Sr Staff Engineer Backend & Security Data Infrastructure (Contractor)

This role is a contract assignment at Palo Alto Networks. Contractors will not be employed by Palo Alto Networks but through our trusted staffing partners.

• Location : Bengaluru, India (Hybrid)
• Duration: 12 Months

Job Title: Sr Staff Engineer – Backend & Security Data Infrastructure (Contractor)

Job Description:

Job Summary

We are seeking a high-caliber, forward-thinking Senior Staff Engineer to join our fast-paced Product Security (ProdSec) team. In this role, you will lead the architecture, development, and scaling of critical security data pipelines and analytics dashboards. Our team is responsible for ingesting massive datasets from various security vectors, aggregating them using Google BigQuery, and building intuitive, high-performance dashboards that provide real-time visibility into our security posture.

The ideal candidate brings a formidable background in backend engineering, a deep mastery of the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) ecosystem, and an innovative mindset eager to leverage GenAI models (like Gemini and Claude Opus). Beyond technical brilliance, we are looking for a collaborative team player with an exceptional attitude and the aptitude to thrive in a rapid, agile environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Backend Architecture & Development: Design, build, and maintain robust, scalable, and secure backend services and API layers that power ProdSec dashboards.
• Data Engineering & Analytics: Architect data pipelines to ingest, transform, and aggregate complex security data within Google BigQuery using optimized SQL queries.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as a core team player, collaborating closely with security analysts, frontend engineers, and product managers to rapidly iterate on features.
• Technical Leadership: Drive code quality through rigorous reviews, and champion a culture of continuous improvement, agility, and technical excellence.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Education: B.Tech / M.Tech in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a highly related technical field.
• Experience:7+ years of professional experience explicitly focused on backend development, software architecture, and distributed systems.
• Scripting & Development: Hands-on proficiency in Python; familiarity or exposure to Golang is highly desirable.
• Cloud Infrastructure: Strong, hands-on proficiency with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services and architecture.
• BigQuery & SQL Mastery: Deep expertise in Google BigQuery architecture, data modeling, performance tuning, and writing highly complex, optimized SQL queries for large-scale datasets.
• GenAI Exposure: Practical exposure to interacting with modern LLMs/AI models (e.g., Gemini, Anthropic Claude Opus).

Core Soft Skills & Attributes

• Great Attitude & Aptitude: A proactive, self-motivated learner who tackles complex problems with enthusiasm and thrives in a fast-moving environment.
• Exemplary Team Player: Outstanding communication skills with a proven track record of collaborating across teams, sharing knowledge, and fostering a positive workspace.