Senior Software Engineer

Cisco•San Jose, CA

26d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Infrastructure Engineering (IE) group is at the forefront of building the software platforms that power some of the largest networks in the world. The networking industry is undergoing a major transformation as next-generation infrastructure is developed to support rapidly growing AI/ML workloads and the ever-increasing number of internet users, applications, and services. Our team plays a key role in this evolution by designing innovative systems that combine distributed software architectures with advanced silicon capabilities. We leverage open-source technologies and modern development frameworks to build scalable platforms that push the boundaries of networking systems and silicon architecture. You will work alongside engineers who are passionate about solving complex technical challenges and building large-scale distributed systems. The team operates in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where engineers take ownership across the full product lifecycle — from development and testing through production support. Join the Infrastructure Engineering team as a Software Engineer and help redefine how networking problems are solved. You will develop innovative software for next-generation networking platforms and create AI-powered systems that can reason about, troubleshoot, and resolve complex infrastructure challenges. This is an opportunity to work at the intersection of software engineering, networking, and AI/ML to deliver transformative tools for large-scale systems.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of relevant experience or master’s degree with 3+ years of relevant experience in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent experience), with experience developing software for distributed systems or large-scale software platforms
Strong programming experience in Python, with additional development experience in C, C++, or Golang
Understanding of foundational AI concepts and machine learning algorithms
Experience working with Linux systems, networking fundamentals, operating system concepts and container-based applications.
Experience using modern AI-assisted development tools such as Cursor, WindSurf, Claude Code, or Codex

Nice To Haves

Internship or professional experience in networking systems or AI/ML application development workflows
Understanding of networking fundamentals including TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, BGP, routing protocols, and switching
Cisco certifications such as CCNA or CCNP
Experience with databases or UI/UX technologies for building web-based applications
Experience working with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or Keras
Knowledge of statistical modeling, probabilistic models, and statistical analysis
Experience using data analysis tools such as Pandas, NumPy, and SciPy
Familiarity with development tools such as Git and JIRA
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to work in a fast-paced engineering environment

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and test software for high-impact networking platforms and distributed systems
Collaborate with system architects and engineering teams to design scalable solutions that meet product requirements
Build systems and applications using modern development practices and open-source technologies
Contribute to the development and maintenance of complex software projects with an automation-first mindset
Troubleshoot, debug, and optimize distributed systems to improve performance and reliability
Support production environments and participate in resolving real-world operational challenges
Work closely with geographically distributed engineering teams in a collaborative environment

Benefits

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.
Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.
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.