Director, Software Engineering - Common Platform Services
Zscaler
$248,000 - $310,000 / year
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Description
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 Director, Engineering, Common Platform Services to join our team. This is a Hybrid (San Jose, CA office 3 days a week) role, reporting to the VP, Software Engineering in the Zero Trust Exchange department. Our Common Platform Services team spans across all Zscaler products, with a core focus on Zscaler Workflow Automation, Unified Authorization service, and other common services. You will play a pivotal role in delivering scalable, secure, and high-performing platforms and developer tooling to empower our engineering teams. Your focus will be on enhancing our platform’s efficiency, scalability, and developer experience while managing and growing senior technical talent.
What you’ll do (Role Expectations)
- Lead large cross-functional teams to drive the technical roadmap, scale engineering talent, and guarantee operational execution
- Demonstrate executive presence and strong communication skills to enable high-level leadership visibility
- Bring transformation through the entire SDLC to modernize the team and execute a completely AI-native approach
- Provide deep technical leadership and decision-making backed by hands-on experience with cloud technologies like AWS and GCP
- Build enterprise-scale web service products for workflow automation and notification channels that integrate with Salesforce, AWS, and GCP
Who You Are (Success Profile)
- You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action, allowing you to navigate seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution.
- You are a high-trust collaborator. You are ambitious for the team and embrace a challenge culture by exchanging candid feedback with clarity and respect to build deep trust.
- You operate with urgency. You understand that speed and quality are not mutually exclusive in a high-growth environment, keeping a relentless focus on high-impact execution.
- You champion simplicity. You are highly skilled at distilling complex technical problems and user needs into clear, simple, and actionable plans.
- You are data-driven. You consistently use data and analytics to find the truth, valuing evidence over assumptions to drive optimal outcomes.
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
- 15+ years of software engineering experience, including 10+ years of technical people management and product/service delivery experience across public and private clouds
- U.S. citizenship due to the nature of the customers assigned to this role
- Strong technical leadership in building products with hyperscalers like AWS or GCP
- Extensive experience building cloud services engineered for massive scale and resiliency
What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)
- Exceptional organizational leadership capabilities and communication skills tailored for executive visibility
- Deep product domain experience in security, networking, or enterprise workflow software like ServiceNow
- Proven ability to guide engineering teams through a comprehensive technical transformation journey using AI tooling
#LI-AJ1 #LI-Hybrid
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.
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.
Benefits
- stock options
- parental leave
About this role
Leading engineering at Zscaler means owning the technical strategy and execution for Common Platform Services—a foundational layer spanning workflow automation, authorization, and developer tooling across the company's Zero Trust platform. You'll manage large cross-functional teams, set the technical roadmap, and drive modernization through an AI-native approach while maintaining the operational rigor required for enterprise-scale cloud services. The role demands someone equally comfortable in strategy conversations with executives and in hands-on technical decision-making around AWS and GCP infrastructure.
This position suits a seasoned engineering leader with 15+ years in software engineering and at least 10 years managing technical teams through significant transformations. You need deep expertise building resilient, scalable cloud services and a track record of integrating AI tools into workflows and problem-solving. Security or enterprise software domain knowledge, combined with the ability to communicate complex technical challenges clearly to leadership, will set you apart. U.S. citizenship is required due to customer restrictions.
Based in San Jose with three days in-office weekly, this director role reports to the VP of Software Engineering and offers a base salary of $248,000–$310,000 plus equity, bonus, and comprehensive benefits including health coverage, parental leave, and education reimbursement.
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Pay for this role
$248,000 to $310,000 per year
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