About this role
The application window is expected to close on: 10/04/2026Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.
***Candidates must be local to Milpitas as this hybrid role requires being in office there at least 3 days each week***
Meet the Team:
Join the Platform Infrastructure & Optics team, a powerhouse within Cisco’s Mass Infrastructure Group dedicated to redefining network performance for the AI era. We design and deliver the software intelligence behind Cisco’s next-generation high-performance routing platforms, including the Cisco 8000 series. Our work sits at the critical intersection of high-speed optics, custom Silicon One NPUs, and distributed system software. We are looking for engineers who are passionate about solving the challenges of exponential data growth and building the resilient, scalable, and efficient transport foundations that power the world’s most critically important networks. You will join this next-generation networking and AI infrastructure team, contributing to the design and development of scalable software systems for high-speed networking platforms, coherent optical transceivers, PHY devices, and next-generation NPU-based systems. You will work at the intersection of optics and its standards, silicon photonics, ASIC/NPU datapath, Linux embedded software and distributed network operating systems.
Your Impact:
• Own the lifecycle of management frameworks that ensure seamless, standardized interoperability between our hardware and the complex pluggable optics ecosystem.
• Bridge the gap between hardware and software by driving the integration of control-plane and datapath logic, ensuring our NPU and ASIC designs deliver peak performance in next-generation high-speed environments.
• Architect robust, Linux-based embedded solutions that enable deep integration of hardware optics and PHY layers
• Champion system reliability by designing the diagnostic and telemetry infrastructure that keeps our networks observable and autonomous.
• Lead the end-to-end design of medium-scope features, acting as a technical steward for our software roadmap and influencing the adoption of modern, agile engineering best practices.
• Elevate the team through technical mentorship with knowledge sharing, meticulous code reviews, and the creation of comprehensive user documentation.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree and 6+ years, Master’s degree and 4+ years, or PhD and 1+ years of experience with a degree in CS, EE, or related field; this experience must include:
• C/C++/Python, Data Structures and Algorithms
• Embedded systems development and Linux OS programming experience
• Platform Infrastructure or Optics software development
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience with coherent optics (ZR/ZR+), PHY / SerDes, FEC, ASIC / NPU, and DSP-based systems
• Familiarity with CMIS and / or SFF standards
• Experience with IOS-XR, SONiC, FBOSS, or similar NOS platforms
• Experience with AI networking infrastructure
• Knowledge of optical line systems and coherent transport technologies
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 $167,700.00 to $245,200.00 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 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: $167,700.00 - $282,000.00 Non-Metro New York state & Washington state: $149,100.00 - $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.