Principal, AI Research Engineering

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 looking for a Principal, AI Research Engineer to join our AI & Data Protection team. This role is hybrid based in San Jose, CA, and reports to the EVP, AI Security and Strategic Initiatives. Zscaler’s mission is to secure the world’s data in the age of AI. As the leader of the world’s largest security cloud, the Zero Trust Exchange, we are uniquely positioned to define how the global enterprise safely adopts, scales, and secures Artificial Intelligence. You will be the primary architect of Zscaler’s AI ecosystem, bridging the gap between our core Zero Trust platform and the rapidly evolving world of LLMs, GPU infrastructure, and AI application frameworks. This role is ideal for a technical leader who deeply understands the "AI Stack" and has a proven track record of building thriving developer and partner ecosystems at scale. What you’ll do (Role Expectations) Define the AI Ecosystem Strategy by leading the vision for integrations with frontier model providers, vector database companies, and AI infrastructure leaders Lead the "Secure AI" roadmap by owning the lifecycle for features that enable safe use of 3rd-party LLMs and prevent data leakage Build a developer ecosystem by defining and launching APIs, SDKs, and integration patterns for "Zero Trust-native" applications Drive market leadership and cross-functional partnerships to turn complex technical integrations into high-growth go-to-market motions 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) 8+ years of experience in technical leadership or engineering partnerships with a history of building impactful industry relationships Deep technical fluency in the AI lifecycle including training vs. inference, GPU roles, context windows, and RAG architectures Ability to apply first-principles thinking to fundamental security and networking challenges in enterprise LLM deployment Strong bias for action with a "Ship Early, Iterate Fast" mentality and focus on delivering high-value MVPs Foundational understanding of AI/ML technologies and experience leveraging, securing, or positioning AI-driven solutions to optimize outcomes within your functional domain   What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications) Proven track record of building thriving developer and partner ecosyst