Staff Software Development Engineer

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 160+ public exchanges globally and thousands of private exchanges 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 building security products that enable organizations to adopt AI applications and agents safely and at scale. This is a hybrid capacity based in Singapore, reporting to the Director of Software Engineering. You will act as a hands-on Staff Software Engineer leading key product capabilities, taking full ownership of complex technical initiatives, shaping architectural direction, and guiding other engineers.

What You’ll Do (Role Expectations)

• Lead the design and delivery of major product capabilities, owning projects from problem definition through implementation, rollout, and production operation
• Design secure, reliable, and scalable systems with clearly defined trust boundaries, making technical decisions that balance security, privacy, performance, reliability, and usability
• Lead complex investigations while improving engineering practices, testing, and operational readiness
• Mentor engineers and provide direction through design and code reviews
• Partner with product and research teams while contributing to technical strategy and longer-term architecture

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. True ownership involves leveraging dynamic range: the ability to navigate seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution
• You are a problem-solver. You love running towards the challenges because you are laser-focused on finding the solution, 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 are obsessed with your own development, 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)

• Foundational understanding of AI/ML technologies and experience leveraging, securing, or positioning AI-driven solutions to optimize outcomes within your functional domain
• 7 plus years of software-engineering experience, including ownership of complex production systems and a demonstrated ability to lead technically ambiguous, cross-functional projects
• Deep expertise in systems engineering, distributed systems, security engineering, backend platforms, or endpoint software, combined with strong proficiency in Go, Rust, and Python
• Experience designing systems with clear security, privacy, and reliability requirements, alongside a strong understanding of concurrency, networking, storage, APIs, and operational observability
• Experience in managing Cloud Infrastructure on one of the Hyperscalers: AWS, GCP, or Azure

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience building security, cloud, or enterprise software, including endpoint software for Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
• Familiarity with AI applications, agents, developer platforms, or AI security.
• Experience with security policy, detection, analysis, or software supply-chain systems.

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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.