Principal Network Security Architect / Engineer

Principal Network Security Engineer

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.

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!

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.

As a Principal Network Security Engineer at Palo Alto Networks, you'll be a pivotal force in defining and securing our global network infrastructure. You will operate as a recognized authority within your domain, providing technical leadership and driving the evolution of our enterprise-grade security controls. This role demands a forward-thinking mindset, deep technical expertise, and a relentless drive for automation and continuous improvement to optimize secure, scalable, and reliable network solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, implement, and maintain advanced network security architectures across our global infrastructure, influencing long-term strategic direction.
• Define, develop, and enforce enterprise-wide security policies, including segmentation, access control, and traffic inspection, serving as a subject matter expert.
• Drive the integration of security into all layers of network design, proactively collaborating with security, infrastructure, and IT teams to ensure alignment.
• Proactively identify vulnerabilities and lead complex remediation efforts across on-prem and cloud environments, simplifying complex problems to establish best practices.
• Leverage Palo Alto Networks products and third-party platforms to enhance network visibility, protection, and threat intelligence.
• Champion and implement advanced network security automation using scripting, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-code best practices, setting the technical direction.
• Lead major incident response efforts for network security events, ensuring rapid resolution and comprehensive stakeholder communication.
• Provide technical mentorship to senior engineers, contribute significantly to our architectural standards, and foster a strong security-first culture.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive experience in enterprise networking and network security engineering, with a demonstrable track record of leadership in large-scale environments.
• Expert-level understanding of Zero Trust architecture principles and advanced cloud security models (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Extensive hands-on experience architecting and implementing security automation and infrastructure-as-code frameworks (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, Python).
• Experience with leveraging AI/ML tools to simplify operational tasks and build auto-healing capabilities.
• Exceptional expertise in firewall technologies, VPN, IDS/IPS, NAC, and advanced microsegmentation strategies.
• Mastery of routing, switching, and TCP/IP protocols; significant experience with Arista, Juniper, or equivalent enterprise-grade network hardware.
• Must be local to SF bay area

Preferred Qualifications

• A deep and proven background with Palo Alto Networks products and platforms (e.g., NGFW, Panorama, Prisma Access).
• Superior troubleshooting and analytical skills to diagnose and resolve the most complex security issues.
• Exceptional communication and technical leadership skills with a proven ability to drive cross-functional collaboration and influence strategic decisions.

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/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.

$154,000.00 - $249,500.00/yr

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 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.