--- title: 'Principal / Distinguished Engineer, Machine Learning at Netskope' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-distinguished-engineer-machine-learning-netskope-santa-clara-ajv2qak998ma' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-10' --- # Principal / Distinguished Engineer, Machine Learning at Netskope - **Company:** Netskope - **Location:** Santa Clara California, United States - **Compensation:** $154k–$312k - **Posted:** 2026-05-05 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10 - **Apply:** https://www.netskope.com/company/careers/open-positions/?gh_jid=7894923 ## Job description Join the Future of Security at Netskope Netskope (NASDAQ: NTSK) is a leader in modern security and networking for the cloud and AI era. We secure and accelerate cloud, data, and AI in real time, everywhere. Thousands of customers, including more than 30 of the Fortune 100, trust the Netskope One platform, its Zero Trust Engine, and the powerful NewEdge network to gain full visibility and control without performance trade-offs. At Netskope, our technology is driven by our greatest strength: our people. We believe that belonging powers innovation, and success is both personal and organizational. We embrace differences in gender, ethnicity, beliefs, ability, and identity, creating an environment where every voice is heard and respected. We empower our employees to bring their authentic selves to work, grow their careers through continuous education and mentorship, and lead with transparency and curiosity. Join a team where you belong, where you are encouraged to be an entrepreneur, and where together, we continue to redefine the landscape of security. Visit [Careers at Netskope](https://www.netskope.com/company/careers) to learn more. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/netskope) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/netskope/). Positions are available at both Principal and Distinguished Engineer levels. Candidates are assessed individually and leveled according to their specific skills and background. ## About the role Within Netskope Engineering, the [Netskope AI Labs](https://www.netskope.com/netskope-ai-labs) is responsible for advancing state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology to power the Netskope One security platform. We are seeking a visionary Distinguished Machine Learning Engineer to serve as the chief architect of our AI technical strategy, bridging the gap between cutting-edge AI research and enterprise-scale business impact. Leveraging our deep expertise in AI/ML and security, you will lead the architecture and deployment of large-scale, production-grade AI/ML solutions for our Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) architecture. What’s in it for you This is a highly impactful leadership opportunity to shape the AI transformation of a market-leading cloud security company. A successful candidate will serve as a primary technical pillar for the organization, possessing deep technical expertise in applying AI/ML technologies to complex security applications. You will have the platform to build a scalable 'AI Engine', working alongside top-tier engineers, researchers, and machine learning scientists to solve the industry's most challenging AI latency, scalability, and cloud security problems today. ## What you will be doing - Define the AI Transformation Roadmap: Drive the overarching AI/ML technical strategy, ruthlessly prioritizing architectural choices to ensure highly scalable, reliable, and production-grade systems. - Architect Production-Grade Inference Systems: Design, optimize, and deploy highly scalable AI/ML inference systems, leveraging the latest LLM serving technologies such as vLLM, SGLang, and advanced KV Cache optimization to maximize throughput and minimize latency. - Lead the End-to-End AI Lifecycle: Collaborate with ML scientists, engineers, and executive stakeholders to translate complex business requirements into industrialized enterprise solutions. - Establish Rigorous AI Evaluation: Create strict 'Report Cards' for AI models in production, ensuring models are robust, scalable, and well-documented by measuring accuracy, latency, and security relevance before deployment. Required skills and experience - 12-15+ years of industry experience (or equivalent combination of an Advanced technical degree + experience) in architecting and developing AI/ML solutions, preferably on large-scale security products or services. - Fluency in the modern AI stack with proven, hands-on experience optimizing cutting-edge LLMs in production environments, with deep knowledge of vLLM, SGLang, and KV Cache optimization. - Ability to translate complex technical architectures and concepts between CXOs, non-technical stakeholders, and Data Scientists. - Energetic self-starter with a true startup spirit, demonstrated ability to influence without authority, and the willingness to wear multiple hats to deliver end-to-end solutions in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Education - Advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent technical degree. ## #LI-SD1 Compensation: At Netskope, salary is one component of our competitive total rewards package. The salary range for this position is as listed below. This is a national range. For purposes of complying with applicable laws, the range applies to candidates in California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Washington, and other states. The successful candidate’s starting pay will also be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, location, and market conditions. For all sales roles, the posted salary range is the On Target Earnings (OTE) range for the role, which is the sum of base salary and target commission amount at 100% goal achievement. In addition to salary, candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus plan (for non-sales roles) and a stock award program. Candidates may also be eligible for a comprehensive health plan and other benefits that can be reviewed at [Netskope Benefits site](https://my.hrbenefits.info/netskope). Salary Range $154,000—$312,000 USD Netskope is committed to implementing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. Netskope does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on religion, race, color, sex, marital or veteran statues, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), or any other characteristic protected by the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction in which we operate. Netskope respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us, please refer to [Netskope's Privacy Policy](https://www.netskope.com/privacy-policy) for more details. The application window for this position is expected to close within 50 days. You may apply by filling out the below information, or visiting our [Netskope Careers site.](https://www.netskope.com/company/careers/open-positions) ## About Netskope ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Netskope provides a cloud-native, AI-powered Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platform that converges security and networking to enable fast and secure access to cloud, web, and AI applications. - **Entity Type**: Private (Late-stage, well-funded with over $1.5B in total investments) - **Headquarters**: Santa Clara, California, USA - **Founded**: 2012 - **Founders**: Sanjay Beri (CEO), Lebin Cheng, Ravi Chandra, Krishna Narayanaswamy ## Core Business - **Primary Industry**: Cloud Security, Network Security, Cybersecurity (SASE, Zero Trust, Data Loss Prevention) - **Target Customers**: Large enterprises (serves over 4,000 customers globally, including Fortune 100 companies), B2B. - **Mission/Purpose**: To secure the cloud and AI era with a platform that provides a phenomenal user experience, enabling organizations to safely adopt cloud, SaaS, and AI innovation. ## Products & Services Netskope operates a unified platform called **Netskope One**, which includes several key services: - **[Netskope One SSE (Security Service Edge)]**: A core component that includes cloud-delivered security services like a Next-Gen Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). - **[Netskope One Private Access]**: Modern, high-performance zero-trust access to secure private applications, replacing legacy VPNs. - **[Netskope One Data Security / DLP]**: A unified data loss prevention service that uses patented AI and ML to protect data wherever it lives and moves, across cloud, web, and private apps. - **[Netskope One AI Security]**: A service designed to secure every AI interaction, providing high-performance access and protection across public, private, and agentic AI use cases. - **[Netskope NewEdge Network]**: The largest private security cloud and network, acting as the backbone of the platform. It is located in more than 80 regions with nearly 4,000 network adjacencies to ensure high performance. - **[Netskope One Client]**: The industry’s first unified SASE client, providing a single agent for remote user access, endpoint DLP, and SD-WAN. ## Market Standing - **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed (Conflicting reports exist; the company is well-funded and valued in the billions based on its funding rounds, but an exact valuation is not publicly available). - **Key Metric**: Total funding exceeds **$1.5 billion**. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Backed by premier investors including **Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Accel, and Sequoia Capital**. [netskope.com](https://www.netskope.com/company) - **Growth Signals**: - **4,000+ customers** worldwide, including **Fortune 100** companies. - **~3,000 employees** globally. - **250+ patents** (ranging from AI-powered data protection to private cloud networks). [netskope.com](https://www.netskope.com/company) - Recognized as a Leader in the **2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for SASE Platforms** and **Security Service Edge**. [netskope.com](https://www.netskope.com/) - **30%+** of employees are dedicated to R&D and engineering. [netskope.com](https://www.netskope.com/company) ## Competitive Advantages - **Unified Platform (The Power of "One")**: Netskope offers a single platform (Netskope One) with one console, one client, and one private security cloud. This reduces complexity and cost compared to competitors with disjointed solutions. - **NewEdge Network**: The largest private security cloud and network, providing optimized connectivity and processing for a best-in-class user experience. - **AI-Native Security**: The platform uses patented AI and ML techniques to adapt security based on the context of every interaction, providing deep visibility and protection for modern threats like GenAI use. - **Founding Team & Talent**: Built by early architects from security and networking leaders like AWS, Palo Alto Networks, and Cisco, fostering a deep well of expertise. ## Strategic Focus - **SASE Market Leadership**: Continuing to lead and expand in the Secure Access Service Edge market, consolidating security and networking functions. - **AI Security**: A major priority is securing the use of Generative AI and agentic AI, ensuring enterprises can adopt AI safely without risking data loss. - **Simplifying Infrastructure**: Reducing cost and complexity for customers by offering a single, cloud-native platform that replaces multiple legacy appliances (VPN, firewalls, DLP). - **Global Expansion**: Maintaining and expanding its global NewEdge network footprint to ensure high performance everywhere work happens. ## Why Work Here - **Culture & Collaboration**: Described as a collaborative and transparent environment where "founders and leaders work shoulder-to-shoulder" and "the best ideas win." It is a **Certified Great Place to Work** with an 86% recommendation rate on Glassdoor. [glassdoor.com](https://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Netskope-EI_IE717917.11,19.htm) - **Innovation-First**: With over 30% of the workforce in R&D and 250+ patents, the company is heavily focused on building cutting-edge technology. The hiring philosophy is to "hire people who are better than you, then empower them." [netskope.com](https://www.netskope.com/company) - **Diversity & Inclusion**: Has a strong focus on belonging, with a thriving women’s group called the **Awesome Women of Netskope (AWON)** and a commitment to equal employment opportunity. [netskope.com](https://www.netskope.com/company/careers) - **Compensation & Perks**: Offers competitive compensation, benefits, and perks including running, hiking, and biking groups, and community volunteer days. [netskope.com](https://www.netskope.com/company/careers) - **Work Policy**: Hybrid work is supported, reflecting the company's own product philosophy of enabling secure access from anywhere. - **Global Presence**: Offices in Santa Clara (HQ), St. Louis, UK, France, Spain, Australia, Singapore, India, Japan, and Taiwan. ## Sources 1. [netskope.com](https://www.netskope.com/) 2. [netskope.com](https://www.netskope.com/company/careers) 3. [netskope.com](https://www.netskope.com/company) 4. [glassdoor.com](https://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Netskope-EI_IE717917.11,19.htm) 5. 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