Role

We are looking for a Director, Software Development to join our team. This role is available as a hybrid opportunity 3 days a week in San Jose, CA or as a remote position, reporting to the Production Engineering organization in the Cloud Infrastructure & Operations department. Join Zscaler to be a force multiplier for the reliability of a global platform protecting over 15 million users.

In this role, you will define the technical vision for a broad software domain, lead the architecture of major subsystems, and drive complex, cross-functional initiatives from concept through execution aligned to an "automation-first" culture across the company. You will act as a force multiplier for engineering excellence by championing innovation, raising design standards, and building software systems that are resilient, scalable, and built for long-term impact across products that reduce our Mean Time to Mitigate (MTTM) and shape the scalability of our globally distributed, multi-cloud infrastructure.

What you'll do (Role Expectations)

• Lead the design and development of highly scalable, performant, and reliable distributed systems in cloud and hybrid environments
• Architect major software components and review and approve critical design proposals, with deep consideration for performance, operability, and long-term maintainability
• Champion engineering excellence through strong software design practices, code quality, observability, performance optimization, and operational readiness
• Mentor senior engineers and technical leaders, raise the overall engineering bar, and help attract top technical talent to Zscaler
• Act as a lead Incident Commander (TDO on-call), develop response playbooks, and conduct deep-dive post-incident analyses

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)

• 12+ years of experience in software engineering, with a significant portion focused on architecting and delivering large-scale distributed systems
• Strong experience designing scalable, high-performance, resilient software systems in cloud-native and distributed environments
• Deep expertise in one or more systems programming or backend languages such as Java, Go, C++, or Python
• Foundational understanding of AI/ML technologies and experience leveraging, securing, or positioning AI-driven solutions to optimize outcomes within your functional domain
• Leveraged ITIL frameworks and incident data during high-stakes incident management and 24/7 on-call rotations to drive service maturity through systematic problem management and technical operability reviews.

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Strong background in performance engineering, benchmarking, and optimization of large-scale distributed systems
• Track record of initiating new strategic projects or helping expand Zscaler into new technical or business opportunities
• Background in security, networking, or large-scale internet systems is a plus

#LI-Remote

#LI-CM3

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.

Base Pay Range

$217,000-$310,000 USD

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.