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Principal Data Scientist

Remote - USA

About Zscaler

Serving thousands of enterprise customers around the world including 45% of Fortune 500 companies, Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) was founded in 2007 with a mission to make the cloud a safe place to do business and a more enjoyable experience for enterprise users. As the operator of the world’s largest security cloud, Zscaler accelerates digital transformation so enterprises can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The pioneering, AI-powered Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform, which is found in our SASE and SSE offerings, protects thousands of enterprise customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location.

Named a Best Workplace in Technology by Fortune and others, Zscaler fosters an inclusive and supportive culture that is home to some of the brightest minds in the industry. If you thrive in an environment that is fast-paced and collaborative, and you are passionate about building and innovating for the greater good, come make your next move with Zscaler. 

Responsibilities:

As organizations increasingly embrace AI, our new product is designed to help them do so safely, securely, and responsibly. It provides a trusted platform that supports both user-driven and agentic AI—empowering individuals to harness AI for insights and productivity, while enabling autonomous agents to act within clearly defined ethical and operational boundaries. Built with enterprise-grade security, compliance, and transparency at its core, the product ensures that data privacy and governance are never compromised. 

We’re looking for a Principal Data Scientist reporting into our Senior Director, Software Engineering.  This is a green field opportunity to define and build a new class of market defining products.  This is a remote position within the United States.  In this role, you will:

  • Design, build, and implement machine learning models, including SLMs/LLMs, to enhance the intelligence and functionality of Zscaler’s internal and external platforms.

  • Conduct research and development in sophisticated AI/ML areas such as generative AI, predictive analytics, and anomaly detection.

  • Analyze complex datasets to extract key insights, continuously refining model accuracy and performance.

  • Collaborate with engineering and product teams to effectively integrate AI/ML technologies into Zscaler’s core solutions.

  • Stay current with advancements in ML, AI, and cybersecurity, applying specific knowledge of underlying frameworks and methodologies to ensure technical excellence.

What We're Looking for (Minimum Qualifications):

  • Possess an advanced degree (PhD preferred) in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, or a related field, combined with a strong understanding of ML algorithms, deep learning, neural networks, and their applications.

  • Demonstrated experience (3-5+ years) in applying diverse data science models and advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques for large-scale data analysis.

  • Proficiency in Python and SQL, with hands-on experience using key ML frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch).

  • Skilled in data manipulation, visualization, and analysis techniques and tools.

  • Proven ability to independently solve complex problems and collaborate effectively within a team environment.

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications):

  • Possess a strong foundation in mathematics and statistics, applying these to ML and AI, with hands-on experience in large generative models for text and image.

  • Proficient in cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), big data technologies (Hadoop, Spark), and data engineering principles, including SQL and NoSQL databases.

  • Expertise in deploying scalable machine learning models to production environments, complemented by knowledge of advanced AI protocols such as A2A, Agentic AI, and MCP.

#LI-BH1
#LI-Remote

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.

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