AI Networking Hardware-Mechanical Technical Leader

The application window is expected to close on: 11/29/2026

This is an onsite position at the San Jose, CA location.

Meet the Team

Our team develops switching hardware for hyperscale AI data centers, connecting the large-scale compute infrastructure used for AI training and inference. We bring mechanical design and electronic hardware together across component, printed circuit board (PCB), and system interfaces, working with specialist engineering teams to turn requirements into integrated products. Depending on the assignment, the work may extend from semiconductor packaging and substrates to cooling hardware and complete system assemblies. We collaborate with suppliers and manufacturing teams throughout development, verification, and production.

Role Overview

Your Impact Define mechanical architectures and interface requirements for assigned switching hardware, translating product requirements into concepts and specifications that balance electronic packaging constraints, manufacturability, and cost. Lead mechanical design decisions and technical reviews, working with silicon, signal integrity, power, board-layout, electronics, and thermal engineers to evaluate tradeoffs, resolve interface requirements, and document the engineering basis for major decisions. Verify mechanical designs through prototypes and testing, investigate failures and root causes, and close design issues by reviewing results against requirements and incorporating needed changes into the design. Develop part and assembly CAD models, engineering drawings, and tolerance analyses to establish mechanical interfaces and assembly fit, so designs can be prototyped, assembled, and verified against requirements. Deliver manufacturable designs and work with suppliers and manufacturing teams through production to resolve fabrication, assembly, and material issues, incorporating design for manufacturing early in development and evaluating processes that improve product cost or manufacturability.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years of related experience, master’s degree with 6+ years of related experience, or PhD with 3+ years of related experience.


• Experience designing and integrating mechanical assemblies for electronic hardware, such as board-level assemblies or system packaging.


• Expertise in mechanical CAD for developing part and assembly models.


• Experience creating engineering drawings and performing tolerance analysis for mechanical assemblies.


• Experience leading mechanical design decisions and resolving interface requirements across engineering teams, such as electrical, thermal, or board-layout engineering.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing networking, server, high-performance computing, or data-center hardware.


• Experience with semiconductor packaging, substrates, or mechanical integration of ASIC packages, PCBs, or high-speed interconnects.


• Experience in one or more supporting areas: liquid-cooling integration, electronics thermal management, or structural analysis using finite element analysis (FEA).


• Experience with design for manufacturing, supplier collaboration, or production introduction for electronic hardware.


• Experience mentoring engineers or coordinating technical work across multiple engineering teams or product programs.

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 $171,600.00 to $245,000.00 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.

New York City Metro Area: $171,600.00 - $281,800.00 Non-Metro New York state & Washington state: $151,300.00 - $250,900.00 * 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.

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.