high request throughput, concurrency, and performance optimization at scaleExperience building and supporting APIs, SDKs, and integrations used by internal and external customersExperience with data streaming, messaging systems, or real-time processing (e.g., Kafka)Experience with CI/CD, containerization (Docker), and orchestration (Kubernetes)Familiarity with identity, authentication, or security systems (SAML, OAuth, certificate management) is a plusProven ability to lead large-scale system design efforts and influence technical direction across multiple teams or servicesAbility to influence technical direction, mentor engineers, and drive alignment across teamsStrong problem-solving skills and ability to operate effectively in a collaborative, fast-paced environmentCompensation DisclosureThe 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/com-missioned 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.$147,000.00 - $237,500.00/yrOur 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 View email address on click.appcast.io 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?: YesSummaryLocation: Office - USA - CyberArk Santa Clara (CA)Type: Full time