Software Engineering Technical Leader- QAE Lead
About The Position
The Networking Software Test team is at the forefront of Cisco’s transformation in open-source networking. We are responsible for validating the Software for Open Networking in the Cloud (SONiC) operating system, ensuring carrier-grade performance, scalability, and reliability for our cloud-scale customers. Our team is a diverse, high-energy group of engineers who thrive on solving complex distributed systems problems, driving automation, and contributing to the global SONiC community. We embrace an agile mindset and are dedicated to building the next generation of disaggregated network infrastructure. As a Technical Leader, you will serve as the primary technical authority for our SONiC validation strategy. You will lead the design and execution of comprehensive test frameworks, ensuring the highest quality standards for our software releases.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s + 8 years of related experience, or Master’s + 6 years of related experience, or PhD +3 years of related experience and degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 5+ years of experience in software testing in network engineering
- Deep expertise in networking protocols (BGP, OSPF, L2/L3 switching, VXLAN, EVPN).
- Experience in Python or C/C++ for test automation and scripting.
- Experience with Linux-based networking environments and containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes, VMs etc).
Nice To Haves
- Experience working with the SONiC architecture or similar open-source network operating systems (NOS).
- Hands-on experience with traffic generators and network emulators (Ixia, Spirent).
- Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to debug complex issues across the stack—from hardware abstraction layers to application-level protocols.
- Experience leading technical teams or driving large-scale engineering initiatives.
- Knowledge of CI/CD tools and methodologies (Jenkins, GitLab CI, or similar).
Responsibilities
- Architecting and evolving automated test infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and scale-testing methodologies for SONiC.
- Driving the technical direction for feature validation, performance benchmarking, and system-level stress testing.
- Mentoring junior engineers, conducting rigorous code reviews, and fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.
- Collaborating closely with cross-functional software engineering and product management teams to define test requirements and improve product design for testability.
- Representing Cisco within the SONiC open-source community, contributing to upstream test frameworks, and influencing the roadmap of the operating system.
Benefits
- medical, dental and vision insurance
- a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution
- paid parental leave
- short and long-term disability coverage
- basic life insurance
- grants of Cisco restricted stock units
- 10 paid holidays per full calendar year
- 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees
- 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday
- paid year-end holiday shutdown
- 4 paid days off for personal wellness
- 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year (non-exempt employees)
- flexible vacation time off program (exempt employees)
- 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter
- up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward
- 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
- annual bonuses (for non-sales roles)
- performance-based incentive pay (for sales roles)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
