SAP Basis and Security Administrator

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

Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced and motivated SAP BASIS and Security Specialist with a minimum of 10+ years of hands-on experience to join our IT team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for the architecture, administration, and support of our complex SAP and diverse landscape, ensuring high availability, optimal performance, and robust security across all environments. A strong background in SAP NetWeaver, S/4HANA, Middleware technologies, and modern infrastructure components is essential.

This is an in office role 3 days/week in our HQ, Santa Clara, CA

Key Responsibilities

SAP System Administration & Operations

• SAP BASIS: Lead the planning, installation, configuration, patching, and upgrade of SAP systems, including  SAP S/4HANA, SAP NetWeaver, and specialized components like SAP PI/PO (Process Integration/Process Orchestration), SAP GTS ( Global Trade Services on Cloud), SAP GRC ( SAP Governance Risk and Compliance System )  and SLT (SAP Landscape Transformation).

• Database Administration: Perform comprehensive administration and tuning for SAP HANA Database, ensuring optimal performance, backup/recovery, and disaster recovery readiness.

• Operating Systems & Infrastructure: Manage and maintain SAP applications running on Linux environments. Ensure the stability and performance of High Availability (HA) and Disaster Recovery (DR) solutions for the entire SAP landscape.

• System Monitoring: Implement and manage proactive monitoring tools and processes to ensure system health, resource utilization, and immediate resolution of potential issues.

• Interface Monitoring: Perform proactive monitoring and maintenance of integration scenarios, including the Integration Engine, Adapter Engine, and Message Flow, utilizing tools like the Runtime Workbench (RWB) and PI/PO monitoring dashboards.

• Advanced Troubleshooting: Serve as the top-tier escalation point for complex technical issues, including system outages, critical application dumps, transport failures, and database connectivity problems.

• Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Execute structured RCA for recurring or high-impact incidents, documenting findings and implementing permanent fixes to prevent future occurrences.

• Tool Utilization: Utilize standard SAP tools (e.g., SM21, ST22, AL11, SMICM, OS commands, HANA Studio) and third-party tools for log analysis, trace evaluation, and system diagnosis.

• Database Tuning: Perform regular HANA database performance analysis, including SQL statement analysis, workload profiling, and optimizing system parameters to ensure high throughput.

• Application Server Tuning: Conduct application server performance reviews, optimizing work processes, memory parameters and buffer management to minimize response times.

• Interface Optimization: Collaborate with development teams to optimize ABAP programs, RFC/BAPI calls, and PI/PO message processing to eliminate system bottlenecks.

• Capacity Planning: Lead technical capacity planning efforts, monitoring resource consumption trends (CPU, memory, disk I/O) to ensure the infrastructure can support current and future business demands, particularly during large data migrations or peak transaction periods.

• Work very closely with the support resources and cross functional teams to monitor & address the inflow of the ServiceNow tickets and avoid any disruptions in business continuity. 

Proactive System Health Management (EWA):

• EarlyWatch Alert (EWA) Administration: Configure, schedule, and maintain the SAP EarlyWatch Alert service across the entire SAP landscape (including HANA and S/4HANA systems), ensuring the weekly data collection is successful and reports are generated.

• Analysis & Remediation: Proactively analyze the weekly EWA reports (especially focusing on Red and Yellow ratings) to identify potential bottlenecks, system performance degradation, configuration issues, database growth risks, and security vulnerabilities.

• Action Planning: Develop and execute action plans based on SAP's recommendations in the EWA report, including kernel updates, parameter tuning, patch application, and data volume management to ensure system stability and optimal performance.

• Solution Manager/Focused Run: Leverage tools like SAP Solution Manager or SAP Focused Run for EWA configuration and centralized report viewing.

SAP Security & Compliance

• Security Administration: Design, implement, and maintain SAP security roles, profiles, and authorization objects across all SAP systems (ABAP and JAVA stacks).

• Compliance: Ensure the SAP landscape adheres to internal security policies, audit requirements, and regulatory compliance standards.

• User Management: Manage SAP user lifecycle, including creation, modification, and termination, while adhering to Segregation of Duties (SoD) principles.

SAP GRC Access Control (GRC AC) Expertise:

• Access Risk Management: Administer the SAP GRC Access Control module, focusing on Access Risk Analysis (ARA) to identify, analyze, and remediate Segregation of Duties (SoD) conflicts and critical access violations.

• Access Provisioning & Workflow: Manage and maintain the Access Request Management (ARM) module to automate the user provisioning and de-provisioning process via compliant workflows without compromising on the company security policies & guidelines.

• Emergency Access: Configure and monitor Emergency Access Management (EAM) (often called "Firefighter" access) to ensure auditable, controlled, and time-bound access for support teams.

• Role Management: Utilize Business Role Management (BRM) for standardized, compliant, and auditable design, creation, and maintenance of SAP roles.

• Audit Support: Provide comprehensive reporting and evidence from GRC Access Control for internal and external audit purposes, demonstrating continuous compliance.

Innovation & Automation

• Scripting & Automation: Utilize scripting languages, particularly Python & Shell scripting, to automate routine BASIS and security tasks, monitoring, reporting, and system maintenance activities.

• AI proficiency and implementation experience: Explore and leverage knowledge of AI Use Cases in managing the SAP platform & operations for predictive monitoring, performance optimization, and intelligent automation. Be creative in providing AI based platform level solutions. 

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Education: Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field.

• Experience: Minimum of 10+ years of technical experience in SAP BASIS Administration and Security.

• Technical Expertise (Mandatory):

• Deep expertise in SAP NetWeaver (ABAP and Java stacks).

• Strong hands-on experience with SAP PI/PO administration.

• Proven experience with SAP SLT replication setup and monitoring.

• Expert-level administration of SAP HANA Database.

• Demonstrated experience in S/4 HANA Conversion projects.

• Solid administration experience in Linux operating systems.

• Expertise in configuring and maintaining HA & DR environments for SAP.

• Experience with Python Scripting for automation.

• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills with the use of AI.

• Ability to work independently and manage multiple complex tasks simultaneously.

• Very strong technical skills to maintain and implement new solutions. 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, capable of interacting with technical teams and business stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) integration with SAP.

• Certification in SAP BASIS, HANA, or Security is a plus.

Compensation Disclosure

The compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications, experience, and work location. For candidates who receive an offer at the posted level, the starting base salary (for non-sales roles) or base salary + commission target (for sales/com-missioned roles) is expected to be the annual range listed below. The offered compensation may also include restricted stock units and a bonus. A description of our employee benefits may be found here.

$110,000.00 - $178,000.00/yr

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.