📍 Job Overview

• Job Title: Senior Staff Site Reliability Engineer (Cortex Observability)
• Company: Palo Alto Networks
• Location: Santa Clara, California, United States
• Job Type: Full-time
• Category: DevOps Engineer
• Date Posted: 2025-07-14
• Experience Level: 5-10 years
• Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in-office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Design, implement, and enhance large-scale observability systems in a GCP environment
• Collaborate with engineering teams to develop innovative solutions for system performance and health insights
• Utilize expertise in modern observability tools and cloud platforms to optimize infrastructure and ensure high reliability
• Influence product operability and ensure the reliability and availability of services

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in DevOps/SRE, with a focus on observability tools and cloud platforms. Candidates should be comfortable working in a hybrid environment and collaborating with multiple teams.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

• Cloud Expertise: Utilize GCP expertise to optimize infrastructure, leveraging cloud-native technologies
• Monitoring Expertise: Improve monitoring processes, alerts, and metrics, ensuring all services have the right monitoring and metrics in place
• Incident Management: Leverage incident management processes to ensure efficient resolution of system issues and minimal impact on services
• Automation: Automate complex monitoring and alerting tasks by building tools for cloud operations, such as automated remediation of known issues and auto-scaling
• Continuous Improvement: Stay up-to-date with cutting-edge technologies, evaluate their potential impact on operations, and implement them when appropriate
• On-Call: Provide follow-the-sun operational coverage in the production of Observability infrastructure
• Collaboration: Work with the Engineering team to influence the operability of the product and ensure the reliability and availability of services

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience)

Experience: 5+ years of experience as a DevOps/SRE engineer with a passion for technology and high reliability at the service level

Required Skills:

• High proficiency with Thanos, Prometheus, Grafana, Open Telemetry, and other monitoring tools
• Clear understanding of incident and alerts management using tools like Pagerduty and Prometheus Alert Manager
• High proficiency in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) or Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• High proficiency with Kubernetes and Docker for container orchestration
• High proficiency in Python programming and Linux Shell commands, with experience in Ansible and Terraform for infrastructure as code
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work and coordinate between multiple teams in different time zones
• Ability to effectively troubleshoot and address emerging and complex problems
• Ability to operate independently, make decisions, take action, and take responsibility

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with observability tools and practices, such as high cardinality metrics, tracing, and large-scale logging solutions
• Familiarity with cloud-native technologies and their application in a large-scale environment

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the complexity of the role, candidates should have a strong background in DevOps/SRE, with a focus on observability tools and cloud platforms. Relevant certifications and experience with emerging technologies would be beneficial.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

• Portfolio Essentials:

  • Demonstrate experience with observability tools, such as Thanos, Prometheus, and Grafana, with examples of metrics, alerts, and dashboards
  • Showcase incident management skills with examples of problem-solving, troubleshooting, and resolution processes
  • Highlight automation and scripting skills with examples of tools built for cloud operations, such as automated remediation and auto-scaling
  • Display proficiency in GCP or AWS with examples of infrastructure design, implementation, and optimization

• Technical Documentation:

  • Provide documentation for observability systems, including metrics, alerts, and dashboards
  • Include incident management documentation, outlining processes, troubleshooting steps, and resolution strategies
  • Showcase automation and scripting documentation, detailing the purpose, functionality, and implementation of tools built for cloud operations

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $126,000 - $203,500 USD per year (based on experience and location)

Benefits:

• FLEXBenefits wellbeing spending account with over 1,000 eligible items selected by employees
• Mental and financial health resources
• Personalized learning opportunities
• Restricted stock units and bonus

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with flexible scheduling for on-call rotations

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is based on the company's compensation disclosure. Regional salary standards and cost of living may vary.

🎯 Team & Company Context

Company Culture:

• Industry: Cybersecurity
• Company Size: Large (over 10,000 employees)
• Founded: 2005

Team Structure:

• The Cortex Observability team is part of the broader Cortex team, which builds and delivers advanced SecOps platforms, including XDR, XSIAM, XSOAR, and XPANSE
• The team consists of DevOps engineers, SREs, and other technical roles, working closely with engineering teams to develop innovative solutions

Development Methodology:

• Agile/Scrum methodologies, with sprint planning for observability projects
• Code reviews, testing, and quality assurance practices
• Deployment strategies, CI/CD pipelines, and server management

Company Website: https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Palo Alto Networks is a large cybersecurity company with a strong focus on innovation and collaboration. The Cortex Observability team works closely with engineering teams to develop and maintain large-scale observability systems.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Senior Staff Site Reliability Engineer (Cortex Observability) - This role is a senior-level position within the DevOps/SRE career path, focusing on observability systems and large-scale cloud environments

Reporting Structure: The Senior Staff SRE reports to the Engineering Manager and works closely with other SREs, DevOps engineers, and engineering teams

Technical Impact: The role has a significant impact on the reliability, performance, and availability of the Cortex Observability platform, ensuring that customers have a seamless and secure user experience

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Growth: Deepen expertise in observability tools, cloud platforms, and emerging technologies
• Leadership Development: Develop leadership skills by mentoring junior team members and influencing product operability
• Architecture Decisions: Contribute to architectural decisions, driving the direction of observability systems and infrastructure

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth opportunities for technical professionals looking to advance their careers in DevOps/SRE, with a focus on observability tools and cloud platforms.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid (3 days in-office per week)

Office Location(s): Santa Clara, California, United States

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative workspace with a focus on innovation and problem-solving
• Access to development tools, multiple monitors, and testing devices
• Cross-functional collaboration opportunities with other teams, such as engineering, design, and marketing

Work Schedule: 40 hours per week, with flexible scheduling for on-call rotations and project deadlines

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment at Palo Alto Networks fosters collaboration and casual conversations, promoting problem-solving and trusted relationships.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

1. Technical Preparation: Brush up on observability tools, cloud platforms, and scripting skills. Familiarize yourself with the company's products and services.
2. Online Assessment: Complete an online assessment focusing on technical skills, problem-solving, and coding challenges.
3. Technical Deep Dive: Participate in a technical deep dive, discussing system design, architecture, and problem-solving strategies with the engineering team.
4. Final Evaluation: Demonstrate your understanding of the role, the company's products, and your ability to drive observability systems and infrastructure.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight your experience with observability tools, incident management, automation, and cloud platforms
• Include examples of metrics, alerts, and dashboards, as well as incident management processes and automation tools
• Showcase your ability to work with engineering teams and influence product operability

Technical Challenge Preparation:

• Brush up on your scripting skills, focusing on Python and Linux Shell commands
• Familiarize yourself with GCP or AWS, focusing on infrastructure design, implementation, and optimization
• Prepare for system design discussions, focusing on scalability, performance, and availability

ATS Keywords: (See the comprehensive list below)

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for this role is designed to assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the Cortex Observabulary team.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Observability Tools:

• Thanos
• Prometheus
• Grafana
• Open Telemetry
• Pagerduty
• Prometheus Alert Manager

Cloud Platforms:

• Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Scripting & Automation:

• Python
• Linux Shell commands
• Ansible
• Terraform

Containerization:

• Kubernetes
• Docker

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack for this role is focused on observability tools, cloud platforms, and automation. Candidates should have a strong background in these areas to be successful in the role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Web Development Values:

• Innovation: Encourage and embrace new ideas, tools, and technologies to drive observability systems and infrastructure
• Collaboration: Work closely with engineering teams to develop and maintain large-scale observability systems
• Reliability: Focus on high availability, scalability, and performance to ensure a seamless user experience
• Continuous Improvement: Stay up-to-date with cutting-edge technologies and implement them when appropriate

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional integration between DevOps/SRE, engineering, design, and marketing teams
• Code review culture and peer programming practices
• Knowledge sharing, technical mentoring, and continuous learning

📝 Enhancement Note: The Cortex Observability team values innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Candidates should be comfortable working in a dynamic, cross-functional environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

• Scalability: Design and implement observability systems that can scale to meet the demands of a large user base
• Performance Optimization: Identify and address performance bottlenecks in observability systems and infrastructure
• Incident Management: Develop and refine incident management processes to minimize the impact of system issues on services
• Emerging Technologies: Stay up-to-date with cutting-edge technologies and evaluate their potential impact on observability systems and infrastructure

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Technical Skill Development: Deepen expertise in observability tools, cloud platforms, and emerging technologies
• Conference Attendance: Attend industry conferences and events to stay current with the latest trends and best practices in observability and cloud technologies
• Certification: Pursue relevant certifications to demonstrate proficiency in observability tools and cloud platforms
• Technical Mentorship: Provide mentorship to junior team members, fostering a culture of learning and growth within the team

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant technical challenges and learning opportunities for candidates looking to advance their careers in DevOps/SRE, with a focus on observability tools and cloud platforms.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

1. Observability Tools: Describe your experience with Thanos, Prometheus, Grafana, and Open Telemetry. How have you used these tools to improve observability systems and infrastructure?
2. Cloud Platforms: Compare and contrast GCP and AWS. Discuss your experience with one or both platforms and how you have leveraged their features to optimize infrastructure.
3. Incident Management: Walk through a complex incident you've managed, discussing the process, troubleshooting steps, and resolution strategies you employed.
4. Automation: Describe a complex automation task you've completed. Discuss the tools and techniques you used, and the outcome of your efforts.
5. System Design: Present a system design for a large-scale observability system. Discuss your approach to scalability, performance, and availability.

Company & Culture Questions:

1. Company Culture: How do you see yourself contributing to Palo Alto Networks' mission and values?
2. Team Dynamics: Describe your experience working in a cross-functional team. How have you collaborated with other teams to drive product operability and ensure the reliability and availability of services?
3. Growth Opportunities: How do you see yourself growing within the Cortex Observability team? What specific skills or experiences do you hope to gain in this role?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Live Demonstration: Prepare a live demonstration of your observability systems, highlighting metrics, alerts, and dashboards
• Code Walkthrough: Include a code walkthrough of your automation tools, discussing the purpose, functionality, and implementation of key features
• Incident Management Presentation: Present your incident management processes, discussing troubleshooting steps, resolution strategies, and lessons learned

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for this role is designed to assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the Cortex Observabulary team. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with observability tools, cloud platforms, incident management, and automation.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Staff Site Reliability Engineer (Cortex Observability) position:

1. Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience with observability tools, cloud platforms, incident management, and automation. Include relevant keywords from the ATS Keywords list below.
2. Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate your portfolio to showcase your experience with observability tools, incident management, automation, and cloud platforms. Include examples of metrics, alerts, and dashboards, as well as incident management processes and automation tools.
3. Practice Technical Challenges: Brush up on your scripting skills, focusing on Python and Linux Shell commands. Familiarize yourself with GCP or AWS, focusing on infrastructure design, implementation, and optimization. Prepare for system design discussions, focusing on scalability, performance, and availability.
4. Research the Company: Familiarize yourself with Palo Alto Networks' products, services, and company culture. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask during the interview process.

ATS Keywords:

Programming Languages:

• Python
• Linux Shell

Web Frameworks & Libraries:

• None specified

Server Technologies:

• Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Databases:

• None specified

Tools:

• Thanos
• Prometheus
• Grafana
• Open Telemetry
• Pagerduty
• Prometheus Alert Manager
• Ansible
• Terraform

Methodologies:

• Agile/Scrum
• DevOps
• Site Reliability Engineering (SRE)

Soft Skills:

• Problem-solving
• Troubleshooting
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Leadership
• Mentoring

Industry Terms:

• Observability
• Monitoring
• Alerting
• Incident management
• Cloud-native technologies
• Infrastructure as code (IaC)
• Automation
• Scalability
• Performance optimization
• High availability
• Reliability engineering

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web development/server administration industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.