Palo Alto Networks Software Engineer Behavioural Interview (Values + Execution Focus)

What this covers: A 45–60 minute behavioural conversation focused on how you build, secure, and ship software at scale while embodying Palo Alto Networks’ core values—Collaboration, Disruption, Execution, Inclusion, and Integrity—and aligning to the mission of protecting our digital way of life. Expect deep dives into incidents, cross-functional collaboration, and decisions that balance velocity with security and reliability. ([jobs.paloaltonetworks.com](https://jobs.paloaltonetworks.com/culture/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) How it typically fits in the process: Candidates commonly report a sequence of recruiter screen → online assessment → hiring-manager behavioural interview → multiple technical rounds (and sometimes an additional managerial round). The behavioural interview often occurs with the hiring manager or a peer panel and emphasizes your impact, decision quality, and stakeholder management. ([glassdoor.com](https://www.glassdoor.com/Interview/Palo-Alto-Networks-Software-Engineer-Interview-Questions-EI_IE115142.0%2C18_KO19%2C36.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) Primary focus areas mapped to PANW values: - Execution: Bias to action, clarity of priorities, metrics-driven delivery, and learning loops (postmortems, RCAs). ([jobs.paloaltonetworks.com](https://jobs.paloaltonetworks.com/culture/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) - Collaboration & Inclusion: Working with PM/SRE/Threat Research/Design across time zones; creating voice for quieter teammates; handling conflict constructively. ([jobs.paloaltonetworks.com](https://jobs.paloaltonetworks.com/culture/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) - Disruption & Innovation: Challenging the status quo to improve security outcomes or developer productivity without compromising safety. ([jobs.paloaltonetworks.com](https://jobs.paloaltonetworks.com/culture/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) - Integrity & Security Judgment: Ethical decision-making, secure-by-default thinking, compliance considerations, and risk trade-offs under pressure. ([jobs.paloaltonetworks.com](https://jobs.paloaltonetworks.com/culture/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) Sample question bank (expect 6–10 with follow-ups): 1) Tell me about a time you led a P0/SEV1 incident or security response—what you did in the first 30 minutes, how you coordinated comms, and what changed afterward. 2) Describe a trade-off you made between shipping speed and security hardening. How did you decide, and what were the measurable outcomes? 3) Give an example of challenging an accepted approach (disruption) to improve reliability, cost, or risk posture. How did you bring others along? 4) Walk me through a cross-team project (e.g., SRE, Product, Threat Research) where priorities conflicted. How did you align stakeholders and land a decision? 5) Tell me about a time you found or prevented a security flaw in design/implementation. How did you influence the fix across teams? 6) Describe a situation where you mentored or unblocked an engineer from a different background or time zone. What did inclusion look like in practice? 7) Share an example of owning an ambiguous problem end-to-end—how you framed it, selected leading indicators, and measured impact. 8) Tell me about when a release caused customer impact. How did you handle accountability and rebuild trust? 9) Describe a moment you disagreed with your manager or a senior engineer. What was the disagreement, and how did you resolve it while maintaining integrity? 10) When have you used automation or AI to meaningfully improve a security or engineering workflow? What risks did you consider? Common follow-ups: “What was the metric?”, “What would you do differently?”, “Who pushed back and why?”, “How did you validate the risk/assumption?”, “How did you communicate to customers or executives?” (Candidates often note interviewers probe for depth and clarity of thinking, not memorized answers.) ([glassdoor.com](https://www.glassdoor.com/Interview/Palo-Alto-Networks-Interview-Questions-E115142.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) Evaluation rubric used by interviewers: Depth with STAR, measurable impact, scope/ownership, judgment under uncertainty (especially security trade-offs), collaboration signals (listening, alignment, inclusion), and alignment with PANW values and mission. ([jobs.paloaltonetworks.com](https://jobs.paloaltonetworks.com/culture/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) Candidate tips specific to PANW: - Prepare 5–7 STAR stories that map to the values above; include metrics (MTTR, defect/incident rate, latency, cost, customer adoption) and your unique contribution. - Be ready to whiteboard an incident timeline or architecture at a high level even in a behavioural setting; PANW often blends practical context into behavioural prompts. ([glassdoor.com](https://www.glassdoor.com/Interview/Palo-Alto-Networks-Software-Engineer-Interview-Questions-EI_IE115142.0%2C18_KO19%2C36.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) - Show security-first thinking and ethical judgment; articulate how you balance customer impact, delivery speed, and risk. - Demonstrate cross-cloud, platform, or ecosystem thinking (e.g., integrating features across products) and how you collaborate asynchronously across regions. - Close with questions about how the team measures Execution and quality (e.g., SLOs, incident reviews) and how the values show up in day-to-day rituals. ([jobs.paloaltonetworks.com](https://jobs.paloaltonetworks.com/culture/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))