Hardware Security Technical Leader - Hyperscaler Hybrid

Cisco•Rtp, NC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Hardware Security Technical Leader focuses on hyperscaler security and helps ensure Cisco’s next-generation platforms and custom hyperscaler hardware architectures meet security, trust, and resilience standards. The role owns analysis of systems from high-level architecture through component-level silicon and guides multifunctional engineering teams and external partners in delivering secure hardware solutions. The position is part of Cisco’s Security & Trust Organization, within the Foundational Security Technologies team and Hardware & Firmware Security Team. It provides security requirements and architectural guidance to product teams, hardware design engineers, firmware/BIOS teams, and vendors; mentors security engineers; and represents Cisco in external open-source and standards groups. The role leads concurrent security evaluations, design reviews, and compliance workstreams, and develops engineering documentation and specifications. This is a hybrid position in Raleigh, North Carolina (RTP), with three days onsite per week.

Requirements

Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
At least 9 years of experience with a bachelor’s degree, 6 years with a master’s degree, or 3 years with a Ph.D.
Prior experience leading security initiatives and mentoring engineers as a technical leader.
Background in hardware development, such as interpreting system-level schematics, block diagrams, component datasheets, or register-level hardware documentation.
Background in hardware root of trust, secure boot, hardware or firmware resiliency, tamper resistance, cryptographic imprinting (such as ECID), or hardware cryptographic acceleration (such as AES-GCM, SHA-2/3, LMS/XMSS, or ML-DSA/ML-KEM).

Nice To Haves

Experience designing, implementing, or evaluating hardware-rooted attestation architectures and device identity mechanisms, such as SPDM, TCG DICE, or IEEE 802.1AR.
Experience with hyperscaler and cloud platform architectures, such as OCP specifications, OpenBMC, Caliptra, OpenTitan, or OpenPRoT.
Experience implementing industry-standard security IP or developing hardware security solutions, such as FPGA bitstream security, secure microcontroller architectures, hardware root of trust, or bus encryption.
Experience with hardware threat modeling or hardware security analysis, such as fault injection, side-channel analysis, or JTAG/debug security.
Prior experience contributing to security-related industry standards such as OCP, Caliptra, or OpenTitan.
Background in hardware security frameworks and standards, such as NIST SP 800-193, NSA CNSA 2.0, TCG DICE/TPM, or global cybersecurity regulations such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act.

Responsibilities

Provide actionable security requirements and architectural design guidance to product teams, hardware design engineers, firmware/BIOS teams, and third-party vendors.
Provide technical mentorship to members of the Security and Trust engineering team.
Coordinate and represent Cisco’s technical interests in external open-source and standards groups, including the Open Compute Project (OCP) and Software for Open Networking in the Cloud (SONiC) Security Working Groups.
Evaluate system-level hardware designs, schematics, board architectures, and component datasheets to identify threat vectors, vulnerabilities, and compliance gaps.
Interpret, apply, and establish requirements aligned with industry standards and compliance frameworks, including NIST SP 800-193, NSA CNSA 2.0, the EU Cyber Resilience Act, and internal Hardware Cisco Secure Development Lifecycle mandates.
Author and direct hardware security requirements, review checklists, threat models, compliance white papers, and engineering specifications for internal and external audiences.
Lead and participate in multiple concurrent security evaluations, design reviews, and compliance workstreams across hardware programs.

Benefits

Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
401(k) plan with Cisco matching contribution
Paid parental leave
Short- and long-term disability coverage
Basic life insurance
10 paid holidays per full calendar year
One floating holiday for non-exempt employees
One paid day off for employee’s birthday
Paid year-end holiday shutdown
Four paid personal wellness days
Paid vacation time for non-exempt employees; exempt employees participate in a flexible vacation time-off program
80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1, with up to 80 unused hours carried forward
Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family issues
Optional 10 paid volunteer days per full calendar year
Annual bonuses for non-sales roles, subject to Cisco policies
Employees may be eligible for Cisco restricted stock unit grants, subject to continued employment and vesting terms