Tech Lead - Hardware /Embedded Engineer

Cisco•Santa Monica, CA

20d•$151,300 - $216,200

About The Position

The Outshift by Cisco team is one of Cisco’s most visible innovation organizations, driving the next generation of transformative technologies and business opportunities. As part of the Strategy, Incubation & Applications group led by Cisco’s Chief Strategy Officer, you will collaborate with some of the company’s most forward-thinking researchers, engineers, and technology leaders. Within the Outshift Quantum Research team and Quantum Labs, we are pioneering the design and development of practical, scalable, and efficient quantum networking technologies — foundational building blocks for the future Quantum Internet. Our multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers is dedicated to advancing the state of the art in quantum networking, distributed quantum systems, and quantum-enabled applications. Cisco Quantum Research is seeking a highly skilled Embedded & Controls Engineer to help develop the next generation of deployable quantum networking hardware. You will take end-to-end ownership of the electronics and control architecture that connects our advanced photonic and quantum hardware to Cisco's software and orchestration platforms. Your work will span custom PCB design, mixed-signal and high-speed electronics, FPGA and embedded systems, firmware, precision control algorithms, hardware APIs, and rack-level system integration. Working closely with our photonics, software, systems, and mechanical engineering teams, you will transform laboratory prototypes into robust, manufacturable systems capable of operating outside the laboratory. You will address challenging requirements including ultra-low-noise electronics, precise synchronization, sub-nanosecond timing, high-speed signal integrity, closed-loop optical control, and reliable remote management. Your work will establish the electronic and control infrastructure required to bring Cisco's quantum networking technologies from research prototypes into scalable, field-deployable platforms.

Requirements

Bachelors + 8 years of related experience, or Masters + 6 years of related experience, or PhD + 3 years of related experience, or equivalent related work experience.
3+ years of experience developing custom electronic hardware and embedded control systems.
Experience designing mixed-signal PCBs incorporating embedded processors, microcontrollers, or FPGAs.
Experience in embedded software/firmware development using C/C++.
Experience with FPGA-based systems, including familiarity with RTL and/or High-Level Synthesis (HLS).

Nice To Haves

Experience developing electronics and control systems for lasers, electro-optic modulators, optical switches, photonic integrated circuits, or other photonic devices.
Experience with analog and digital electronics, signal integrity, impedance matching, grounding, and high-speed PCB design
Experience working with ADCs, DACs, and mixed-signal data-acquisition and control systems.
Experience with common communication interfaces including Ethernet, UART, SPI, USB, and GPIO.
Experience designing low-noise power distribution and electronics for sensitive instrumentation.
Background in classical optics, quantum optics, quantum networking, photonics, or precision instrumentation.

Responsibilities

Architect custom mixed-signal PCBs for precision control, data acquisition, timing, and communication within rack-mounted quantum systems.
Develop embedded software and firmware to control custom electronics, optical components, and photonic devices.
Design high-speed analog and digital signal paths while maintaining stringent requirements for signal integrity, latency, synchronization, and noise.
Interface with embedded processors, FPGAs, ADCs, DACs, and discrete control and telemetry signals.
Design, implement, and tune digital control loops for precision regulation and stabilization of optical and electronic hardware.
Architect low-noise power distribution, grounding, and control electronics for sensitive quantum hardware.
Develop interfaces for system communication using technologies such as Ethernet, UART, SPI, USB, GPIO, and high-speed data-converter interfaces.
Define and implement APIs that enable higher-level software platforms to control hardware and access system status and telemetry.
Develop custom cable harnessing and interconnect solutions for RF, digital, analog, telemetry, and high-speed signals.
Collaborate with software, systems, mechanical, optical, and photonics engineers to optimize thermal performance, grounding, EMI/EMC, signal integrity, and overall system reliability.
Lead hardware bring-up and debug complex interactions between electronics, firmware, FPGA logic, and system-level software.
Create and implement comprehensive hardware, firmware, and system-level test plans; analyze results and drive design improvements.
Transform laboratory and benchtop prototypes into reliable, manufacturable, field-deployable rack-mounted systems.

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
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
16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees (for non-exempt employees)
flexible vacation time off program (for exempt employees)
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
Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer
annual bonuses (for non-sales roles)
performance-based incentive pay (for sales roles)