Sr. Staff Software Development Engineer

About the role

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 200+ public data centers globally and thousands of private sites 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 Sr. Staff Software Development Engineer to join our team. This is a hybrid based role in our Santa Clara, CA headquarters, reporting to the Senior Manager, Software Development Engineering in the Zero Trust Exchange department. In this position, you will serve as a key technical leader, contributing to architectural direction, designing high-performance systems-level subsystems, and leading the engineering execution of our next-generation inspection capabilities. You will shape the future of our technology, driving visionary innovation and collaborating across teams to deliver cutting-edge services.

What you’ll do (Role Expectations)

• Design and implement core components of our high-performance DLP engines, dictionary compilers, and distributed incident processing pipelines, writing clean, highly optimized systems-level C code
• Lead the technical design and engineering execution for core Data Loss Prevention (DLP) libraries, inspection engines, and high-performance backend infrastructure
• Maintain and champion high architectural standards for multi-threaded C daemons on FreeBSD/Linux, implementing robust shared memory structures, high-performance Inter-Process Communication (IPC), and lockless concurrency
• Serve as a primary technical escalation point for complex production issues, utilizing post-mortem core dump analysis, deep system profiling, and memory leak detection to resolve system bottlenecks

Who You Are (Success Profile)

• You act like an owner, demonstrating a strong bias for action and a deep care for outcomes while navigating seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution.
• You are a learner who maintains a true growth mindset, actively seeking feedback to continuously develop yourself and work with a strong sense of purpose.
• You are a positive force who approaches complex technical challenges with constructive, contagious energy that keeps your team inspired and focused on solutions.
• You operate with urgency, maintaining a relentless focus on high-speed, high-quality execution to deliver impactful results quickly.
• You are resilient and adaptable, viewing change as an opportunity and maintaining composure to guide yourself and your team through high-pressure situations.

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
• Advanced hands-on proficiency in C programming on Linux or FreeBSD runtime environments, with deep architectural expertise in Inter-Process Communication (IPC) and shared memory architectures
• 8+ years of experience with systems software engineering, including a proven track record driving the design and delivery of high-performance backend platforms

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Proven ability to leverage AI technologies and workflows to drive measurable operational efficiency
• Familiarity with Data Loss Prevention (DLP) technologies, including regex evaluation engines, custom dictionary compilers, and EDM (Exact Data Match) / IDM (Indexed Document Matching)

#LI-DY1 #LI-SantaClara

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

$180,000—$225,000 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 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.