System Hardware Board Design Engineering Lead (PCB) (Onsite)

Cisco • Milpitas, MI

7d • Onsite

About The Position

Cisco Silicon One develops high-performance silicon for complex networks, while the Cisco Service Provider Routing Hardware Engineering team develops next-generation networking hardware, including Cisco 8000 Series routers powered by Cisco Silicon One ASICs. The team designs hardware for critical infrastructure and collaborates across board design, ASIC, signal integrity, power, software, mechanical, thermal, manufacturing, systems, and supplier disciplines to define, design, validate, and release networking products.

The Lead Hardware Board Design Engineer is an individual contributor and recognized technical leader for a product. The role applies deep hardware expertise to define architecture, lead complex product initiatives, resolve difficult technical issues, and guide engineers across disciplines. It calls for technical independence, sound judgment, visible ownership, and leadership across teams, without requiring people management. The engineer owns the design and validation of a subsystem and helps ensure designs meet functional specifications.

The position leads work from requirements and architecture through validation, qualification, and manufacturing release. It addresses board-level architecture, technology choices, power delivery, signal and power integrity, reliability, thermal, and manufacturing challenges. The engineer participates in design reviews, architecture discussions, cross-functional investigations, and laboratory work; guides data-driven decisions; mentors engineers; improves design methods and delivery processes; and communicates technical risks and recommendations to senior stakeholders. The role also partners with silicon vendors, PCB fabricators, contract manufacturers, and other suppliers, and contributes to product-line technology roadmaps, specifications, and technical documentation.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering and 7+ years of experience, or a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering and 5+ years of related experience, or a PhD in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering and 2+ years of related experience.
• Experience with hardware board design and system-level development, including high-speed digital design, signal integrity, power integrity, and hardware validation using laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and spectrum analyzers.
• Experience taking board designs from concept through production, including schematic generation, layouts, troubleshooting, and hands-on use of design tools such as Cadence Concept and Allegro.
• Experience with networking, server, computer, or high-performance embedded systems, including technologies such as high-speed Ethernet, PCIe, DDR, SerDes, advanced packaging, multi-phase power conversion, thermal management, and EMI/EMC.
• Experience leading technical projects or programs and partnering with silicon vendors, fabricators, contract manufacturers, or technology suppliers.
• Experience leading multi-site engineering teams or cross-functional tiger teams.

Nice To Haves

• Methodical, analytical approach to problem solving, including breaking down complex issues, evaluating evidence, and documenting clear conclusions and next steps.
• Experience with networking product design.
• Experience with co-packaged optics, near-packaged optics, or optical and signal-integrity budget analysis.
• Experience creating test scripts in Python.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Define board-level architecture, technology choices, power-delivery strategy, and design direction for complex networking products.
• Lead major hardware initiatives from requirements and architecture through validation, qualification, and manufacturing release.
• Solve novel or high-risk signal integrity, power integrity, reliability, thermal, and manufacturing challenges.
• Participate in design reviews, architecture discussions, cross-functional technical investigations, and laboratory work.
• Guide teams toward clear, data-driven decisions.
• Mentor engineers and improve hardware delivery processes.
• Establish practical design methods, constraints, verification strategies, and quality improvements.
• Partner with silicon vendors, PCB fabricators, contract manufacturers, and other suppliers on technical tradeoffs and product execution.
• Communicate technical risks, alternatives, and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Contribute to product-line technology roadmaps.
• Own the design and validation of a subsystem and ensure designs meet functional specifications.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings, specification creation, and technical documentation.

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 day off for employee’s birthday
• Paid year-end holiday shutdown
• Paid personal wellness days
• Paid vacation time for non-exempt employees
• Flexible vacation time off program for eligible exempt employees
• Paid sick time
• Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency issues for family members
• Optional paid volunteer days
• Annual bonuses for eligible non-sales employees
• Potential Cisco restricted stock unit grants

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior