Principal/ Senior Backend Engineer - Data Classification

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 In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us! We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes. Job Summary Our engineering team is at the core of how modern data security is built. We are redefining how organizations understand and protect their most sensitive data in a world of growing scale, speed, and complexity. By combining high-performance systems with intelligent, AI-driven capabilities, we challenge traditional approaches and push the boundaries of what data classification can achieve. We’re looking for engineers who thrive in open-ended environments, are energized by hard problems, and are motivated to build solutions that don’t yet exist. This role is about more than writing code. It’s about shaping how intelligent systems detect, interpret, and protect data across cloud and endpoint environments. In this role, you will play a central part in designing and building a core classification engine that powers multiple security solutions across the platform. Your work will directly influence how different products identify risk, enforce protection, and operate at scale. You’ll work at the intersection of large-scale systems and applied AI, turning raw signals into accurate, reliable insights that help customers secure their data with confidence. Key Responsibilities Build and scale AI-driven data classification and detection capabilities for next-generation data security products. Design systems that identify, classify, and protect sensitive data in real time across cloud and endpoint environments. Lead technical design discussions and influence architecture for large-scale data processing systems. Partner with product, infrastructure, and other engineering teams to deliver tightly integrated solutions. Solve complex engineering challenges related to scale, performance, reliability, and operations. Raise the technical and collaborative bar by mentoring, sharing knowledge, and improving team practices. Proactively suggest ideas, lead initiatives, and drive continuous improvement across the product and engineering processes. Qualifications Required Qualifications 5+ years of professional experience as a Software Engineer. BSc degree in Computer Science, or equivalent background. Proven ability to design and deliver complex systems end-to-end. Strong algorithmic thinking, including the ability to design efficient solutions under real-world constraints such as scale, latency, and resource usage. Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and cloud infrastructure. Ability to “make things work” beyond writing good code - hands-on, practical, and execution-oriented. Strong ownership, communication skills, and a proactive mindset. Preferred Qualifications Professional experience with Rust - a significant advantage, though willingness to work in Rust is also relevant. Experience integrating AI/ML models into production systems, with a focus on performance, scalability, and reliability. Python or Go experience in a large-scale cloud environment. Experience with applications running remotely at scale. Familiarity with cyber technologies, information security, software security, or related domains. Our Commitment We’re trailblazers that dream big, 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. Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.