Sr Staff Machine Learning Engineer (Web Security)

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks , we're united by a shared mission-to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you're ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you're in the right place.

Who We Are

In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us!

We believe collaboration thrives in person. That's why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it's needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Summary

Your Career
The Web Security Research team is responsible for delivering high quality AI powered solutions to prevent successful cyberattacks and protect our customers, with a special focus on malicious and phishing URL detection, browser, network and email security.

We are looking for a motivated and creative Security Researcher to join our team to research, design, and develop innovative detection systems, ML models and infrastructure for protecting customers against constantly evolving online threats and attacks.

Your Impact
Track and research emerging online threats and innovate new AI-powered automated ways to identify malicious indicators used by malicious websites and URLs

Leverage data-driven techniques and frontier technologies in ML and AI to build novel detection models for malicious URL detection and blocking

Design, develop, test, threat prevention and detection systems to protect enterprise customers around the globe

Convert research results and discoveries into real-impact innovative products

Implement and maintain complex software pipelines and data infrastructures with challenging requirements on high quality and performance

Work across teams to deliver production-impact projects

Qualifications

Your Experience
Creative thinker and team player with a passion for data-driven security research, and building high quality, complex systems as a part of an incredible research team

Strong Web Security background and expertise in detecting security threats over the Internet, such as, phishing, fraud, botnet, spam

Experience with browser and/or email security is a plus

Experience with malware traffic analysis, signature mining, sandboxing is a plus

Experience with crawling infrastructures and security scanners is a plus

Hands-on experience in applying Machine Learning within the domain of Web Security and building detection models

Experience with Tensorflow, PyTorch, or Vertex AI

Knowledge and experience with modern machine learning technique and algorithms (including NLP and OCR), workflows and pipelines to train and build models is a plus

Strong engineering skills and ability to fastly learn and adapt to new programming languages and technologies

Strong programming skills in Python and Shell scripting

Advanced programming skills in JavaScript and Golang is a plus

Experience with developing REST APIs and microservices is a plus

Knowledge and experience with modern databases and Big Data tools, such as ELK stack, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis, Kafka, RabbitMQ, BigQuery, Bigtable is a plus

Knowledge and experience with Docker and Kubernetes is a plus

Experience with cloud computing platforms, such as Google Cloud Platform, AWS, Azure is a plus

Must have MS/PhD or 2+ years of relevant industry experience or equivalent military experience required

Strong research, communication and presentational skills

Past work experience in early-stage, fast-growth startups is a plus

Past experience on open source projects is a plus

Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. For candidates who receive an offer at the posted level, the starting base salary (for non-sales roles) or base salary + commission target (for sales/com-missioned roles) is expected to be the annual range listed below. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

$141,000.00 - $228,075.00/yr

Our Commitment

We're trailblazers that dream big, take risks, and challenge cybersecurity's status quo. It's simple: we can't accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at

Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship?: Yes