Hardware Engineering Project Manager

Cisco•San Jose, CA

19h•$138,100 - $196,500•Onsite

About The Position

The hardware engineering group creates innovative hardware platforms central to the AI era, powering Cisco’s core Switching, Routing, and Wireless products for customers globally. Our innovations in silicon, optics, and hardware platforms—like Silicon One—are shaping the technology industry. We value diverse perspectives and foster an inclusive environment where every team member is empowered to share their ideas and drive meaningful outcomes. Our hardware PMO team serves as the engine for Cisco’s hardware portfolio, redefining complex strategies into predictable, high-quality delivery through multi-functional governance and operational excellence. As a Hardware Project Manager, you will act as the primary orchestrator for next-generation platforms, driving the end-to-end product lifecycle while ensuring financial rigor and seamless alignment across our engineering and business partners.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering with 5+ years of experience or a master’s degree in engineering with 3+ years of experience in technical hardware project management or hardware/product development
Experience applying Jira and Confluence to track project dependencies, risks, and issue resolution.
Experience handling end-to-end projects including budget oversight, schedule management, and breakthrough tracking.
Experience in advanced spreadsheet management, including the use of data modeling and visualization to track project metrics.

Nice To Haves

Experience implementing AI-powered tools or workflows to improve operational efficiency or project delivery speed.
Demonstrated experience with Design Verification Testing (DVT) processes within hardware development lifecycles
In-depth knowledge of hardware manufacturing environments and production workflows
Background in supply chain operations or procurement strategies for complex hardware programs
Current project management certification (e.g., PMP, CAPM, PRINCE2)
Proven ability to navigate and influence outcomes in a highly matrixed, globally distributed organization
Experience balancing rapid program execution with long-term operational and quality priorities
Familiarity with managing cross-functional dependencies in fast-paced engineering environments

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end hardware project development from initial concept through customer release, defining clear priorities, breakthroughs, and comprehensive execution plans.
Orchestrate projects by aligning hardware and software engineering, product management, and operations teams to ensure cohesive delivery.
Proactively monitor project health, identify risks and dependencies, and drive timely issue resolution through actionable recommendations to partners.
Champion continuous process improvements, governance frameworks, and the integration of automation and AI-enabled tools to enhance operational efficiency.
Manage financial integrity and resource allocation, ensuring that budgets are tracked accurately and projects remain within scope and on schedule.
Facilitate seamless collaboration between internal teams, manufacturing partners, and external suppliers while providing transparent status updates to leadership.