Senior Hardware Engineer

The application window is expected to close on: 06/30/2026

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

Meet the Team

Join our high-impact Systems & Optics (SaO) team within Cisco's Common Hardware Group (CHG), providing essential support across key verticals including SP Routing, Enterprise Routing, and Switching. Our team is a foundational partner across CHG-driving innovation, advancing design reliability, and enabling scalable hardware solutions that power Cisco's most critical products.

Cisco Hardware Engineers develop and work with Next Generation Technology to build Cisco Hardware products keeping in mind the user experience and in accordance with IEEE standards, and industry best practices.

Your Impact

You will help shape next-generation package, board, and system technologies by driving advanced simulation, experimental validation, and cross-functional optimization. Working closely with Silicon Design, Supply Chain, and Electrical Design teams, your contributions will directly influence reliability, performance, and manufacturability across programs-while also supporting long-term technology roadmaps and industry leadership. Specific responsibilities include:

• Develop and apply novel simulation and experimental methods to enable and optimize advanced hardware technologies. This includes scalable multiphysics models to predict system-level performance, reliability, and manufacturability (e.g., solder joint reliability, warpage, TIM behavior).

• Design and execute DOEs/test vehicles and computational analyses to establish design guidelines and optimize material, geometry, and architecture.

• Evaluate tradeoffs across performance, reliability, and manufacturability using modeling and analysis.

• Collaborate with academia and industry partners; contribute to standards bodies, conferences, IP development, and peer-reviewed publications.

Minimum Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Solid Mechanics, or Materials Science.

• 5+ years of experience in numerical analysis (e.g., FEA, CFD, coupled field analysis) and advanced packaging technology development.

• Strong background in mechanical design, reliability, and simulation of complex packaging structures, with a deep understanding of component- and board-level failure modes (e.g., warpage, CTE mismatch, delamination, fatigue).

• Proficiency in advanced simulation tools such as ANSYS Mechanical, Multiphysics, and Flotherm, with a track record of validating models through experimental methods.

• Demonstrated expertise in reliability testing, lifetime prediction methodologies, and characterization of real-world use conditions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Systems Integration, 2.5D/3D advanced packaging, heterogeneous integration, and emerging microelectronics technologies.

• Knowledge of JEDEC or IPC standards related to reliability and thermal/mechanical testing.

• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with experience working closely with design, manufacturing, and research teams.

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 $130,600.00 to $182,200.00 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:

$152,400.00 - $255,100.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$134,300.00 - $224,800.00

* 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.