Software Engineering Technical Leader
Top focus
The application window is expected to close on: 07/17/2026 Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received . This is a hybrid role located in Milpitas, CA. Meet The Team Cisco’s Silicon One team is transforming the economics of high-performance networking.
In this role, you will help build the platform and system software infrastructure that turns advanced ASICs into production-ready platforms. You will work close to the silicon across Cygnus-based platforms, owning software from early bring-up through full system launch.
The role includes platform infrastructure, customer-required features, diagnostics, telemetry, automation, CI/CD integration, and debug flows used across hardware and software teams. This is a senior engineering role requiring independent execution, technical leadership, and strong cross-functional collaboration.
You will convert ambiguous requirements into trackable engineering work items, drive medium-to-large features from design through completion and deliver solutions in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision. Your Impact Own platform and system infrastructure for multiple Cygnus-based platforms, from first power-on through full system launch.
Design and implement customer-required platform features and solutions. Develop applications and critical infrastructure improvements for Cygnus-based platforms. Lead technical efforts from design through completion. Convert ambiguous requirements into trackable engineering work items and drive them to closure.
Build robust diagnostics, counters, telemetry hooks, and automation to replace fragile one-off scripts. Integrate software into CI/CD pipelines and at-scale automation to keep bring-up cycles fast, repeatable, and auditable. Debug initialization and bring-up issues using on-chip traces, lab instrumentation, logs, and custom tools.
Partner with vendors, ASIC architects, hardware designers, NOS/platform teams, and cross-functional software teams. Provide technical design documentation and influence implementation across teams. Mentor junior engineers and promote engineering best practices across the organization.
Bring new ideas for improving software quality, platform validation, automation, and development efficiency
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelors + 8 years of related experience, or Masters + 6 years of related experience, or PhD + 3 years of related experience.
- Experienced C/C++ development skills for platform, embedded, or systems software.
- Python experience for tooling, automation, and test development.
- Experience with high-performance networking, embedded systems, platform software, or ASIC/board bring-up.
- Experience debugging hardware/software interaction issues using logs, traces, lab instrumentation, or custom tools.\ Ability to independently drive technical work in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to translate ambiguous requirements into clear execution plans and trackable engineering deliverables.
- Strong collaboration skills across hardware, software, ASIC, vendor, and platform teams
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Compilers, BSP, SDK, NOS/platform integration, register-level programming, or low-level bring-up.
- Experience building diagnostics, telemetry, counters, or validation infrastructure.
- CI/CD pipelines, lab automation, or large-scale test automation.
- Leading features across multiple teams or workstreams.
- Ability to influence technical direction and improve engineering processes across teams.
- Demonstrated technical communication and design documentation skills.
- At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond.
- We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds.
- These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint.
- Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions.
- Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless.
- We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale.
- Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.
- We are Cisco, and our power starts with you.
- Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada: The starting salary range posted for this position is $183,800.00 to $263,600.00 and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation*, equity, or benefits.
- Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training.
- The full salary range for certain locations is listed below.
- For locations not listed below, the recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.
- U.S. employees are offered benefits, subject to Cisco’s plan eligibility rules
- include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage
- basic life insurance.
- Please see the Cisco careers site to discover more benefits and perks.
- Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.
- U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco’s policies: 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown
- 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco Non-exempt employees** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees Exempt employees participate in Cisco’s flexible vacation time off program
- has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations) 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter
- up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer For non-sales roles, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco’s policies.
- Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan.
- For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows: .75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota
- 1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%
- 1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%
- and Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.
- For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay 0% up to 125% of target.
- Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.
- The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below: New York City Metro Area: $183,800.00 - $303,100.00 Non-Metro New York state & Washington state: $163,600.00 - $269,800.00 * For quota-based sales roles on Cisco’s sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined. ** Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.