Staff Software Development Engineer

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 seeking a  talented, high-energy, Senior Software Development Engineer to join us as part of our Cellular innovation journey. This is a hybrid role based in Zscaler office location in Hyderabad, reporting to the Director, Software Engineering in the Emerging Tech Department. As part of our innovative team, you will play a critical role in the development and enhancement of our cutting-edge cloud security solutions for the Cellular ecosystem. This is a green field opportunity to define and build a new class of market defining products.

What you’ll do (Role Expectations)

• Applying object-oriented programming principles using Java, Python, Go, or C++ to design, develop, and maintain highly scalable, cloud-based enterprise applications in collaboration with Datapath, UI, and UX engineers.
• Leveraging your experience with streaming platforms, big data analytics, and dashboard visualization.
• Helping define specifications and identify platform infrastructure required for high-speed traffic processing at the edge.
• Demonstrating strong problem-solving skills and the ability to analyze complex technical issues.
• Exhibiting excellent verbal and written communication skills, effectively collaborating with team members and stakeholders, and being detail-oriented, highly organized, and adept at managing multiple priorities to completion.

Who You Are (Success Profile)

• 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.
• 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 build deep empathy for the customer—both internal and external—and anchor your decisions in solving their real-world problems. You champion their needs from start to finish, knowing their success is our success.
• You have a deep curiosity for how things work and are energized by solving complex technical challenges. You believe in the power of technology to accelerate transformation and are always looking for a better, more secure, and scalable way.
• You are skilled at distilling complex problems, user needs, and technical concepts into clear, simple, and actionable plans. You are a precise communicator who brings clarity and focus to every interaction.

What We’re Looking for (Minimum Qualifications)

• Passionate software developer with 5+ years of hands-on application development experience and a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Proficient in Java, Python, and Go, with expertise in designing and implementing microservices, developing in-house APIs, and defining distributed architectures to address challenges such as configuration distribution, cache invalidation, and system-wide consistency.
• Extensive hands-on experience with real-time analytics using pub/sub platforms (e.g., Kafka, Pub/Sub, Pulsar), distributed datastores (Elasticsearch), and building optimized big data pipelines with Spark or Beam.
• Solid understanding of cloud technologies, including virtualization, containerization, and microservices, as well as security principles and protocols such as SSL/TLS, IPsec, and OAuth.
• Strong background in software development focused on network protocols, distributed systems, and cloud technologies.

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Prior experience in the cybersecurity industry or with cloud security solutions, and a background in designing and implementing enterprise-grade security or networking products.
• In-depth knowledge of cellular architecture, protocols, and standards, along with a strong understanding of TCP/IP, high performance computing, event-based programming, and fault tolerance.
• Experience working with cloud platforms based on Kubernetes and major providers such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.

#LI-RG

#LI-Hybrid

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:

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.