Software Engineering Technical Leader

Cisco•Milpitas, CA

About The Position

Our team serves as the critical system integration and release gatekeepers for the Cisco 8000 (Spitfire) series, the next-generation routing technology powering global web providers. We sit at the intersection of infrastructure engineering and customer validation, ensuring that our cutting-edge networking solutions meet the highest standards of performance and reliability. We operate with customer-focused, high-energy that thrives on solving complex, large-scale distributed systems challenges. We are currently at the forefront of the industry’s transition toward full-stack observability, providing a unique environment where innovation is not just encouraged but required to keep the internet connected. Joining us means working on the technology that defines the future of networking while having a direct, tangible impact on our global customer base. As a Technical Leader, you will architect and operationalize end-to-end DevOps and Observability strategies to transform how we validate and monitor our most complex networking systems. You will lead the design and implementation of automated CI/CD pipelines and scalable test frameworks to improve release confidence and drive quality gates that minimize customer-facing defects. You will integrate advanced AI/ML analytics into our observability stack to automate defect triage, log summarization, and root cause analysis, significantly reducing time-to-resolution. You will develop executive-level dashboards and telemetry processing engines to provide actionable performance insights for internal teams and external service providers. Ultimately, your success will be measured by your ability to increase system reliability and scale our infrastructure to support 100+ node deployments, ensuring that our products remain the gold standard in the industry.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
10+ years of professional experience in DevOps, systems engineering, or large-scale networking.
5+ years of hands-on experience designing and managing large-scale observability platforms (e.g., Splunk, Grafana).
3+ years of experience integrating AI/ML models into production software or infrastructure environments.
Proven proficiency in Python or Go programming languages for automation and data processing.

Nice To Haves

Deep expertise in networking protocols and experience with large-scale router environments (core, edge, WAN, or DC).
Strong background in containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
Proven ability to mentor junior engineers and drive cross-functional technical strategy.
Experience working in a customer-facing capacity, translating complex technical metrics into business value.
Familiarity with competitive networking environments (e.g., Juniper or Arista) and their respective architectural challenges.

Responsibilities

Architect and operationalize end-to-end DevOps and Observability strategies
Lead the design and implementation of automated CI/CD pipelines and scalable test frameworks
Integrate advanced AI/ML analytics into our observability stack to automate defect triage, log summarization, and root cause analysis
Develop executive-level dashboards and telemetry processing engines to provide actionable performance insights
Increase system reliability and scale our infrastructure to support 100+ node deployments

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
Employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco’s policies.