Senior Software Engineer, DNS

Cisco•Research Triangle Park, NC

3d•$139,300 - $203,600

About The Position

The Senior Software Engineer will join Cisco’s Common Platform Services organization, within the Cloud Software & Solutions group, to engineer, automate, and continuously improve enterprise DNS platforms and services. The role involves designing, building, and evolving enterprise DNS architecture across authoritative and recursive DNS, forwarding, delegation, and service integrations. The engineer will modernize the platform by improving provisioning, configuration management, validation, monitoring, and recovery through infrastructure as code and automation frameworks. The work supports the reliability, performance, security, and maintainability of critical DNS services at scale. The role also provides global Tier 3 support for complex issues involving resolution behavior, zone design, DNSSEC, caching, delegation models, and integration dependencies, and collaborates with software, network, cloud, and security teams to deliver resilient DNS solutions for new services and platform changes. The position requires work that the U.S. government has specified can only be performed by a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with 6+ years, or Master’s degree with 4+ years, of experience in software development, systems engineering, or cloud/platform engineering.
Experience designing, implementing, or operating DNS services, including authoritative and recursive DNS, delegation, forwarding, caching, and DNS record behavior.
Experience developing infrastructure automation using Python and tools such as Ansible, Terraform, or equivalent infrastructure-as-code technologies.
Experience administering Linux environments and diagnosing issues across DNS, networking, and distributed systems.
Experience using AI-assisted tools to automate routine tasks, support technical troubleshooting, and improve software or infrastructure engineering workflows.
Must be a U.S. citizen and perform the work on U.S. soil.

Nice To Haves

Experience with DNSSEC, GSLB, Anycast DNS, and hybrid cloud DNS patterns.
Experience integrating DNS with IPAM, DHCP, cloud networking, and platform automation.
Familiarity with Kubernetes CoreDNS.
Familiarity with CI/CD, policy-based automation, and engineering validation frameworks.
Experience working in regulated, security-sensitive, or large enterprise environments.

Responsibilities

Design, build, and evolve enterprise DNS architecture, including authoritative and recursive DNS, forwarding, delegation, and service integrations.
Modernize DNS platform provisioning, configuration management, validation, monitoring, and recovery using infrastructure as code and automation frameworks.
Improve the reliability, performance, security, and maintainability of critical DNS services at scale.
Provide global Tier 3 support and troubleshoot complex issues involving resolution behavior, zone design, DNSSEC, caching, delegation models, and integration dependencies.
Collaborate with software, network, cloud, and security teams to deliver resilient DNS solutions for new services and platform changes.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance, subject to plan eligibility rules.
401(k) plan with Cisco matching contribution.
Paid parental leave.
Short- and long-term disability coverage.
Basic life insurance.
Paid holidays and, for non-exempt employees, a floating holiday.
Paid birthday day off, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and personal wellness days.
Vacation time or flexible vacation time off, depending on employee classification.
Sick time off, with eligible unused sick time carried forward.
Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family issues.
Optional paid volunteer days.
Annual bonuses for eligible non-sales roles, subject to Cisco policies.
Potential Cisco restricted stock unit grants, subject to eligibility and vesting conditions.