Silicon Photonics Senior Designer

The application window is expected to close on: 11/16/2026

Meet the Team:

The Silicon One team creates innovative hardware platforms central to the AI era, powering Cisco’s core Switching, Routing, and Wireless products for organizations globally. Our innovations in silicon, optics, and hardware platforms are shaping the technology industry. We're a global team of creative experts, bringing our unique backgrounds and bold ideas to push boundaries and help each other grow. Because full product development—from design to qualification to production—is within our team, we’re able to think differently, experiment more, and work quickly.

Join us to power the future of the digital world. Your Impact:

This isn't just about building chips—it's about shaping the optical foundation of next-generation AI and hyperscale infrastructure. As a Silicon Photonics Design Engineer, you'll lead the design, simulation, and characterization of silicon photonic devices and integrated components for Cisco's next-generation optical platforms supporting 100G/200G/400G per Lambda solutions.

You won't just solve complex technical problems; you’ll own them end-to-end. From converting raw product specs into cutting-edge waveguide designs to cracking root-cause challenges in the lab, you will hold accountability for critical optical subsystems. Here, your breakthroughs don't sit in a lab—they scale globally, define the industry baseline, and directly contribute to Cisco's expanding patent portfolio.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's + 8 years of related experience, OR Master's + 6 years of related experience, OR PhD + 3 years of related experience. (Post-doctoral candidates with some industry/company experience will also be considered.)Experience in silicon photonics device design, including simulation and design of integrated photonic components.

Demonstrated experience with optical measurement and characterization of photonic devices, and data analysis.

Demonstrated experience with advanced waveguide modeling, design analysis, and optical coupling.

Preferred Qualifications:

Product-related experience—taking photonic devices or platforms from design through qualification and production.

Familiarity with the patent process and a track record of contributing to intellectual property.

Experience designing high-speed modulators and/or photodetectors.

Experience with co-packaged optics (CPO) or pluggable optics architectures (e.g., 800G, 1.6T).Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to align engineering, product, and manufacturing partnersa.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex technical concepts for varied audiences.

Why Cisco? At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint.

Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.

We are Cisco, and our power starts with you. Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

The starting salary range posted for this position is $ to $ and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada…