Principal Software Development Engineer (Microservices)

About Zscaler

Zscaler accelerates digital transformation to ensure our customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. As an AI-forward enterprise, we are constantly pushing the envelope, leveraging the world’s largest security data lake to power our cloud-native Zero Trust Exchange platform. This innovation protects our customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location.

Here, impact in your role matters more than title and trust is built on results. We say, impact over activity. We seek innovators who actively use AI to amplify their impact and who thrive in an environment where we leverage intelligent systems to stay ahead of evolving threats. We believe in transparency and value constructive, honest debate—we’re 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 value high-impact, high-accountability with a sense of urgency where you’re enabled to do your best work and embrace your potential. If you’re driven by purpose, thrive on solving complex challenges, and want to be part of the team that’s helping to secure the AI age, we invite you to bring your talents to Zscaler and help shape the future of cybersecurity.

Role

We are looking for a Principal Software Development Engineer (Microservices) to join our team in a hybrid capacity based out of San Jose, CA (3 days a week in office), reporting to the Senior Director of Engineering in the ZIA Engineering department. 

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. Because our platform has redefined cloud security, our underlying technology must continuously evolve to meet massive scale. 

We are seeking engineers experienced in designing and navigating complex distributed architectures to help us innovate and elevate our foundational tech stack.

What you’ll do (Role Expectations)

• Lead the technical roadmap to modernize enterprise platforms using API-first design and microservices architecture
• Design, develop, and deploy highly resilient, low-latency, event-driven solutions while maintaining ownership from API tiers to back-end services
• Drive a culture of quality by setting coding standards, performing code reviews, and championing TDD/BDD practices and mentorship
• Partner with Product, DevOps, and System Architects to translate complex business needs into scalable, high-performance technical solutions
• Manage service lifecycles via Docker/Kubernetes and ensure system health using observability tools like Prometheus/Grafana and use AI-powered tools for problem solving & engineering efficiency

Who You Are (Success Profile)

• You thrive in ambiguity. You're comfortable building the path as you walk it. You thrive in a dynamic environment, seeing ambiguity not as a hindrance, but as the raw material to build something meaningful.
• You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action. You operate with integrity because you genuinely care about the outcome. You adapt to what’s needed, navigating seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution.
• You are a problem-solver. You seek out challenges because you are energized by finding solutions, knowing that solving the hard problems delivers the biggest impact.
• You are a high-trust collaborator. You are ambitious for the team, not just yourself. You embrace our challenge culture by giving and receiving ongoing feedback—knowing that candor delivered with clarity and respect is the truest form of teamwork and the fastest way to earn trust.
• You are a learner. You have a true growth mindset and never stop developing yourself, actively seeking feedback to become a better partner and a stronger teammate. You love what you do and you do it with purpose.

What We’re Looking for (Minimum Qualifications)

• 10+ years in software development with strong experience specializing in production-grade microservices
• Strong proficiency in Java (Spring Boot), Go, or Rust
• Expertise in distributed data patterns (CQRS, Event Sourcing) and event-driven communication (Kafka, RabbitMQ, or SQS)
• Extensive hands-on experience with Docker and Kubernetes within AWS, Azure, or GCP environments
• Proficiency in both SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (Cassandra, MongoDB, or Cosmos DB) database design and scaling

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience with Service Mesh technologies such as Istio or Linkerd
• Practical knowledge of chaos engineering and advanced performance testing tools
• Active contributions to open-source projects or technical community leadership

#LI-KM9 #LI-Hybrid

Zscaler’s salary ranges are benchmarked and are determined by role and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations and could be higher or lower based on a multitude of factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

The base salary range listed for this full-time position excludes commission/ bonus/ equity (if applicable) + benefits.

Base Pay Range$182,000—$260,000 USD

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:

• Various health plans
• Time off plans for vacation and sick time
• Parental leave options
• Retirement options
• Education reimbursement
• In-office perks, and more!

Learn more about Zscaler’s Future of Work strategy, hybrid working model, and benefits here.

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.