Senior Staff Software Engineer – Test Automation Infrastructure (ZIA Core)
Architects, builds, and maintains high-scale system test automation infrastructure for Zscaler's ZIA Core datapath, a cloud security platform processing 400B+ transactions daily. Works with Python test frameworks and deep networking (L4-L7, cloud firewall, IPsec/GRE tunneling) in a hybrid role based in San Jose, CA.
- Compensation
- $157.5K–$225K / yr
- Location
- Santa Clara, California, USA
- Work setup
- Hybrid
- Seniority
- Staff
- Employment
- Full time
- Experience
- 12+ years
- Category
- Qa
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Foundational understanding of AI/ML technologies and experience leveraging, securing, or positioning AI-driven solutions within your functional domain
- 12+ years of overall experience with strong programming skills in building test automation frameworks in Python
- Solid understanding of TCP/IP protocol stack, HTTP(S), TLS, PKI, DNS, DHCP, VPN, HA, routing and switching, and tunneling methods such as IPsec/GRE
- Strong background in L3, L4, and L7 filtering policies, with hands-on exposure to load balancers, IPS/IDS, and routers
- Proven experience in manual and automated functional, integration, performance, and scale testing for cloud security/SaaS products, including test plan and test case creation
- Excellent debugging/troubleshooting skills to diagnose and resolve complex network infrastructure, HTTP/SSL, and firewall issues in customer environments
- Hybrid: 3 days per week in the San Jose, CA office
Nice to have
- Experience leveraging AI-assisted coding, static/dynamic analysis, or intelligent automation tools to improve test coverage and engineering productivity
- Hands-on experience with traffic generators, performance/load testing tools, and fuzzing techniques
- Track record of mentoring junior engineers and leading large-scale test automation or quality initiatives for distributed cloud systems
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 Senior Staff Software Engineer – Test Automation Infrastructure (ZIA Core) to join our team. This is a hybrid (3 days per week in San Jose, CA office) role, reporting to the Sr Manager, Software Engineering, QA in the ZIA Engineering team. In this role you will own the architecture, development, and maintenance of a high-scale system test automation infrastructure for ZIA Core Datapath, a cloud security platform processing 400B+ transactions daily. You will build repeatable automation suites for L4-L7 technologies, validate cloud firewall and tunneling stacks, diagnose customer issues, and mentor engineers while driving continuous regression optimization.
What you’ll do (Role Expectations)
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams during design, development, and maintenance of cloud-based software solutions
- Architect, design, develop, and maintain a scalable system test automation infrastructure for a cloud product processing 400B+ transactions per day
- Build repeatable automation suites to validate L4–L7 technologies, including cloud firewall, IPsec/GRE tunneling, load balancers, IPS/IDS, and routing/switching
- Act as an owner and advocate for testing at scale, pushing the limits of the software under test through proficient coding methodologies and strong debugging/troubleshooting
- Mentor and guide junior engineers, take full ownership of features, and continuously optimize the regression cycle
Who You Are (Success Profile)
- You are a pragmatic builder obsessed with creating, iterating, and shipping, balancing technical excellence with the need to deliver value to users quickly.
- You act like an owner with a deep passion for the mission, operating with integrity and seamlessly navigating between high-level strategy and hands-on execution.