Data Science Manager (AI Solutions-Machines)

Our Mission At Palo Alto Networks®, we’re united by a shared mission—to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you’re ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you’re in the right place. Who We Are In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us! We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes. Job Summary Job Summary As a Data Science Manager, you will lead, mentor, and grow a team of applied data scientists working on machine learning models that power AI-driven cybersecurity solutions. You will own the end-to-end development lifecycle of AI projects, from exploratory research and experimentation through to scalable deployment and optimization. In this role, you will partner with engineering and product leadership to define technical strategies, prioritize initiatives, and ensure successful model delivery. You will also drive innovation across a broad spectrum of ML domains, including supervised/unsupervised learning, anomaly detection, and generative AI, while providing hands-on guidance and championing best practices in MLOps, data governance, and model evaluation. Key Responsibilities Lead, mentor, and grow a team of applied data scientists working on machine learning models that power AI-driven cybersecurity solutions. Own the end-to-end development lifecycle of AI projects - from exploratory research and experimentation through scalable deployment and optimization. Partner with engineering and product leadership to define technical strategies, prioritize initiatives, and ensure successful model delivery. Drive innovation across a broad spectrum of ML domains including supervised/unsupervised learning, anomaly detection and generative AI. Provide hands-on guidance in model development using tools such as scikit-learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow, and Hugging Face. Ensure high-quality execution through strong code review practices, reproducibility, and model evaluation frameworks. Champion best practices in MLOps, data governance, explainability, and monitoring. Keep pace with academic and industry advances and translate cutting-edge research into productized capabilities. Qualifications Required Qualifications 8+ years of industry experience in AI/ML or Data Science, with at least 4-year leading teams and managing direct reports. Solid proficiency in Python and machine learning libraries/frameworks such as scikit-learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow, or Hugging Face. Strong familiarity with natural language processing (NLP), including LLMs and transformer-based architectures, and their applications to real-world use cases. Strong technical communication skills and the ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams. Strategic mindset with the ability to connect AI research to business value and product opportunities. Preferred Qualifications Master’s degree or PhD in a technical field (e.g., Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Engineering). Familiarity with cybersecurity, identity security, or risk mitigation use cases. Experience with cloud-based ML infrastructure (e.g., AWS SageMaker, GCP Vertex AI) and big data tools (e.g., Spark, Airflow). Hands-on knowledge of MLOps tooling for CI/CD, monitoring, and versioning of ML assets. Publications, patents, or open-source contributions in AI/ML Our Commitment We’re trailblazers that dream big, take risks, and challenge cybersecurity’s status quo. It’s simple: we can’t accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at accommodations@paloaltonetworks.com. Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. Is role eligible for Immigration Sponsorship? No. Please note that we will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.