Principal Software Engineer - Intelligent Data Platform
Principal Software Engineer leading design and development of Zscaler's multi-tenant cloud-based Intelligent Data Platform (hybrid, min 3 days/week in Santa Clara). Needs 10+ years building large-scale distributed data platforms, proficiency in Java/Go/Python, REST APIs, RDBMS, Kubernetes, Docker, and foundational AI/ML knowledge.
- Compensation
- $185.5K–$265K / yr
- Location
- Santa Clara, California, USA
- Work setup
- Hybrid
- Seniority
- Principal
- Employment
- Full time
- Experience
- 10+ years
- Category
- Data engineering
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Foundational understanding of AI/ML technologies and experience leveraging or securing AI-driven solutions
- 10+ years of software engineering experience building and managing large-scale cloud-based data platforms, with distributed systems and data architecture expertise
- Experience driving cross-team technical programs to delivery: owning design reviews, resolving blockers, producing architectural guidance
- Proficiency in Java or alternatives (Go, Python) with deep expertise in REST APIs, RDBMS, Document Stores, Kubernetes, and Docker
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
- Experience working with product management and cross-team stakeholders to translate requirements into execution plans
Nice to have
- Advanced degrees and industry certifications
- Proven ability to leverage AI technologies and workflows to drive measurable operational efficiency
- Experience with monitoring, tracing, and observability tooling such as Grafana and Prometheus
- Proficiency in test frameworks and writing test units
- Demonstrated success in mentoring and developing engineering talent
Full description
Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across 200+ public data centers globally and thousands of private sites at the edge, the SASE-based Zero Trust Exchange is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.
We believe the future of work is Human + AI and are building an AI-native enterprise where human potential is amplified by machine intelligence to solve the world’s hardest security challenges. Driven by deep customer obsession, we are committed to the mission, outcome, and to each other. We bring these commitments to life through three core behaviors: ownership and collaboration, trust through outcomes and impact, and a challenge culture with ongoing feedback. Ready to make an impact at the company pioneering security transformation in the AI era? Join us at Zscaler.
Role
We are looking for a Principal Software Engineer - Intelligent Data Platform to join our team. This is a hybrid role (in office, minimum 3 days per week in Santa Clara, CA), reporting to the Director, Software Development Engineering in the Cloud Data Platform team. We are seeking an experienced Principal Software Engineer, where your deep understanding of cloud-based data platforms and proven track record in building and scaling high-performance systems will be pivotal. In this role, you will lead the development of our core data platform, shaping its design, implementation, and evolution to meet our dynamic business needs.
What You’ll Do (Role Expectations)
- Lead the design, architecture, and development of our multi-tenant, cloud-based data platform, collaborating with cross-functional teams to define and implement scalable, secure, and high-performance solutions
- Partner closely with product management and stakeholders to align long-term technical strategies with business goals, actively contributing to the product roadmap and translation of requirements into execution plans
- Evaluate, establish, and optimize engineering processes, agile methodologies, and best practices to enhance development efficiency, delivery speed, and code quality
- Drive engineering and operational excellence to ensure 4-9s system availability 24/7 in a full DevOps model, implementing robust solutions for system reliability, fault tolerance, automation, and rapid resolution of customer issues
- Explore emerging and cross-provider cloud technologies to keep the platform versatile and leading-edge, while mentoring junior engineers to champion inclusive collaboration and technical excellence