Hardware Engineer

Our Hardware Engineering team is the backbone of Cisco's innovation, designing and delivering next-generation technology that powers the global network.

Own the design and delivery of complex hardware boards and subsystems for next-generation networking platforms. Drive schematic design, component selection, high-speed interface design, and power delivery, working closely with layout and signal integrity teams to achieve robust, manufacturable designs.

Lead design reviews for your designs and contribute to team design guidelines and best practices. Perform design analysis, including power budget and margin analysis, to ensure reliable operation.

Lead bring-up and debug of complex boards, and drive root cause analysis and corrective actions for lab and manufacturing issues. Provide technical guidance to junior engineers, and collaborate cross-functionally with system, diagnostics, and manufacturing teams to ensure seamless product deployment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field with 5+ years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree with 3+ years of relevant experience.
• Prior experience owning board designs for networking and compute applications.
• Experience designing boards with x86 microprocessors and switching or custom ASICs, including high-speed interfaces such as PCIe (up to Gen 5).
• Experience leading bring-up and debug of boards.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Working knowledge of signal integrity and power integrity principles, including interpreting simulation results.
• Proficiency with EDA tools for schematic capture and layout review (e.g., Cadence Allegro/OrCAD, Mentor).
• Familiarity with Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Testability (DFT) principles.
• Experience optimizing hardware for cost, performance, and power efficiency.
• Familiarity with hardware validation, test automation tools, and test frameworks.
• Hands-on proficiency with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes and logic or protocol analyzers.
• Experience working with cross-functional and manufacturing teams to transition designs into quality production.
• Strong hands-on experience in schematic design and component selection, with working knowledge of PCB stack-up, routing constraints, and layout reviews.
• Experience in power delivery design, including multi-phase VRMs, power sequencing, and decoupling.
• Experience performing design analysis such as power budget and timing analysis.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution
• Paid parental leave
• Short and long-term disability coverage
• Basic life insurance
• 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
• Non-exempt employees receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year
• Exempt employees participate in Cisco’s flexible vacation time off program
• 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter
• Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer