Meet the Team
At Data Center Business Unit in Cisco, we are dedicated to driving innovation in networking technologies. Our focus is on developing groundbreaking Ethernet Switching products that address the evolving needs of modern network infrastructures, including those in AI, cloud computing, and enterprise environments.
Your Impact
In this role, you will have the opportunity to learn a wide range of core Ethernet Technologies with architectural exposure to craft and develop Ethernet Switching as applied to both Public and Private cloud infrastructure. You will work on the intricacies of the critically important infrastructure that enables the world-class, multi-layered Nexus switches. In addition, you will have the opportunity to participate in multi-functional collaboration and be exposed to all facets of the software development cycle from innovation and marketing requirements to product delivery.
• You will participate in a project team of engineers involved in the development of software for our next generation data center switch Nexus product family.
• Define, architect, design, and deliver new features and solutions on the Nexus family platform
• Work independently with guidance from leader to determines best approach to accomplish objectives.
• Develop relationships with peer stakeholders within and across teams and builds productive working relationships.
• May lead projects with limited complexity to execute the defined software engineering roadmap.
• May lead small-to-medium features from technical design through completion.
• Stay current on industry trends and serve as a subject matter expert on the software development lifecycle and agile engineering practices; mentor and coach others as needed.
• Contribute to delivery of high-quality design and deliverables.
• Advocate for new features within a product to address customer needs.
• Track metrics for product adoption and success.
• Write clean, maintainable, and well-tested code with minimal guidance.
• Perform coding, debugging, testing, and troubleshooting throughout the development process under minimal supervision.
• Perform code reviews for others in project.
• Write code enabling scale, reliability, and velocity in product releases.
• Troubleshoot complex issues within the production environment, may serve customers through on-call rotations to identify end user problems, may lead postmortem and write root cause analysis.
• Share knowledge across teams, both informally and formally (e.g., ad-hoc basis, internal presentations, blogs, newsletters).
• Coordinate and collaborate on project timelines and continuously reviews, updates, and communicates project specifications to team members and stakeholders.
• Develop remediation plans and alternatives to ensure timely delivery.
• Identifies and acts upon opportunities to assist others.
• Mentors peers and/or engineering interns.
Minimum Qualifications
• 4 + years of experience
• Strong programming skills in C and/or C++, along with proficiency in Python.
• Experienced with Embedded and/or router/switch software development
• Debugging with tools such as GDB
• Demonstrated experience with L2/L3/ACL/QOS Packet Forwarding and/or CPU packet path
• Experience with traffic generator tools such as IXIA & Spirent
Preferred Qualifications
• SDK development on NPU/DPU/Networking ASICs is highly desirable.
• Proven experience in fostering collaboration across diverse teams to achieve goals, resolve challenges, and drive innovation in a cross-functional environment.
• Hands-on experience with SDK integration, debugging, and optimization within complex software projects.
• Practical experience and knowledge working with network processors and/or packet forwarding ASICs including development, deployment and troubleshooting in real-world applications.
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
- 4+ years of experience
- Strong programming skills in C and/or C++
- Proficiency in Python
- Experience with embedded and/or router/switch software development
- Debugging with tools such as GDB
- Demonstrated experience with L2/L3/ACL/QOS packet forwarding and/or CPU packet path
- Experience with traffic generator tools such as IXIA and Spirent
- SDK development on NPU/DPU/Networking ASICs
- Hands-on experience with SDK integration, debugging, and optimization
- Practical experience with network processors and/or packet forwarding ASICs
- Proven experience fostering cross-team collaboration
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 robust with multiple plan options and access to onsite/virtual LifeConnections Health Centers on major campuses. Company materials also highlight mental-health resources and comprehensive preventive care, supporting strong core medical benefits.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time away includes company‑wide recharge days, a paid birthday, a year‑end shutdown, and paid Critical Time Off for emergencies. Paid volunteer days further expand opportunities to step away and recharge.
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Parental & Family Support — Policies include a global minimum for paid parental leave for primary caregivers, caregiving concierge services, and on‑site children’s learning centers in select locations. In the U.S., family‑building support is consolidated under Carrot with a defined lifetime maximum, indicating structured assistance across fertility, preservation, adoption, and surrogacy.
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.
