Sr. Staff Software Engineer, Cloud Networking & Datapath

Description

The company makes cloud security software. Its platform connects users, devices, and applications from any location, with traffic handled in more than 200 public data centers worldwide and thousands of private edge sites. It is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker ZS and describes its platform as the largest in-line cloud security platform in the world.

The company is building an AI-native organization and works in close teams where feedback is given openly and ownership is expected.

Responsibilities

• Write software design specifications and build code with few defects, using test-driven development.
• Find existing code that can be refactored to be easier to maintain and reuse, and take ownership of resolving complex customer issues.
• Work closely with engineers on security, UI, platform, analytics, and quality assurance teams.
• Work with Product Management to develop detailed product requirements.
• Lead junior engineers by giving technical direction, mentoring them, and helping with implementation details.

Requirements

• You are comfortable with ambiguity and can define the path while you move along it.
• You act like an owner, moving quickly and acting with integrity because you care about results. You can shift between high-level strategy and hands-on work.
• You enjoy hard problems and focus on finding solutions, since those carry the biggest impact.
• You are a dependable teammate who puts the team ahead of personal goals and gives and accepts direct, respectful feedback.
• You want to keep growing, actively seek feedback, and use it to improve as a partner and teammate.
• Working knowledge of AI and ML technologies, with experience using, securing, or presenting AI-driven solutions to improve results in your area.
• 7+ years building large-scale cloud networking and security applications, with strong design skills and programming in C/C++, Go, or Python.
• Deep knowledge of networking protocols and services such as DNS, HTTP, TCP/IP, and SSL/TLS. An understanding of firewall policy enforcement is ideal.
• Proven work with AWS, Azure, or GCP networking components, including transit gateway, IGW, NATGW, NACL, security groups, GWLB, ILB, and Route53.
• Hands-on experience with database services, PubSub mechanisms, and SDKs on AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• Preferred: experience using AI/ML to improve network datapath efficiency, automate routing performance, or strengthen intelligent threat detection.
• Preferred: familiarity with, or direct experience building, security firewall features.
• Preferred: experience building Software as a Service solutions and using cloud-native infrastructure services.

Conditions

This is a full-time role based in the Santa Clara, CA office, where you work at least 3 days each week in a hybrid setup.

You will report to the Senior Manager Software Development Engineering within the Engineering department.

The base pay range is $180,000 - $225,000 USD for US locations. Final pay may be higher or lower based on skills, experience, and education or training. The range excludes commission, bonus, equity, and benefits.

The company follows pay transparency rules and offers reasonable accommodations during hiring for candidates who are differently abled, have long term, mental health, or religious needs, are neurodivergent, or need pregnancy-related support.

Benefits

• Health plan options.
• Vacation and sick time plans.
• Parental leave options.
• Retirement options.
• Education reimbursement.
• In-office perks and more.