Software Engineering Technical Leader

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

Our team serves as the critical system integration and release gatekeepers for the Cisco 8000 (Spitfire) series, the next-generation routing technology powering global web providers. We sit at the intersection of infrastructure engineering and customer validation, ensuring that our cutting-edge networking solutions meet the highest standards of performance and reliability. We operate with customer-focused, high-energy that thrives on solving complex, large-scale distributed systems challenges. We are currently at the forefront of the industry's transition toward full-stack observability, providing a unique environment where innovation is not just encouraged but required to keep the internet connected. Joining us means working on the technology that defines the future of networking while having a direct, tangible impact on our global customer base.

As a Technical Leader, you will architect and operationalize end-to-end DevOps and Observability strategies to transform how we validate and monitor our most complex networking systems. You will lead the design and implementation of automated CI/CD pipelines and scalable test frameworks to improve release confidence and drive quality gates that minimize customer-facing defects. You will integrate advanced AI/ML analytics into our observability stack to automate defect triage, log summarization, and root cause analysis, significantly reducing time-to-resolution. You will develop executive-level dashboards and telemetry processing engines to provide actionable performance insights for internal teams and external service providers. Ultimately, your success will be measured by your ability to increase system reliability and scale our infrastructure to support 100+ node deployments, ensuring that our products remain the gold standard in the industry.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of professional experience in DevOps, systems engineering, or large-scale networking.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience designing and managing large-scale observability platforms (e.g., Splunk, Grafana).
• 3+ years of experience integrating AI/ML models into production software or infrastructure environments.
• Proven proficiency in Python or Go programming languages for automation and data processing.

• Deep expertise in networking protocols and experience with large-scale router environments (core, edge, WAN, or DC).
• Strong background in containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
• Proven ability to mentor junior engineers and drive cross-functional technical strategy.
• Experience working in a customer-facing capacity, translating complex technical metrics into business value.
• Familiarity with competitive networking environments (e.g., Juniper or Arista) and their respective architectural challenges.

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.

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:

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

* 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.