Software Engineer

The application window is expected to close on: 06/26/2026

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

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

Cisco Silicon One leads in ASIC design, developing next-generation network devices for the 5G and AI era. Our adaptable, high-speed devices maintain programmability, power efficiency, and scalability while fostering a dynamic startup culture within a stable corporate environment. Our exceptional team collaborates on groundbreaking silicon products that drive Open Standards, Open Networking, and scalable cloud data centers. If you're ready to work with talented individuals and innovative customers to create extraordinary solutions, we invite you to join us!

Your Impact

In this role, you'll join a dynamic team that develops the full software stack for Silicon One network processors, engaging with the Open Standards community and our esteemed customers to deliver best-in-class routing and switching platforms. You'll also work closely with architecture, application, and design teams to define the next generation of ASIC products and play a pivotal role in the emerging fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

• Design and develop software driving the world's most sophisticated infrastructures, using modern C++ and Python
• Gain intimate knowledge of world-class silicon and programming models
• Work closely with hardware engineers, architects, and multi-functional teams to define software requirements and ensure seamless integration with hardware components
• Conduct unit testing and debugging of embedded software, using various tools and methodologies to identify and resolve issues
• Collaborate on the full software development life cycle, from requirement gathering to production deployment
• Self-motivated, analytical, and effective at troubleshooting and optimizing embedded software

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer engineering, computer science, or a relevant field and 5+ years of relevant work experience, or a Master's degree with 3+ years of relevant experience
• Experience in C++ programming language
• Experience in the full software development life cycle (SDLC): requirement gathering, design, implementation, testing, debugging, and production

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Open Standard Network Operating Systems and APIs: Silicon SDK development, SONiC, FBOSS, SAI, etc.
• Experience with programming models for world-class silicon
• Experience writing scripts in Python
• Experience in AI/ML applications or infrastructure solution
• Experience with L2 / L3 networking technologies strongly preferred

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. Simply put - we power the future.

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.
Develops software consistent with Cisco 'Design Thinking Principles' with a focus on simplification and UX (User Experience) at its core, using secure coding practices, ensuring user privacy, and following software development best practices. Partners with other teams including design and product management to create the right solution for the customers. Creates technical design documentation to be used by the team as well as contributing to user documentation to be used by end users. Debugs and addresses software issues during development and in production systems to support customers. Brings new ideas for product innovation and helps improve software development processes. What You'll Do: * Experienced professional using best practices and knowledge of internal or external business issues to improve products or services. * Works independently but receives guidance and direction from leader then determines best approach to accomplish work. * Acts as a resource for colleagues with less experience. * Develops relationship 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. * Stays current on industry trends and serves as an expert on the software development lifecycle and agile engineering practices; coaches others, as needed. * Contributes to delivery of high-quality design and deliverables. * Advocates for new features within a product to address customer needs. * Tracks metrics for product adoption and success. * Writes functional clean code and unit tests with minimal guidance. * Performs coding, debugging, testing, and troubleshooting throughout the development process under minimal supervision. * Performs code reviews for others in project. * Writes code enabling scale, reliability, and velocity in product releases. * Contributes as an expert in secure coding principles and understands threat model of a feature. * Troubleshoots 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. * Expert on multiple functional components. * Shares knowledge across teams, both informally and formally (e.g., ad-hoc basis, internal presentations, blogs, newsletters). * Coordinates and collaborates on project timelines and continuously reviews, updates, and communicates project specifications to team members and stakeholders. * Develops remediation plans and alternatives to ensure timely delivery. * Identifies and acts upon opportunities to assist others. * Mentors peers and/or engineering interns. Minimum Qualifications: * Bachelors + 5 years of related experience, or Masters + 3 years of related experience, or PhD + 0 years of related experience. * Requires working knowledge and expanded conceptual knowledge in primary technical job family and broadens capabilities; has worked with and is proficient with current technologies. Preferred Qualifications Varies based on the team and business needs | Preferred Qualifications are desired education, experience, and skills that are in addition to Minimum Qualifications.

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.

Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

The starting salary range posted for this position is $126,500.00 to $182,000.00 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, 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 ofunused sick timecarried forwardfrom one calendar yearto 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:

$152,500.00 - $252,000.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$135,800.00 - $224,400.00

* 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.