Description
The Security Innovation team within Cisco's Security Business Group is building the next generation of networking and security platforms that protect applications, devices, and data across modern data centers and cloud environments.
As a Software Engineer Technical Leader, you'll play a key role in designing, developing, and optimizing the data plane software powering Cisco Hypershield Smart Switches. This is a highly technical, hands-on individual contributor role where you'll spend the majority of your time writing production-quality code, solving complex networking problems, and influencing technical direction through engineering leadership.
Responsibilities:
- Design, develop, and optimize high-performance data plane software using modern C/C++ on Linux-based systems.
- Develop networking software for DPU-based Smart Switch platforms, enabling scalable packet processing and advanced security capabilities.
- Troubleshoot complex software defects, networking issues, and customer-reported problems while improving performance, scalability, and reliability.
- Lead technical design discussions, participate in architecture and code reviews, and provide technical mentorship across the engineering organization.
- Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to deliver innovative networking and security capabilities for Cisco Hypershield Smart Switches.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field and 12+ years of related experience, or Master's degree with 10+ years, or PhD with 7+ years of related experience.
- 10+ years of professional software development experience using C or C++ in Linux environments.
- Experience developing networking or data plane software with strong knowledge of Layer 2, Layer 3, and common networking protocols.
- Experience developing or optimizing high-performance packet processing applications using DPDK, networking stacks, or similar technologies.
- Experience designing, implementing, debugging, reviewing, and delivering production-quality systems software.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience developing software for Data Processing Units (DPUs), SmartNICs, network processors, or networking appliances.
- Experience with P4 or other programmable data plane technologies.
- Experience contributing to networking architecture, systems software design, or large-scale distributed networking solutions.
- Experience working across cross-functional or geographically distributed engineering teams.
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
- Paid time away (vacation, holidays, sick time)
- Opportunities for career growth and professional development