Staff Software Engineer (Masters)

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

The Team Engineering - Our engineering team is at the core of our products and connected directly to the mission of preventing cyberattacks. We are constantly innovating - challenging the way we, and the industry, think about cybersecurity. Our engineers don’t shy away from building products to solve problems no one has pursued before. We define the industry instead of waiting for directions. We need individuals who feel comfortable in ambiguity, excited by the prospect of a challenge, and empowered by the unknown risks facing our everyday lives that are only enabled by a secure digital environment.

Job Summary Join a Research and Development (R&D) team to make a global impact by preventing successful cyber attacks. In this role, AI knowledge and hands-on experience are imperative to your success, as artificial intelligence is central to how we defend systems and engineer modern security solutions. Your projects will provide real, hands-on experience working directly on cutting-edge platforms across our Strata, Prisma, Cortex, and AI Security organizations. We are seeking engineers passionate about technology and cybersecurity, with opportunities in Software Development (including AI/ML & Data Science), Embedded Systems, and Distributed Systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate and execute alongside experienced engineers.
• Help disrupt the cybersecurity industry using the latest and greatest technologies.
• Write code that meaningfully improves our products and services.
• Learn about the cybersecurity industry from the world's leading security experts.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Masters degree earned between December 2026 - May/June 2027 in Machine Learning, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering or a similar field.
• Strong programming skills and experience working with Machine Learning concepts.
• Exposure and experience with large language models (LLMs) or AI/ML APIs, even through personal projects.
• A deep understanding of the fundamentals of Computer Science.
• Must have the authorization to work within the United States.

•

Preferred Qualifications

• Exemplify strong initiative and ability to work independently with limited direction.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with other engineers, researchers, and Product Managers.
• Excellent communication skills.
• A demonstrated interest in Cybersecurity.

Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. For candidates who receive an offer at the posted level, the starting base salary (for non-sales roles) or base salary + commission target (for sales/com-missioned roles) is expected to be the annual range listed below. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

$104,000.00 - $169,500.00/yr 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 accommodations@paloaltonetworks.com.

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?: Yes