Embedded Software Technical Leader
Cisco · On-site · Full-time · Milpitas, California, US · United States
Posted (20h ago)
- Employer posted
- First seen here
- Repost check
- Same job ID since we first saw it on Oct 30, 2026. If Cisco reposts it, we keep the original posting date.
- Pay
- $166k–$308k a year (from the description)
- Level
- Mid-level
- Work setup
- On-site
- Tech mentioned
- C++, Python, Linux
- Cisco hiring
- 355 roles posted in the last 30 days
Job description
Meet the Team
The Common
Hardware
Group (CHG) at Cisco is seeking skilled software engineers to join our
Diagnostic
/BSP team, responsible for ensuring the reliability and performance of our world-class
hardware
. Our team develops software for Cisco’s network
switch
es and
router
s, which feature advanced application awareness to build a flexible and agile network
infra
structure. These capabilities support multi-
layer
ed responses to the diverse workload demands of AI and ML. This is a unique opportunity to grow your technical skill set and gain visibility and recognition across cross-functional teams within Cisco. We value motivated individuals who enjoy solving complex challenges and thrive in a collaborative, innovative environment.
Your Impact
Architect, design, and develop
BIOS
, BSP, and
Diagnostic
s for Cisco Core and Edge routing products.
Design, develop, and
test
kernel
and user space
device driver
s for
FPGA
and
networking
peripherals.
Develop and execute software
test
plans.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to
debug
prototypes and validate software.
Lead technical reviews and discussions across teams.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field with 10+ years experience, or Master’s degree with 8+ years experience.
Prior experience in C,
C++
, and
Python
programming.
Previous experience with
hardware
and
device driver
development background, including experience with
Linux
hardware
bring
-up.
Prior experience with
Sonic
,
ONIE
,
BMC
,
IPMI
, and/or
Redfish
technologies.
Prior experience in developing,
debug
ging, and validating
embedded
systems and
device driver
s for
protocol
s such as
I2C
,
SPI
,
UART
,
PCIe
, and/or
GPIO
.
Preferred Skills
Proficient in
kernel
debug
ging tools such as
GDB
and
KGDB
.
Prior experience developing software from concept through delivery for large-scale, high-bandwidth systems.
Previous experience in troubleshooting software defects from
kernel
modules to applications.
Prior experience with collaborative system design, specification writing, and requirements review.
Commitment to quality, mentoring, and continuous learning in
networking
, optics, and
embedded
systems.
Experience with AI/ML.
Knowledge of
Layer
2/3 network
protocol
s.
Strong troubleshooting and
debug
ging skills.
Experience with network processors and optical
networking
.
Familiarity with secure-boot, open-source tools,
CMIS
, and
SFF
standards (
SFP
,
QSFP
).
Strong communication skills and knowledge of software quality processes.
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 $186,900.00 to $267,700.00 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:
$186,900.00 - $307,800.00
Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:
$166,300.00 - $274,100.00
* 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.
Cisco job ID: Software-Engineering-Technical-Leader_2004012
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