Software Engineering Technical Leader

Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

The application window is expected to close on: 3/13/2026. The job posting may be removed if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

This is an onsite role based in the San Jose, CA office. While the team may have hybrid days, this is at the discretion of the team and is subject to change at any time.

Meet the Team

Our outstanding team works in a startup atmosphere within a stable and leading corporate environment, and our design center hosts all Silicon Hardware and Software development fields under one roof. Our devices are crafted for universal adaptability, delivering high speed without sacrificing programmability, buffering, power efficiency, scale, or feature flexibility. We enable the use of these innovative products in the fast-paced world of Open Standards, Open Networking, and massively Scalable Cloud Data Centers.

If you want to work with amazing people and innovative customers developing the next generation of world-class products, join us! Our team develops the full software stack enabling the Silicon One network processors. We work with the Open Standards community and our incredible customers to deliver best in class routing and switching platforms. Work also with architecture and design teams to define the next generation of ASIC products being developed.

Your Impact

As part of Silicon One Customer Engineering team, you will closely interact with Cisco’s Silicon One customers to help with Silicon One product adoption, software development, documentation, technical support, trouble shooting, and maintenance. You will gather information from customers on their requirements, pain points and help them implement in software to improve software quality and customer experience. You will gain intimate knowledge of the Silicon One hardware architecture and software programming models, working closely with the architecture, hardware and software teams. You will develop innovative applications, customizations of Silicon One software to better suit the customer’s needs. You will work with Silicon One Software teams to design and development of software features for both the control plane and data plane on Cisco's Silicon One NPU. You'll play a critical role in creating software that powers highly scalable, low-power, low-latency, and dense systems, addressing the ever-growing demands of AI/ML workloads, internet users, and modern applications.

You will use modern C++, the Silicon One network processing language, and Python to develop software for the NPU. As the lead engineer, you'll participate in customer discussions to define requirements, scope features, and drive the development process from start to finish. You'll take full ownership of delivering high-quality software on schedule, while leading a team of engineers and providing guidance on design, implementation, and reviews. Additionally, you'll gain deep expertise in the Silicon One hardware architecture and programming models, collaborating with architecture and hardware teams to shape the next generation of ASIC products.

You are an accomplished technical leader with extensive experience in software development for the networking domain. Your mastery spans multiple areas in networking, where you've served as the lead designer for complex systems. Your expertise in control and routing planes, as well as your ability to build large-scale, high-density, and highly redundant systems, is widely recognized.

You are deeply committed to developing clean, user-friendly APIs and well-defined software layers. As a mentor to your team, you bring optimism and a positive outlook to your work. Driven by self-motivation, you exhibit a strong sense of ownership and a passion for delivering exceptional results.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science EE/CS combined with 8+ years of related experience or Master of Science EE/CS combined with 6+ years of related experience.
• Prior expertise in software development and integration while using one or more of the following programming languages: C++, Python.
• Prior expertise with networking protocols and technologies (e.g., L2/L3, MPLS, BGP, OSPF).
• Prior expertise in analytical reasoning and debugging, with experience using tools such as GDB, PDB, etc.
• Prior working experience with algorithms and data structures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cloud, data center, or edge networking products.
• Experience with SAI, SONiC, or other Network OS.Proficiency in Layer 1 Port Technologies.
• Experience with traffic generators (i.e. - IXIA or Spirent).
• Experience with writing, testing and supporting software for high performing and scalable networking products.

#WeAreCisco where every individual brings their unique skills and perspectives together to pursue our purpose of powering an inclusive future for all.

Our passion is connection—we celebrate our employees’ diverse set of backgrounds and focus on unlocking potential. Cisconians often experience one company, many careers where learning and development are encouraged and supported at every stage. Our technology, tools, and culture pioneered hybrid work trends, allowing all to not only give their best, but be their best.

We understand our outstanding opportunity to bring communities together and at the heart of that is our people. One-third of Cisconians collaborate in our 30 employee resource organizations, called Inclusive Communities, to connect, foster belonging, learn to be informed allies, and make a difference. Dedicated paid time off to volunteer—80 hours each year—allows us to give back to causes we are passionate about, and nearly 86% do!

Our purpose, driven by our people, is what makes us the worldwide leader in technology that powers the internet. Helping our customers reimagine their applications, secure their enterprise, transform their infrastructure, and meet their sustainability goals is what we do best. We ensure that every step we take is a step towards a more inclusive future for all. Take your next step and be you, with us!

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. 

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, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage, and 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, and 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, which 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, and 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:

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

* 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.