Senior Staff Software Engineer

Sr Staff Engineer Software (NGFW) - NetSec

Company Description

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks everything starts and ends with our mission:

Being the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life.
Our vision is a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. We are a company built on the foundation of challenging and disrupting the way things are done, and we're looking for innovators who are as committed to shaping the future of cybersecurity as we are.

Who We Are

We take our mission of protecting the digital way of life seriously. We are relentless in protecting our customers and we believe that the unique ideas of every member of our team contributes to our collective success. Our values were crowdsourced by employees and are brought to life through each of us everyday - from disruptive innovation and collaboration, to execution. From showing up for each other with integrity to creating an environment where we all feel included.

As a member of our team, you will be shaping the future of cybersecurity. We work fast, value ongoing learning, and we respect each employee as a unique individual. Knowing we all have different needs, our development and personal wellbeing programs are designed to give you choice in how you are supported. This includes our FLEXBenefits wellbeing spending account with over 1,000 eligible items selected by employees, our mental and financial health resources, and our personalized learning opportunities - just to name a few

At Palo Alto Networks, we believe in the power of collaboration and value in-person interactions. This is why our employees generally work full time from our office with flexibility offered where needed. This setup fosters casual conversations, problem-solving, and trusted relationships. Our goal is to create an environment where we all win with precision.

Job Description

Your Career

As a member of the Virtualization team at Palo Alto Networks, you will develop our next-generation virtualization and service offerings. Responsibilities will include designing and implementing new features and integrations with Azure cloud and other public and private clouds. Core networking improvements in pure software environments in both Virtual machines and Container form factors.

Your Impact

• You will be expected to participate in all phases of the product development cycle, from definition, design, through implementation and test
• Develop functional specifications, assess task requirements and scheduling, and participate in development, debug and support
• Candidate should also have hands-on experience with virtualization technologies, various hypervisors, system software, networking, and have experience with Linux kernel software development

Qualifications

Your Experience

• 5+ years of hands-on software development experience with a BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent military experience
• Expertise in C programming, with strong debugging and performance optimization skills
• Good understanding of the Linux kernel and networking stack, with a focus on performance and reliability
• Strong background in packet forwarding, tunneling protocols (IPSec/IKE, GRE, VxLAN etc.), and network data paths
• Deep knowledge of networking technologies including:
  • Layer 3 Routing
  • Routing protocols (like BGP, OSPF etc)
  • Packet processing and TCP stream inspection
• Experience in scripting (Python, Bash) for automation and tooling
• Exposure to network virtualization and acceleration technologies such as DPDK, XDP, and hypervisors is a plus
• A collaborative mindset with the ability to work closely with senior engineers in a dynamic, fast-paced environment

Additional Information

The Team

Our engineering team is at the core of our products – connected directly to the mission of preventing cyberattacks. We are constantly innovating – challenging the way we, and the industry, think about cybersecurity. Our engineers don't shy away from building products to solve problems no one has pursued before.

We define the industry, instead of waiting for directions. We need individuals who feel comfortable in ambiguity, excited by the prospect of a challenge, and empowered by the unknown risks facing our everyday lives that are only enabled by a secure digital environment.

Our Commitment

We're problem solvers that 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

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.

Experience LevelSenior Level

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