Principal Architect

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks, we're united by a shared mission—to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you're ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you're in the right place.

Who We Are

In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us

Job Summary

As a Principal Architect you will serve as a trusted executive advisor responsible for influencing our clients' cybersecurity transformation strategies and driving them to successful security outcomes. This role focuses on enhancing the productivity of field sales teams by delivering business-relevant consulting engagements to strategic prospects and customers. In this Director-level role you will lead, direct, and advise cross-functional teams to orchestrate strategic, advisory-style client engagements that keep sales campaigns aligned with customer executive priorities.

Your primary goal is to influence and empower customers to embrace the Palo Alto Networks platform by delivering authoritative architectural roadmaps that create a bridge between the full breadth of Palo Alto Networks' security solutions and solutions that address the client's business needs.

The Principal Architect is expected to be generally familiar with and conversant in all major security domains, including Secure Access Service Edge/Zero Trust (SASE/ZT), Cloud Security, Security Operations, and Identity Security. The ideal candidate for this role will have deep technical knowledge of and hands-on experience with security operations or incident response.

• Establish and maintain executive-level relationships (CISO and above) in strategic accounts to drive growth.
• Advocate for Palo Alto Networks' transformative solution architectures, reshaping client security strategies through strategic conversations.
• Proactively collaborate and exchange information with sales, engineering, and Unit42 teams to develop differentiated proposals that demonstrate clear business and technical value.
• Conduct high-impact consulting engagements, including architectural assessments and workshops, to set a strategic agenda with the customer.
• Identify and document client strategic goals and priority outcomes, working with specialists to build business cases around measurable benefits.
• Provide expert insights to clients on risk reduction, operational excellence, and cost management.
• Serve as a key resource to Product Management, providing insights on current challenges, competitive intelligence, and emerging market needs.
• Maintain continuous self-improvement and learning to sustain technical leadership across relevant technologies (e.g., security technologies, cyber threat intelligence, risk and regulatory topics, emerging technologies)

Qualifications

• Experience: 10+ years of experience as an end customer, a cybersecurity vendor or consultant is required.

• Education: BSCS, equivalent degree or experience is required.

• Architectural Knowledge:

  • Extensive knowledge of core security architectures, history, and trends spanning network, endpoint, and hybrid environments.

  • Solid fundamental background in principles and practices of networking and/or cloud computing.

  • Knowledge of security areas such as security operations, SIEM, endpoint security, network security, SASE/Zero Trust, cloud security, identity management, and emerging topics related to cybersecurity and AI.

• Executive Presence: Demonstrable experience in establishing credibility and strategic messaging with large enterprise executives (CISO and above).

• Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills, both internally and externally.

• Drive and Problem Solving:

  • A "Whatever it takes" attitude and motivation to overcome obstacles necessary to achieve desired outcomes and close deals.

  • Robust problem finding and solving skills, with the ability to analyze complex problems with systematic approaches to quick resolution, even under duress.

• Travel: Expect to travel a minimum of 50%+ of the weeks in the fiscal year. Travel will include customer and company location onsite meetings.

• Organizational Skills: Superb organizational skills are required.

• Experience with network security, SASE/Zero Trust, cloud security, and identity management.
• Strong fundamental knowledge of networking and/or cloud computing principles and practices.
• Proven ability to analyze complex problems with a systematic approach to find and solve root causes, even under pressure.
• Exceptional organizational and presentation skills, with strong written and verbal communication abilities.

Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. For candidates who receive an offer at the posted level, the starting base salary (for non-sales roles) or base salary + commission target (for sales/com-missioned roles) is expected to be the annual range listed below. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

Our Commitment

We're trailblazers that dream big, take risks, and challenge cybersecurity's status quo. It's simple: we can't accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at  

Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.