Principal Engineer Software

Our Mission

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.

Who We Are

This role is remote, but distance is no barrier to impact. Our hybrid teams collaborate across geographies to solve big problems, stay close to our customers, and grow together. You will be part of a culture that values trust, accountability, and shared success where your work truly matters.

Job Description

The TeamThe Engineering team is a key player in the development of our products. We are responsible for the entire development process, from design and coding to testing and deployment. Our team is made up of talented and passionate engineers who are dedicated to building the best possible products for our customers.Job SummaryPalo Alto Networks SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) group is seeking a seasoned Principal SQA Engineer to validate core networking and security features for our industry-leading SD-WAN solutions. You will join a world-class, multi-functional engineering team working on ground-breaking technologies. In this role, you will be instrumental in solving complex customer problems and ensuring the quality and reliability of our products.Key ResponsibilitiesOwn and drive the end-to-end test strategy, architecture, and execution plans for enterprise-scale SD-WAN solutions.Proactively collaborate with Product Management, TME, and Customer Support teams to understand and replicate complex customer use cases.Design, implement, and maintain comprehensive test frameworks, complex networking testbeds, and automation scripts using Python and REST APIs.Execute system, solution, scale, performance, interoperability, and failover testing to ensure product robustness.Work closely with development and other QA groups to ensure alignment and achieve the highest standards of quality, suggesting and implementing process improvements.Partner with DevOps and Technical Support teams to analyze, troubleshoot, and resolve customer-escalated issues.Lead technical discussions with authority, mentor junior team members to foster skill development, and support customer deployments as a subject matter expert.

Qualifications (Additional Job Description)

Required QualificationsBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.10+ years of relevant experience in software quality assurance for networking products.Expertise in L2/L3 networking, routing protocols (BGP, OSPF), MPLS, IPSec, QoS, and NAT.Deep understanding of standard TCP/IP protocols (ARP, IP, ICMP, TCP, UDP) and networking features (Multicast, IPv6, DNS, DHCP).Proven experience in designing and implementing automation frameworks using Python and REST APIs.Demonstrated expertise in performance characterization and testing of SD-WAN solutions, including control plane, data plane, and security features.Preferred QualificationsExperience with traffic generation tools such as Ixia or Spirent and protocol analyzers like Wireshark.Familiarity with virtualization technologies including VMware ESXi, KVM/QEMU, or Microsoft Hyper-V.A curious and positive mindset with excellent problem-solving, debugging, and troubleshooting skills.