Principal Software Engineer (Data Science)

• ExtraHop is at the forefront of innovation in the cybersecurity space, delivering cutting-edge solutions to protect organizations against evolving threats
• Our Network Detection and Response (NDR) products empower businesses to detect, respond to, and mitigate cyber risks in real time
• We seek a Principal Software Engineer to join our product development organization and serve as a technical anchor on our NDR platform
• In this role, you will drive the architecture and execution of complex, high-impact engineering initiatives that define the future of our products
• You will operate with significant autonomy, influence engineering direction across teams, and mentor engineers at multiple levels while delivering software that addresses the most sophisticated challenges in network security
• Design, write, and maintain robust, high-performance software to deploy AI/ML models that analyze network traffic for anomalous or malicious behaviors
• Design and develop autonomous AI agent architectures and multi-agent workflows
• Collaborate with data scientists, threat researchers, and cloud teams to build high-performance services, pipelines, and tooling that accelerate ML experimentation and production workflows
• Drive engineering excellence across teams through code reviews, design reviews, and the establishment of standards, patterns, and best practices
• Lead cross-functional technical initiatives and represent engineering in conversations with senior leadership and external stakeholders
• Contribute to product strategy by bringing deep technical insight to roadmap discussions, build-vs-buy decisions, and competitive differentiation
• Lead by example. Provide technical mentorship to software engineers on the team, fostering a culture of continuous learning, optimization, and rigorous engineering discipline

Benefits

• Walking distance to restaurants, shops, and the waterfront
• Cafe for vibing, gaming, and recharging between meetings
• Collaboration spaces designed for both focused work and team brainstorming
• Fully stocked kitchen with snacks and beverages
• Craft beer on tap for celebrations and team gatherings
• Mentorship | Connect with experienced leaders across the organization who can guide your career development
• Internal Mobility | Career growth happens in multiple directions — move up, across functions, or to new locations as opportunities arise
• Professional Development Budget or Tuition Reimbursement | Financial support for continuing education, certifications, and degree programs relevant to your career. Annual budget for conferences, courses, workshops, and learning resources
• Family-Inclusive Benefits | Healthcare coverage that extends to domestic partners, spouses, and dependents
• Family Medical Leave | Extended leave options for family caregiving, medical situations, and life transitions
• Parental Leave | Generous paid parental leave for new parents, because welcoming a new family member is a life-changing moment
• Employee Referral Program | Generous referral bonuses when you help us find great talent; your network matters
• Financial Planning Resources | Access to financial wellness programs and planning tools to help you make informed decisions about your future
• Performance Incentives | Bonus or commission opportunities based on role and performance
• Competitive Compensation | Market-rate salaries benchmarked against data to ensure you’re paid fairly for your expertise and impact
• Competitive Compensation | Market-rate salaries benchmarked against data to ensure you’re paid fairly for your expertise and impact
• Commuter Benefits | Commuter benefits to make your journey to a local office easier
• Life & Disability Insurance | Company-provided life insurance and disability coverage to protect you and your loved ones
• Wellness Program | Access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), gym membership discounts, and resources to support your physical and mental well-being
• Comprehensive Medical Coverage | Health and Wellness benefits to fit your needs
• Team Events & Offsites | Regular team gatherings, department offsites, and company-wide celebrations to build connections
• Global Collaboration | Work with teammates around the globe. Bring your perspective to a truly international team
• Voluntary Time Off | 3 community service days each year to give back to causes you care about
• Paid Company Holidays | Enjoy time with family and friends during major holidays
• Remote & Hybrid Work Options | Work where you work best. We support remote, hybrid, and in-office arrangements based on your role and preference
• Flexible Time Off | PTO policies that trust you to manage your time and recharge when you need it most

• Experience in machine learning, statistics, or a related quantitative discipline
• Expert-level programming skills in Python and Go, with an emphasis on writing production-quality, well-tested, and modular code
• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
• Expertise in applying machine learning or data science techniques to cybersecurity use cases such as anomaly detection, behavioral analysis, or threat classification
• Advanced understanding of threat detection methodologies, intrusion prevention systems, and incident response workflows
• Experience building or operating production AI/ML systems, including model lifecycle management, data/training pipelines, and monitoring
• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience, with at least 2 years in Principal, Lead, or Staff capacity shipping enterprise-grade software
• A strong fundamental understanding of network telemetry and protocols
• Understanding of threat detection, intrusion prevention, and incident response strategies
• Prior experience working in the cybersecurity domain. Familiarity with threat actor techniques and common network attack vectors
• Familiarity with machine learning applications in cybersecurity
• Deep experience with cloud services on AWS or Azure
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to influence technical and non-technical audiences at the executive level
• Deep experience with containerization and orchestration technologies including Docker and Kubernetes at production scale