The Common Hardware Group (CHG) creates innovative hardware platforms central to the AI era, powering Cisco’s core Switching, Routing, and Wireless products for organizations globally. Our innovations in silicon, optics, and hardware platforms—like Silicon One—are shaping the technology industry. We're a global team of creative experts, bringing our unique backgrounds and bold ideas to push boundaries and help each other grow. Because full product development—from design to qualification to production—is within our team, we’re able to think differently, experiment more, and work quickly. Join us to power the future of the digital world.
Your ImpactHardware design technical lead is a key member of the Cisco Purpose Built Switch hardware team.
- Define and design the next generation Hyperscaler Switch hardware based on Silicon One and/or merchant ASIC, as well as CPU subsystem.
- Responsible for system and board level specification, schematic capture, FPGA design, ASIC/System level bring up and troubleshooting.
- The individual is expected to bring up the system to work with multiple groups including ASIC, DFT, Signal Integrity, software, Diagnostics and Manufacturing team to resolve any design issues.
- Debug and troubleshoot in labs using scopes and analyzers
- Act as technical liaison with major component Suppliers for the product
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering or Telecommunications and 5 years of experience, or Master’s degree with 3+ years,
- Prior experience with common HW technology, including power, clock, memory, CPU, and variety of system interfaces.
- Previous experience with complex high-speed board design and board bring-up.
- Prior experience with schematics/layout, Hardware bring-up, trouble-shooting, system level testing.
- Experience with working with Software team on system bring-up and porting, devices configuration (registers level).
- Experience with high speed Ethernet interfaces and optics in 25G, 100G, 400G, 800G, 1.6T
- Experience with x86 or ARM CPU development in Datacenter or Server/HPC
- Experience with schematics, PCB and Verilog HDL/VHDL design
- Experience with lab bring up and design validation of products
- Knowledge on the Ethernet protocol is a plus
- Experience with DRAM, CPU subcomplex and control interfaces such as PCIe, I2C, SPI, MDC/MDIO
- Self-motivation, teamwork and strong communication skills are essential.
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
Why Cisco?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.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Telecommunications plus 5 years of experience, or a master’s degree plus 3 years of experience
- Experience with hardware technologies including power, clock, memory, CPU, and system interfaces
- Experience with complex high-speed board design and board bring-up
- Experience with schematics, PCB layout, hardware bring-up, troubleshooting, and system-level testing
- Experience collaborating with software teams on system bring-up, porting, and register-level device configuration
- Experience with high-speed Ethernet interfaces and optics from 25G through 1.6T
- Experience with x86 or ARM CPU development in datacenter or server/HPC environments
- Experience with schematics, PCB, and Verilog HDL/VHDL design
- Experience with laboratory bring-up and product design validation
- Knowledge of Ethernet protocols
- Experience with DRAM, CPU subcomplexes, PCIe, I2C, SPI, and MDC/MDIO interfaces
- Self-motivation, teamwork, and strong communication skills
Cisco Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Cisco and has not been reviewed or approved by Cisco.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as broad, with medical options including PPOs, high-deductible plans, and regional HMOs. Feedback suggests robust wellness and mental-health resources, with some locations offering on-site support and second medical opinions.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off is highlighted through paid holidays, paid time off, and additional recharge days such as “Days for Me,” with generous volunteer time also mentioned. Feedback suggests these programs help support rest, volunteering, and critical life events.
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Parental & Family Support — Parental and family support appears extensive, including paid child-bonding leave, family medical leave, and caregiving resources. Observations also point to family-planning assistance and adoption or surrogacy support in some regions.
Cisco Insights
What We Do
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) enables people to make powerful connections--whether in business, education, philanthropy, or creativity. Cisco hardware, software, and service offerings are used to create the Internet solutions that make networks possible--providing easy access to information anywhere, at any time. Cisco was founded in 1984 by a small group of computer scientists from Stanford University. Since the company's inception, Cisco engineers have been leaders in the development of Internet Protocol (IP)-based networking technologies. Today, with more than 71,000 employees worldwide, this tradition of innovation continues with industry-leading products and solutions in the company's core development areas of routing and switching, as well as in advanced technologies such as home networking, IP telephony, optical networking, security, storage area networking, and wireless technology. In addition to its products, Cisco provides a broad range of service offerings, including technical support and advanced services. Cisco sells its products and services, both directly through its own sales force as well as through its channel partners, to large enterprises, commercial businesses, service providers, and consumers.
