Sr. Principal Engineer, Backend - Cortex Cloud (Posture Security)

About the Role

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the architectural vision and design for complex, large-scale backend systems and microservices that form the backbone of Cortex Cloud Posture Security offerings.
• Develop and implement high-quality, resilient, and scalable backend services primarily using Go and Python.
• Drive system design discussions and decisions, ensuring solutions meet current Posture Security needs while being adaptable for future growth and technological advancements in cloud security.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product management, frontend engineers, security researchers, and SRE, to define, design, and ship new features and platform enhancements for Cortex Cloud Posture Security.
• Mentor and guide senior and junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and continuous learning within the Posture Security team.
• Define and evangelize best practices for backend development, testing, and deployment within the organization, particularly as they apply to cloud-native security solutions.
• Analyze and resolve complex technical challenges and production issues, ensuring the reliability and performance of Cortex Cloud Posture Security services.
• Contribute to and lead code reviews, design reviews, and architectural reviews related to Posture Security components.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends in cloud security, backend development, and posture management, evaluating and recommending their adoption where appropriate.
• Optionally, leverage understanding of UI development and user experience to contribute to product design and improve collaboration with frontend teams.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in backend software development, with a proven track record of designing and delivering complex, distributed systems, preferably in a cloud security context.
• Deep expertise in Go and/or Python for backend development.
• Strong understanding of software architecture principles, including microservices, event-driven architecture, and distributed systems patterns.
• Proven experience with system design, data modeling, and API design (RESTful, gRPC).
• Experience with various database technologies (SQL and NoSQL), message queues (e.g., Kafka, RabbitMQ), and caching solutions.
• Solid understanding of cloud platforms (GCP, AWS, or Azure) and containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes), with a focus on security best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical projects and mentor engineers.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and troubleshooting skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities, with the capacity to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Nice to Have

• Experience with cloud security posture management solutions.
• Understanding of UI development and user experience considerations.
• Familiarity with industry trends in cloud security and backend development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Benefits & Perks

• Compensation between $170,000 - $277,000 depending on qualifications and experience.
• Potential inclusion of restricted stock units and bonuses.
• Employee benefits as described in the company's benefits overview.