Software Engineer I

About Us:

Proofpoint is a global leader in human- and agent-centric cybersecurity. We protect how people, data, and AI agents connect across email, cloud, and collaboration tools. Over 80 of the Fortune 100, 10,000 large enterprises, and millions of smaller organizations trust Proofpoint to stop threats, prevent data loss, and build resilience across their people and AI workflows. Our mission is simple: safeguard the digital world and empower people to work securely and confidently. Join us in our pursuit to defend data and protect people.

How We Work:

At Proofpoint you’ll be part of a global team that breaks barriers to redefine cybersecurity guided by our BRAVE core values: 

Bold in how we dream and innovate

Responsive to feedback, challenges and opportunities

Accountable for results and best in class outcomes

Visionary in future focused problem-solving

Exceptional in execution and impact

The Role

Join our Belfast Proofpoint Protection Server (PPS) Engineering team and help modernise Proofpoint’s flagship Email Security platform, a mission‑critical service relied upon by many of the world’s largest enterprises.
 

You’ll work across cloud‑native backend systems, distributed architectures, and high‑throughput security pipelines, contributing to initiatives that shape the next generation of our platform. This role suits engineers who are adaptable, curious, and motivated to work across multiple technologies to deliver high‑performance solutions.
 

Your day-to-day

As a Software Engineer I, you will:

• Build and enhance backend services while contributing to the cloud‑modernisation of our large‑scale, containerised and distributed email security platform

• Develop clean, maintainable code primarily in Java, with occasional but meaningful contributions to Perl components where needed

• Design and implement APIs and backend components, including data ingestion and processing pipelines

• Work with event‑driven, streaming, and asynchronous processing architectures

• Collaborate closely with Product, QA, SRE, and other engineering teams

• Own and improve CI/CD pipelines to support reliable builds, testing, and deployments.

• Participate in an on‑call rotation to help maintain system reliability

• Take initiative, learn new technologies, and drive improvements across the platform.

What you bring to the team

• Proven experience in Java, with flexibility to work across additional technologies as needed

• Familiarity with CI/CD tooling and deployment workflows

• Familiarity with AWS or similar cloud platforms

• Familiarity with Kubernetes or other container orchestrators

• Focus on building maintainable, high‑performance, and scalable systems

• Proactive, self‑directed, and strong problem‑solving skills

• Effective communication and collaboration with cross‑functional teams.

#LI-CB1

Why Proofpoint?

At Proofpoint, we believe that an exceptional career experience includes a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Here are just a few reasons you’ll love working with us:

• Competitive compensation

• Comprehensive benefits

• Career success on your terms

• Flexible work environment

• Annual wellness and community outreach days

• Always on recognition for your contributions

• Global collaboration and networking opportunities

Our Culture:

Our culture is rooted in values that inspire belonging, empower purpose and drive success-every day, for everyone.

We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. If you need accommodation during the application or interview process, please reach out to [email protected].

How to Apply

Interested? Submit your application along with any supporting information- we can’t wait to hear from you!