Director of Engineering – Data Plane Engineering

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Corporate Overview

Proofpoint is a leading cybersecurity company protecting organizations’ greatest assets and biggest risks: vulnerabilities in people. With an integrated suite of cloud-based solutions, Proofpoint helps companies around the world stop targeted threats, safeguard their data, and make their users more resilient against cyber-attacks. Leading organizations of all sizes, including more than half of the Fortune 1000, rely on Proofpoint for people-centric security and compliance solutions mitigating their most critical risks across email, the cloud, social media, and the web. We are singularly devoted to helping our customers protect their greatest assets and biggest security risk: their people. That’s why we’re a leader in next-generation cybersecurity. Protection Starts with People.

Director of Engineering – Data Plane Engineering 

We are seeking a Director of Engineering to lead and grow our team of 10+ high-performing engineers in designing and building next-generation data security solutions for cloud, hybrid, and on-prem data environments. In this role, you will be responsible for driving the technical vision, strategy, and execution of data security solutions across large-scale infrastructures. 

This team is responsible for building and optimizing the data plane to efficiently scan and identify sensitive data. You will play a critical role in shaping the direction of our scalable, microservices-based security platform while ensuring high performance, reliability, and security. You will also work cross-functionally with product, security, and business teams to drive innovation and excellence in data security. 

If you are passionate about leading top-tier engineering teams, solving complex security challenges, and leveraging cutting-edge technologies, this is THE opportunity for you. 

 

Key Responsibilities 

Leadership & Team Management 

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of 10+ engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. 

• Attract, hire, and retain top engineering talent to build a world-class security team. 

• Define career development plans and provide regular coaching and feedback to engineers. 

Technology & Architecture 

• Drive the technical vision and strategy for data security solutions across cloud, hybrid, and on-prem environments. 

• Architect and oversee the development of scalable, microservices-based security platforms across AWS, GCP, Azure, hybrid, and on-prem infrastructures. 

• Design and optimize high-performance data plane components to support real-time scanning and security analytics across diverse environments. 

• Ensure adoption of best practices in software engineering, security, and DevSecOps. 

• Evaluate and implement new technologies, frameworks, and methodologies to enhance product capabilities and team productivity. 

Execution & Delivery 

• Lead the team in delivering high-quality, scalable, and reliable security solutions in a fast-paced Agile environment. 

• Ensure efficient CICD pipelines, infrastructure automation, and operational excellence across cloud and hybrid/on-prem deployments. 

• Collaborate with Product, Security, and Operations teams to define roadmaps and drive successful releases. 

• Establish KPIs and engineering metrics to track and optimize team performance. 

• Stay up to date with the latest security threats and best practices to proactively enhance security measures. 

 

Qualifications & Experience 

Must-Have 

• 10+ years of experience in engineering leadership & people management, including leading teams of 10+ engineers. 

• Proven expertise in building, scaling, and managing distributed security solutions across cloud, hybrid, and on-prem environments. 

• Strong hands-on knowledge of cloud computing (AWS, GCP, Azure) and on-prem/hybrid infrastructure security best practices. 

• Extensive experience with microservices architecture, Kubernetes, and CICD pipelines. 

• Strong coding background in one or more high-level programming languages (e.g., Python, NodeJS, Go, Java). 

• Experience with DevSecOps, security frameworks, and compliance (e.g., SOC 2, NIST). 

• Ability to influence C-level executives and cross-functional teams on technical strategy. 

Nice-to-Have 

• Experience in AI/ML-driven security analytics. 

• Strong understanding of zero-trust architectures and data encryption methodologies. 

• Prior experience in a fast-growing startup or security product company. 

Why Proofpoint

As a customer focused and driven-to-win organization with leading edge products, there are many exciting reasons to join the Proofpoint team. We believe in hiring the best the brightest and cultivating a culture of collaboration and appreciation. As we continue to grow and expand globally, we understand that hiring the right people and developing great teams is key to our success! We are a multi-national company with locations in many countries, with each location contributing to Proofpoint’s amazing culture!  #LI-AN1

If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you'll enjoy your career with us!

Consistent with Proofpoint values and applicable law, we provide the following information to promote pay transparency and equity. Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets as set out below. Pay within these ranges varies and depends on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The actual offer will be based on the individual candidate. The range provided may represent a candidate range and may not reflect the full range for an individual tenured employee. This role may be eligible for variable compensation and/or equity. We offer a competitive benefits package, including flexible time off, a comprehensive well-being program with two paid Wellbeing Days and two paid Volunteer Days per year, plus a three-week Work from Anywhere option.

Base Pay Ranges:

SF Bay Area, New York City Metro Area:

Base Pay Range: 238,240.00 - 327,580.00 USD

California (excludes SF Bay Area), Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Washington DC Metro, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, Washington, Virginia, and Alaska:

Base Pay Range: 191,360.00 - 263,120.00 USD

All other cities and states excluding those listed above:

Base Pay Range: 172,320.00 - 236,940.00 USD