Senior Staff Software Engineer – Layer 7 Security

Palo Alto Networks

. Drive the development of highly scalable, real-time, distributed cloud security systems .

Posted 9/18/2026full-timeSanta Clara • California • United StatesSenior💰 $134,600 - $217,800 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in developing scalable, high-performance distributed cloud security systems, with a strong foundation in system architecture, networking fundamentals, and secure development practices. Proven ability to lead technical teams, mentor engineers, and drive improvements in engineering processes and best practices.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Expert-Level Proficiency In CStrong Proficiency In GoExtensive Experience In Unix/Linux EnvironmentsProven Experience Designing Large-Scale Distributed SystemsStrong Communication Skills

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

C ProgrammingGo ProgrammingUnix/Linux DevelopmentDistributed Systems DesignNetworking FundamentalsMulti-Threaded System DesignData StructuresAlgorithmsPerformance OptimizationPython Programming

Soft Skills

LeadershipMentoringCommunication

Tools & Technologies

Cloud PlatformsOrchestration SystemsContainerized DeploymentsTLS/SSLOpenSSLHTTP Protocols

Industry Keywords

Cloud SecuritySystem ArchitectureEngineering Best PracticesPerformance TuningSecure Development

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

CloudDistributed SystemsLinuxPythonTCP/IPUnixGo

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Drive the development of highly scalable, real-time, distributed cloud security systems
Define and implement robust, high-performance, and maintainable system architectures
Set technical direction for critical components, ensuring scalability, reliability, and security
Partner with product management, security research, and platform teams to translate complex requirements into executable designs
Lead end-to-end execution across the software development lifecycle, from concept through deployment and sustainment
Establish and enforce engineering best practices, including code quality, performance optimization, and secure development
Mentor senior and junior engineers, and elevate the technical capabilities of the organization
Identify architectural, tooling, and process gaps and drive improvements at an organizational level
Serve as a technical authority for debugging, performance tuning, and complex system challenges

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science or related technical field, or equivalent practical/military experience
7+ years of professional software engineering experience, including significant time in senior technical leadership roles
Expert-level proficiency in C
Strong proficiency in Go
Extensive experience developing in Unix/Linux environments
Proven experience designing and building large-scale, high-performance distributed systems
Deep expertise in networking fundamentals, including TCP/IP internals and network security technologies
Advanced experience with multi-threaded, multi-process, and multi-core system design
Strong foundation in data structures, algorithms, and systems-level performance optimization
Demonstrated ability to lead architecture and deliver complex, cross-functional initiatives
Strong communication skills with the ability to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders
Experience with cloud platforms, orchestration systems, and containerized deployments
Expertise in TLS/SSL internals, cryptography, and libraries such as OpenSSL
Experience with HTTP protocols and backend service development
Proficiency in Python for tooling, automation, or system integration

Benefits

Comp & perks

Restricted stock units may be included
Bonus may be included
Reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with a disability or special need
Immigration sponsorship eligible