Meet the Team
At Cisco’s Distributed Systems Engineering Business Unit, we build next-generation networking solutions for AI, cloud, and enterprise environments. Our team delivers high-quality, scalable, and reliable networking software through deep protocol expertise, strong automation, and close multi-functional collaboration.
This role offers the opportunity to work across the product lifecycle, from feature validation and automation to deployment support, customer issue analysis, and continuous quality improvement. You will work with expert engineers and contribute to building robust networking solutions with a strong focus on scale, performance, and reliability.
Your Impact
In this role, you will:
· Evaluate and validate networking software features across MPLS, routing protocols (OSPF, IS-IS, BGP, EIGRP), L2VPN, L3VPN, SPAN, NetFlow, BFD, L2/L3 protocols, and SRv6
· Own feature validation end-to-end, including test planning, automation design, execution, solving, and resolution
· Design and implement comprehensive test scenarios covering functionality, scale, reliability, and interoperability
· Develop and maintain Python-based automation to improve validation efficiency, regression coverage, and overall product quality
· Analyze and reproduce customer-reported issues, and strengthen automation coverage to help prevent recurrence
· Partner with development and multi-functional teams to solve issues and support successful product delivery
· Support deployments and customer concerns through effective triage, debugging, and issue resolution
· Mentor junior engineers and contribute to a culture of technical perfection and collaboration
· Use AI-assisted development tools and practices to improve engineering productivity and quality
Minimum Qualifications
· Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electronics, Telecommunications, or a related technical field
· Typically requires 8+ years of proven experience in software engineering, networking, system validation, or related roles
· Strong hands-on knowledge of networking technologies, including:
o MPLS
o Routing protocols: OSPF, IS-IS, BGP, EIGRP
o L2VPN / L3VPN
o SPAN / NetFlow
o BFD
o L2 / L3 protocols
o SRv6
· Strong Python automation experience, with the ability to design, build, and maintain automation for feature validation and regression coverage
· Demonstrated hands-on experience using AI-assisted development tools and workflows to accelerate development, debugging, scripting, and test creation
· Experience handling customer-reported issues, defect analysis, deployments, and escalations
· Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills
· Ability to work independently, take ownership, and drive work through to resolution
· Strong written and verbal communication skills
Preferred Qualifications
· Experience working on distributed systems or large-scale networking platforms
· Experience validating scale, performance, resiliency, and reliability scenarios
· Experience collaborating across development, test, product management, and support teams
· Familiarity with code reviews, test strategy, and structured technical documentation
· Strong ownership mindset with the ability to balance execution, quality, and collaboration
· Experience mentoring junior engineers and contributing to team best practices
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 Computer Science, Electronics, Telecommunications, or related technical field
- 8+ years of proven experience in software engineering, networking, system validation, or related roles
- Hands-on knowledge of MPLS
- Hands-on knowledge of routing protocols: OSPF, IS-IS, BGP, EIGRP
- Hands-on knowledge of L2VPN and L3VPN
- Hands-on knowledge of SPAN and NetFlow
- Hands-on knowledge of BFD
- Hands-on knowledge of L2 and L3 protocols
- Hands-on knowledge of SRv6
- Strong Python automation experience for validation and regression coverage
- Demonstrated hands-on experience using AI-assisted development tools and workflows
- Experience handling customer-reported issues, defect analysis, deployments, and escalations
- Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work independently, take ownership, and drive work through to resolution
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Experience working on distributed systems or large-scale networking platforms
- Experience validating scale, performance, resiliency, and reliability scenarios
- Experience collaborating across development, test, product management, and support teams
- Familiarity with code reviews, test strategy, and structured technical documentation
- Experience mentoring junior engineers and contributing to team best practices
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 — Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, mental health support via an EAP, and access to on-site or virtual health centers indicate robust healthcare offerings. Wellness programs, fitness resources, and specialized services further reinforce coverage depth.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Generous PTO, a global minimum for paid parental leave, and unique programs like company-wide recharge days and paid volunteer time expand time-away options. Additional offerings such as Critical Time Off and adoption assistance add flexibility for life events.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Restricted stock units and a discounted employee stock purchase plan are meaningful elements of total compensation. The prominence of equity can materially augment overall pay packages alongside salary and bonuses.
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.
