Staff Software Engineer - AI Security (Go/Rust/Python)

About Zscaler

Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™️ platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across 160+ public exchanges globally and thousands of private exchanges at the edge, the SASE-based Zero Trust Exchange is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.

We believe the future of work is Human + AI and are building an AI-native enterprise where human potential is amplified by machine intelligence to solve the world’s hardest security challenges. Driven by deep customer obsession, we are committed to the mission, outcome, and to each other. We bring these commitments to life through three core behaviors: ownership and collaboration, trust through outcomes and impact, and a challenge culture with ongoing feedback. Ready to make an impact at the company pioneering security transformation in the AI era? Join us at Zscaler.

Role

We are looking for a Staff Software Engineer - AI Security to join our team. This is a Hybrid role based in San Jose, CA, reporting to the Director, Software Engineering in the Engineering department. We are building security products that enable organizations to adopt AI applications and agents safely and at scale. As a Staff Software Engineer, you will take ownership of complex engineering challenges, build secure and scalable systems, and raise the technical bar through hands-on execution and collaboration.

What You’ll Do (Role Expectations)

• Define technical direction and architecture for major areas of the product
• Lead high-impact initiatives that span multiple teams and system boundaries
• Turn ambiguous product and security challenges into clear, executable engineering strategies
• Establish standards for secure, reliable, scalable, and maintainable systems
• Identify systemic risks, architectural gaps, and investments needed for long-term growth

Who You Are (Success Profile)

• You thrive in ambiguity. You build the path as you walk it, viewing ambiguity not as a hindrance but as raw material to create impactful solutions.
• You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action, seamlessly navigating between high-level strategy and hands-on execution.
• You are a problem-solver. You are energized by complex challenges and finding elegant solutions that deliver maximum value.
• You are a high-trust collaborator. You build strong relationships through clear feedback, respect, and a commitment to team success.
• You are driven by innovation. You possess a deep curiosity for how systems work and are energized by solving technical challenges at the cutting edge of AI security.

What We’re Looking For (Minimum Qualifications)

• Demonstrated curiosity and active exploration of AI tools, with a proven history of integrating new technologies to enhance daily workflows and augment problem-solving
• 5+ years of software-engineering experience, including technical leadership across complex production systems
• Strong proficiency in Go, Rust, and Python, with deep expertise in systems engineering, security engineering, and backend platforms
• Demonstrated experience architecting and evolving platforms that span multiple teams or product areas
• Proven ability to remain hands-on through coding, prototyping, design review, and complex debugging
• Deep understanding of concurrency, networking, storage, APIs, data systems, and cloud infrastructure on AWS, GCP, or Azure

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience building enterprise security, endpoint, cloud, or infrastructure products
• Familiarity with AI/ML systems, analytics platforms, AI applications, or AI security
• Experience helping a startup or high-growth product evolve into a scalable engineering organization

Compensation

Zscaler’s salary ranges are benchmarked and are determined by role and level.