Lead Backend Engineer, Studio (Hybrid)
About The Position
The Lead Backend Engineer will serve as a recognized technical expert for Cisco’s Studio platform, driving architectural strategy and high-impact engineering initiatives. Studio supports AI app development by combining an App Builder with a bring-your-own coding-agent path, along with documentation and resources for building and managing applications. The role bridges AI research and production-grade software, ensuring infrastructure can meet global enterprise-scale demands. The position will resolve highly complex technical challenges and help shape Cisco’s AI-powered ecosystem. The role leads the design and development of scalable backend platform technologies for next-generation AI products and leads cross-functional work to architect, build, validate, and deploy AI/ML infrastructure and AI-powered networking and security solutions. It partners with product and research teams to turn AI strategies into robust production systems, and communicates technical strategies to senior leadership and other stakeholders. This is a hybrid role based out of Cisco’s San Jose office. The application window is expected to close on 11/29/2026.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science and 8 years of related experience, or a master’s degree and 6 years of related experience, or a PhD and 3 years of related experience.
- Experience building and scaling backend platforms in a production environment.
- At least 5 years of professional programming experience using Python and/or Go.
- Experience deploying and managing services on a major cloud platform: AWS, Azure, or GCP.
- Experience with containerization technologies such as Docker or Kubernetes and with microservices architectures.
Nice To Haves
- Direct experience integrating and building with generative AI technologies and LLM frameworks.
- Deep understanding of modern AI tools, machine learning methodologies, and data pipelines.
- Track record of driving technology innovation by translating industry trends into scalable backend execution.
- Passion for designing highly reliable, maintainable, distributed backend systems.
- Experience mentoring engineering teams and leading cross-functional platform initiatives.
Responsibilities
- Lead architectural design and development of scalable backend platform technologies for Cisco’s next-generation AI products.
- Lead cross-functional engagements to architect, build, validate, and deploy AI/ML infrastructure and AI-powered networking and security solutions.
- Resolve highly complex technical challenges, including novel situations that may affect the direction of the business.
- Collaborate with product and research teams to transform AI strategies into robust, production-ready systems.
- Influence internal and external stakeholders by communicating complex engineering strategies to senior leadership.
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
- Paid holidays
- Floating holiday for non-exempt employees
- Paid birthday day off
- Paid year-end holiday shutdown
- Personal wellness days
- Paid vacation or flexible vacation time off, depending on employee classification
- Paid sick time
- Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family issues
- Optional paid volunteer days
- Annual bonuses for eligible non-sales employees
- Potential Cisco restricted stock unit grants
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
