Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Santa Clara, CA

It all started when engineer Fred Luddy wrote code that automated a tedious task for his coworker, Phyllis. She cried tears of joy. That moment inspired Fred to build a company that could do that for everyone—freeing people from busywork so they could focus on meaningful work. Today, ServiceNow is the AI control tower for business reinvention. Our ServiceNow AI platform brings together any AI, any data, and any workflow— helping 85% of the Fortune 500® work smarter, faster, and better. We're building an AI-native culture where technology and talent are unstoppable together. And we're just getting started.

Join us to put AI to work for people.

The ServiceNow Security Organization (SSO)

The ServiceNow Security Organization (SSO) delivers world-class, innovative security solutions to reduce risk and protect the company and our customers. We enable our customers to migrate their most sensitive data and workloads to the cloud, accelerating our business so that we are the most trusted SaaS provider. We create an environment where our employees are proud to work and can make a positive impact.

ServiceNow runs mission-critical workflows for a large share of the world's enterprises. Cyber Defense Engineering protects ServiceNow and the platform our customers run on. Cyber defense doesn't scale through headcount alone. It scales when systems make defenders exponentially more effective. Data is how we get there.

As Principal Software Engineer & Architect, you will own the technical direction of the data and platform systems behind detection, investigation, hunting, response, and AI-driven defense. Several engineering teams will build against your architecture, and your decisions will show up in measurable security outcomes.

What You'll Do

• Own the architecture of our multi-system security data platform, from ingestion to access, including the data that powers detection, investigation, hunting and risk analytics. Decide what data lives where, weighing business value, performance, retention, and cost, and remove duplication across systems.
• Define shared schemas, data models, and data contracts so telemetry from different sources is consistent, trustworthy, and joinable for both people, automation and AI.
• Build the data foundation for applied AI in security operations: data and feature pipelines, model evaluation, retrieval, and governed data access for AI agents that investigate and respond to threats.
• Build access control, data protection, auditability, and compliance into the architecture so the platform is secure by design.
• Lead technical design across teams, resolve tradeoffs on shared platforms, and keep the architecture coherent as the organization grows. Drive major decisions to closure through design and decision documents.
• Set engineering standards for source control, CI/CD, testing, and observability. Mentor engineers through design and code review.
• Tie platform investments to measurable outcomes: detection coverage; time to detect, investigate, and mitigate; data quality and freshness; and more.

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a similar field.
• 10+ years of software engineering experience, with 3+ years in a principal, staff, or architect role.
• Proven experience designing and operating large-scale cloud data platforms in production, including data modeling, data warehouse design, and high-volume streaming and batch telemetry pipelines across multiple systems.
• Hands-on ML/AI experience, including shipping ML or LLM-based systems to production, and working knowledge of how data quality, freshness, and lineage limit model performance.
• Proficiency in SQL and at least one general-purpose language (Python, Go, or Java).
• A record of setting technical direction across teams without formal authority.
• Clear, concise writing and a habit of documenting decisions and their rationale.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience applying ML and graph-based analysis to security problems, such as anomaly detection, entity correlation, incident investigations, or attack path analysis.
• Experience in security operations, such as SIEM platforms, security datalakes, detection engineering, or incident response.
• Knowledge of secure data access patterns such as RBAC/ABAC, masking, and policy-as-code.
• Advanced degree in machine learning, AI, or a related field.

#SecurityJobs

For positions in this location, we offer a base pay of $221,200 - $387,100, plus equity (when applicable), variable/incentive compensation and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the base pay shown is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. We also offer health plans, including flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, matching donations, a flexible time away plan and family leave programs. Compensation is based on the geographic location in which the role is located and is subject to change based on work location.

Work Personas

We approach our distributed world of work with flexibility and trust. Work personas (flexible, remote, or required in office) are categories that are assigned to ServiceNow employees depending on the nature of their work and their assigned work location. Learn more here. To determine eligibility for a work persona, ServiceNow may confirm the distance between your primary residence and the closest ServiceNow office using a third-party service.

Equal Opportunity Employer

ServiceNow is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or any other category protected by law. In addition, all qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with legal requirements.

Accommodations

We strive to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are unable to use this online application and need an alternative method to apply, please contact globaltalentss@servicenow.com for assistance.

Export Control Regulations

For positions requiring access to controlled technology subject to export control regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), ServiceNow may be required to obtain export control approval from government authorities for certain individuals. All employment is contingent upon ServiceNow obtaining any export license or other approval that may be required by relevant export control authorities.

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