Lead Software Engineer

The application window is expected to close on: 08/17/2026

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

***We are looking for candidates local to Milpitas as this is a hybrid role requiring at least 3 days in the office each week***

Meet the Team

We are seeking an experienced Senior Software Technical Leader to drive architecture and software development for next-generation networking platforms spanning Silicon One NPUs, AI fabrics, coherent optical systems, silicon photonics, co-packaged optics, PHY subsystems, and distributed NOS integration.

This role develops software consistent with Cisco Design Thinking Principles, with a focus on simplification, user experience, secure coding practices, user privacy, and software development best practices. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in datapath systems, embedded software, coherent optics architecture, CMIS/SFF standards, scalable systems software, and distributed networking platforms.

The candidate will partner closely with ASIC, optics, photonics, DSP, system architecture, product management, and software teams to create the right solutions for customers. This role includes creating technical design documentation, contributing to user documentation, debugging complex software and system issues in development and production, and bringing new ideas for product innovation and software development process improvement.

Your Impact

• Serve as a recognized technical expert within Cisco, leading architecture and technical direction for coherent optics, datapath software, and next-generation networking platforms

• Drive software architecture for coherent pluggable optics, co-packaged optics, silicon photonics, PHY subsystems, and distributed NOS integration

• Lead CMIS/SFF-compliant framework design, optical management architectures, telemetry, diagnostics, and observability for next-generation optical systems

• Collaborate across ASIC/NPU, optics, photonics, DSP, PHY, system architecture, product management, and platform software teams to deliver customer-focused solutions

• Lead major technical initiatives and large platform features from technical design through completion, influencing product direction, roadmap, and engineering priorities

• Proactively identify, debug, and resolve complex issues across optics, PHY, DSP, silicon, datapath software, and production systems

• Make system-level design trade-offs across software, silicon, optics, scale, performance, reliability, security, and operational complexity

• Drive product success through metrics, proactive tooling, issue identification, sustainable response processes, and continuous improvement for production systems

• Lead, mentor, and influence senior engineers and technical leads while improving knowledge sharing, technical documentation, and engineering best practices

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree with 12+ years, Master's degree with 8+ years or PhD with 5+ years of experience with a degree in CS, EE, Electronics or a related technical field

• Strong expertise in C/C++ and Linux systems software

• Experience of coherent or grey optics, PHY / SerDes, FEC, ASIC / NPU, and DSP-based systems

• Proven ability to lead architecture, design, debugging, and delivery of complex cross-functional software and systems programs

Preferred Qualifications:

• In-depth knowledge and working experience with Optical standards such as CMIS/SFF are highly preferred

• Experience with high-speed Ethernet technologies, including 400G, 800G, and 1.6T systems

• Experience with coherent optics, including ZR/ZR+, OpenZR+, or DWDM systems

• Experience with co-packaged optics and silicon photonics technologies

• Familiarity with coherent DSP architecture and optical line systems

• Experience with Cisco Silicon One or equivalent NPU architecture

• Experience with IOS-XR, SONiC, FBOSS, or similar distributed NOS platforms and scalable systems software

• Experience using AI-assisted development and agentic infrastructure for software design, implementation, debugging, and engineering productivity

• Experience with AI networking infrastructure and hyperscale fabrics

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 $214,100.00 to $309,800.00 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:

$214,100.00 - $356,300.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$192,400.00 - $317,200.00

* 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.