Principal Software Development Engineer (C and Go)

About Zscaler

Zscaler is a pioneer and global leader in zero trust security. The worlds largest businesses critical infrastructure organizations and government agencies rely on Zscaler to secure users branches applications data & devices and to accelerate digital transformation initiatives. Distributed across more than 160 data centers globally the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform combined with advanced AI combats billions of cyber threats and policy violations every day and unlocks productivity gains for modern enterprises by reducing costs and complexity.

Here impact in your role matters more than title and trust is built on results. We believe in transparency and value constructive honest debatewere focused on getting to the best ideas faster. We build high-performing teams that can make an impact quickly and with high quality. To do this we are building a culture of execution centered on customer obsession collaboration ownership and accountability.

We champion an AI Forward People First philosophy to help us accelerate and innovate empowering our people to embrace their potential. If youre driven by purpose thrive on solving complex challenges and want to make a positive difference on a global scale we invite you to bring your talents to Zscaler to help shape the future of cybersecurity.

Role

We are looking for a Principal Software Development Engineer (C and Go) to join our Engineering team. This is a hybrid role based in San Jose CA (3 days a week in office) reporting to the Senior Director Application Engineering - Central Authority. You will work on the control plane for the Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) product which has redefined how security services are delivered in the cloud. You bring an understanding of security protocols and services.

What youll do (Role Expectations)

• Practice technical leadership in design development and optimization of control path features in Cloud Infrastructure

• Define and execute the technical roadmap ensuring alignment with business goals

• Develop and own components of a large-scale distributed system with a focus on scalability

• Use AI-powered tools for advanced problem solving and engineering efficiency

• Mentor other engineers

Who You Are (Success Profile)

• You thrive in ambiguity. Youre comfortable building the path as you walk it and see ambiguity as the raw material to build something meaningful.

• You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action and you navigate seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution.

• You are customer-obsessed. You build deep empathy for the customer and anchor your decisions in solving their real-world problems.

• You are driven by innovation. You have a deep curiosity for how things work and are energized by solving complex technical challenges.

• You think at scale. You build solutions and processes that are built to last and support a high-growth global organization.

What Were Looking for (Minimum Qualifications)

• 12 years of experience in C programming along with proven experience in Go or Rust; Bachelors or Masters Degree in Engineering/Computer Science

• Expertise in networking protocols and services like DNS HTTP TCP/IP SSL/TLS and strong knowledge of authentication protocols like LDAP SAML OAuth

• Strong experience in FreeBSD or Linux systems internals

• Strong fundamentals with high-performance computing distributed systems event-based programming memory optimization and fault tolerance

• Software design profiling and verification skills along with proficiency in design/code reviews and writing automated unit and integration tests

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience in cloud computing with AWS GCP or other cloud providers and containerization using Docker and Kubernetes

• Knowledge of PostgreSQL

• Experience with YugabyteDB and/or CockroachDB

#LI-KM9 #LI-Hybrid

At Zscaler we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure.

Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families throughout their life stages including:

By applying for this role you adhere to applicable laws regulations and Zscaler policies including those related to security and privacy standards and guidelines.

Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race color religion sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions) age national origin sexual orientation gender identity or expression genetic information disability status protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local laws. See more information by clicking on the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal link.

Pay Transparency

Zscaler complies with all applicable federal state and local pay transparency rules.

Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled have long term conditions mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy-related support.