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# Principal Software Engineer - Backend (Machine Identity Security, SaaS Control Plane

- **Company:** Palo Alto Networks
- **Location:** United States
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Salary:** $147,000.0 - $237,500.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services, User Authentication, Microsoft Azure, Software as a Service, Cloud Computing, Software Documentation, Continuous Delivery, Continuous Integration, Software Design Patterns, Programming Tools, Distributed Systems, Home Automation, Identity and Access Management, Internet Security, Enterprise Messaging Systems, Network Control, OAuth, Performance Tuning, Ansible, Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), Software Engineering, Data Streaming, Systems Architecture, Systems Integration, SSL Certificate Management, Data Processing, Google Cloud, Real Time Systems, Concurrency, Backend, Containerization, Kubernetes, Information Technology, Low Latency, Palo Alto Networks, Apache Kafka, Api Design, Terraform, Multiplatform, Docker, Microservices
- **Published:** August 14, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.careerbuilder.com/job-details/principal-software-engineer-backend-machine-identity-security-saas-control-plane--c80fd503-ba9f-4ed8-9d51-19eecc5e50f3

## About the Role

+ Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience
 + 8+ years of professional experience in software development, with demonstrated ownership of complex backend or control plane systems
 + Strong experience building backend services and APIs using Java (primary); Go experience is a plus
 + Deep experience designing and scaling distributed systems and microservices architectures
 + Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), ideally in SaaS environments
 + Strong system design expertise, including API design, performance optimization, and scalability patterns
 + Experience building or operating systems under real production load, including high request throughput, concurrency, and performance optimization at scale
 + Experience building and supporting APIs, SDKs, and integrations used by internal and external customers
 + Experience with data streaming, messaging systems, or real-time processing (e.g., Kafka)
 + Experience with CI/CD, containerization (Docker), and orchestration (Kubernetes)
 + Familiarity with identity, authentication, or security systems (SAML, OAuth, certificate management) is a plus
 + Proven ability to lead large-scale system design efforts and influence technical direction across multiple teams or services
 + Ability to influence technical direction, mentor engineers, and drive alignment across teams
 + Strong problem-solving skills and ability to operate effectively in a collaborative, fast-paced environment, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Ansible, Apache Kafka, Application Programming Interface (API), Architectural Services, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Authentication, Best Practices, Brand Marketing (Branding), Cloud Computing, Computer Science, Concurrency, Continuous Deployment/Delivery, Continuous Integration, Design Patterns Programming Methodologies, Digital Certificates, Distributed Computing, Docker, Employee Benefits, GCP (Good Clinical Practices), High Throughput, Home Automation, Identify Issues, Internet Security, Java, Large-Scale Systems, Leadership, Leading Edge Technology, Mentoring, Messaging Technology, Microservices, Microsoft Windows Azure, Multiplatform/Cross-Platform, OAuth, Operating Systems, Performance Tuning/Optimization, Problem Solving Skills, Process Improvement, Programming Tools, Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), Software Development, Software Engineering, Software as a Service (SaaS), System Architecture, System Operations, Systems
Administration/Management, Team Player, Technical Leadership, Technical/Engineering Design, User Documentation

## Description

We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join our Machine Identity Security team, focused on backend systems that power the control plane of our platform. In this role, you will lead the design and evolution of scalable backend services, APIs, and integrations that enable secure machine identity and certificate lifecycle management at scale. You will work on high-throughput, low-latency distributed systems supporting large-scale request volumes and real-time system interactions. You will operate at a systems level, shaping how control plane capabilities are built, exposed, and consumed across the platform. This includes defining APIs, managing service interactions, and ensuring reliability under load across distributed environments. You will be responsible for shaping the technical direction of control plane services, influencing architectural decisions across teams, and driving consistency in how systems are designed, built, and scaled across the platform. This role requires
strong technical depth, product awareness, and the ability to guide complex engineering decisions across multiple teams.

 * Responsibilities
 + Lead the design and development of backend services and APIs that power the Machine Identity Security control plane
 + Own and drive backend architecture and system design for control plane services, with a focus on scalability, reliability, and extensibility
 + Define and influence how control plane capabilities are exposed through APIs, SDKs, and integrations
 + Build and guide the development of integrations between the control plane and external systems/tools (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, enterprise platforms)
 + Design and operate high-throughput distributed systems supporting large-scale, multi-tenant SaaS control plane environments, with a focus on latency, reliability, and data consistency
 + Optimize backend services for performance at scale, including request throughput, concurrency, and system efficiency under load
 + Partner closely with product, platform, and security teams to define and evolve control plane capabilities and long-term system direction
 + Drive consistency and best practices across teams building control plane services, influencing design patterns, service communication, and data handling at a platform level
 + Diagnose and resolve complex technical issues across distributed control plane services, setting patterns and approaches for other engineers to follow
 + Mentor engineers and contribute to raising the technical bar through design reviews and technical leadership
 + Drive technical decisions and influence backend direction across teams working on the platform
 + Drive improvements in development workflows, CI/CD pipelines, and engineering standards
 + Contribute to evolving engineering practices that incorporate modern development tooling responsibly, with attention to security, correctness, and maintainability


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