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Principal Engineer Software

Palo Alto Networks · Boston, MA · posted 66 days ago

In short: Principal Engineer Software at Palo Alto Networks in Boston, MA, posted 66 days ago.

By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.

Palo Alto Networksemployer
Boston, MAlocation
Software engineeringsub-niche
66 days agoposted
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The job

LIVE Live feed (private-sector employer) Source: The Muse public API · Data: listed 2026-09-03

EmployerPalo Alto Networks
LocationBoston, Massachusetts
FieldTechnology › Software engineering
LevelSenior Level
Source categorySoftware Engineering
Posted2026-09-03 (66 days ago)
Work arrangementOn-site at the location listed
PayNot published in the source listing

Job description

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!

We believe collaboration thrives in person. That's why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it's needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Summary

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!

We believe collaboration thrives in person. That's why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it's needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Summary

We are seeking a Principal Engineer Software to lead the technical evolution of our Identity Governance & Administration (IGA) platform. This is a role for a deeply technical, hands-on engineer who thrives on solving the "hard problems" and setting the pace for the team. You will be a primary driver of our codebase, delivering high-impact features while ensuring our architecture remains secure, observable, and performant. As a senior technical presence, you will naturally uplevel the engineers around you by demonstrating engineering excellence in practice-shaping the platform through superior code, insightful design reviews, and the practical application of engineering standards.

What You'll Do


#LI-KR1

Qualifications


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.

$147,000.00 - $237,500.00/yr

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 accommodations@paloaltonetworks.com.

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.

Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship?: Yes

Explore around this job

Field: Technology Sub-niche: Software engineering All jobs at Palo Alto Networks Jobs in Massachusetts Jobs in Boston, MA Boston city guide Massachusetts state guide Suffolk County economy

View this job and apply on The Muse →

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About the role

This is a Senior Level role in the Technology field (Software engineering) at Palo Alto Networks. Senior roles usually expect substantial experience, ownership of results and often the ability to guide others.

We could not match this job title to one occupation in the official wage statistics, so no pay estimate is shown. Pay is not in the source listing; ask the employer for the range and compare in the 240 job niches.

Does the pay work here? (estimate)

Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; set your own state tax rate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.

How to prepare and behave

This is editorial guidance, not information from the employer.

Know your rights as a candidate and an employee:

The city

The job is in Boston, MA. Below is what the official statistics say about living and working there.

How Boston compares. Among the 80 largest places in Massachusetts, Boston is #1 by population, #75 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #62 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #28 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Suffolk County, is #1 of 14 counties for average pay ($131,280).

The place in numbers

Boston has 666,442 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 9.5% of the population of Massachusetts. It covers 48 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 13,786 people per square mile. The median age is 33.3, 17% younger than the state median (33.3 against 40.0).

Housing

The median gross rent is $2,147 a month (rent plus utilities), 22% above the state median ($2,147 against $1,762). Over a year that is 26.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $731,700, which is 7.5 times the median household income ($97,344); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 35.7% of households own their home, 43% below the state average (35.7% against 62.5%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.

Work and pay

The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area has 2,703,890 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $66,620 a year, 31% above the national median ($66,620 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (265,830 jobs, median $56,580); management (254,700 jobs, median $166,580); business and financial operations (242,960 jobs, median $102,660). The area is most specialised in life, physical, and social science (2.6 times) and architecture and engineering (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($166,580) and legal ($135,160). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Suffolk County was 4.2%. 69.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Suffolk County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.

Getting around

Among workers, 32.9% drive alone, 22.6% use public transit, 13.4% walk, 21.3% work from home. 22.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, about the same as the state average (22.0% against 21.5%).

People and education

54.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 16% above the state share (54.9% against 47.3%). 27.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 54% above the state share (27.8% against 18.1%). The poverty rate is 16.6%, 65% above the state rate (16.6% against 10.0%).

Climate

The warmest month is Jul, averaging 72°F (22.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 26°F (-3.5°C). About 1,206 mm (47 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Oct is the wettest month (123 mm) and Jan the driest (80 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.

Nearby cities to compare

Closest cities in this guide: Winthrop Town (4 miles, rent 4% lower); Chelsea (4 miles, rent 9% lower); Everett (5 miles, rent 3% lower); Quincy (5 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Boston; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.

Full guide to Boston →Massachusetts guideAll jobs in Boston

Official links for Boston

These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.

Where to live

CITY Official statistics Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year (via Census Reporter) · Data: ACS 2020–2024

Places within 50 miles (straight line) of Boston, MA that have a guide, with what living there costs. No pay estimate is shown because the title did not match one occupation.

Sort:
Place ⇅Distance from the job city ⇅Median rent ⇅Median home value ⇅Median household income ⇅Commute 45+ min ⇅Rent as % of occupation pay ⇅Open jobs there ⇅
Boston, MA0 mi$2,147$731,700$97,34422.0%n/aJobs
Winthrop Town, MA4 mi$2,064$649,600$116,16731.2%n/a—
Chelsea, MA4 mi$1,956$493,500$72,17928.1%n/a—
Everett, MA5 mi$2,076$610,000$85,21831.6%n/a—
Quincy, MA5 mi$2,118$618,500$98,88233.4%n/a—
Somerville, MA6 mi$2,517$911,300$132,57220.9%n/a—
Cambridge, MA6 mi$2,787$1,092,100$130,74813.3%n/aJobs
Revere, MA6 mi$2,076$597,400$86,96930.0%n/a—
Brookline, MA6 mi$2,835$1,246,800$142,10114.7%n/a—
Malden, MA7 mi$2,204$633,500$100,60630.2%n/a—
Milton, MA7 mi$1,474$933,200$188,52928.4%n/a—
Medford, MA7 mi$2,509$755,500$129,54022.0%n/a—
Melrose, MA8 mi$1,970$822,900$133,95334.0%n/a—
Saugus, MA9 mi$2,241$603,400$101,53919.7%n/a—
Belmont, MA9 mi$2,527$1,159,000$183,13719.2%n/a—
Braintree Town, MA9 mi$2,024$656,800$122,21428.9%n/a—
Arlington, MA9 mi$2,082$933,800$150,70127.3%n/a—
Newton, MA10 mi$2,370$1,264,900$190,30417.0%n/a—
Lynn, MA10 mi$1,722$510,100$75,04323.6%n/a—
Weymouth Town, MA10 mi$1,941$552,100$102,71432.9%n/a—

Career paths

We could not match this title to one occupation, so here are the other sub-niches in Technology, where your skills may carry over:

Cybersecurity (366) Data, analytics and AI (1991) Cloud, IT and infrastructure (504) Product management (412)

Distances

CITY Calculation (straight line) Source: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (coordinates) · Data: 2024

How far Boston, MA is from the 20 largest US cities, in straight-line miles (not driving distance). Click a column to sort.

Sort:
From ⇅Straight-line distance (miles) ⇅Population of that city ⇅
New York, NY190 mi8,483,844
Philadelphia, PA268 mi1,579,706
Columbus, OH643 mi914,802
Charlotte, NC722 mi903,844
Indianapolis, IN807 mi885,860
Chicago, IL854 mi2,711,226
Jacksonville, FL1,017 mi977,670
Oklahoma City, OK1,494 mi697,125
Dallas, TX1,549 mi1,307,930
Fort Worth, TX1,578 mi963,194
Houston, TX1,605 mi2,328,253
Austin, TX1,695 mi979,539
Denver, CO1,762 mi718,877
San Antonio, TX1,766 mi1,479,835
Phoenix, AZ2,294 mi1,642,323
Seattle, WA2,489 mi754,195
San Diego, CA2,576 mi1,389,526
Los Angeles, CA2,603 mi3,857,263
San Jose, CA2,678 mi990,138
San Francisco, CA2,727 mi830,235

Nearby cities with open jobs (within 120 miles)

Sort:
City ⇅Straight-line distance ⇅Open jobs ⇅
Cambridge, MA6 mi58
Waltham, MA12 mi3
Framingham, MA21 mi6
Andover, MA23 mi8
Barrington, RI44 mi1
Amherst, MA77 mi14

The employer

Palo Alto Networks is the employer in this listing. See all its open jobs here →

We do not hold headcount or revenue for this employer. Check its careers site and, if it is listed on a stock exchange, its public filings (SEC EDGAR search).

What it is like to work at a company (culture, schedules, benefits) is not in the source data, so we do not describe it. Read the description and ask the questions under "How to prepare".

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FAQ

What is the Principal Engineer Software job at Palo Alto Networks?

A senior level role in technology (software engineering) listed 66 days ago. The full description is on this page and on The Muse.

Where is this job?

Boston, MA.

How do I apply?

Use the "View this job and apply on The Muse" button. AtiveSite does not receive applications.

How much does it pay?

The listing does not publish pay, and we could not match the title to one official occupation.

What is the cost of living there?

Median rent in Boston is $2,147 a month and median household income $97,344 (ACS 2020–2024).

How old is this listing?

It was posted on 2026-09-03 (66 days ago). Jobs older than 90 days are not shown.

Are there similar jobs?

Yes: browse software engineering jobs in Massachusetts.

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