Software Engineering Technical Leader- Datapath

Role is hybrid and located in San Jose, CA, must be able to come into the Cisco office 3-4 days a week Meet the Team

The Cisco Distributed System Engineering (DSE) team develops the software platforms that power Cisco’s core and edge routing systems used in some of the world’s largest networks. The team focuses on building scalable distributed systems that support the increasing demands of AI/ML workloads and global internet traffic. Engineers collaborate closely with silicon, hardware, and open-source communities to deliver end‑to‑end networking solutions.

The group is made up of highly collaborative engineers working across systems, software, and hardware domains in a fast‑paced environment. It’s an exciting opportunity to work on next‑generation routing platforms while contributing to innovations shaping the future of high‑performance networking.

Architect, design, and develop platform software supporting network processing units (NPU), fabric, and Ser Des components for Cisco core and edge routing platforms. Integrate with the Cisco Silicon One SDK to enable next‑generation routing capabilities. Develop and execute software test plans to validate functionality and performance of new networking platforms. Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to debug hardware prototypes and resolve complex system issues.

Lead technical discussions and guide New Product Introduction (NPI) development from concept through first customer shipment (FCS) to ensure successful platform delivery.

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field with 12+ years of experience, or a Master’s degree with 10+ years of experience
• 10+ years of programming experience using C, C++, and Python
• Experience with hardware bring‑up, device driver development, and Linux-based systems
• Experience with multi‑threading, event handling, and state machine design
• Experience using kernel debugging tools such as GDB or KGDB to troubleshoot software from kernel modules to applications
• Experience working with NPU ASIC bring up, SDK and Datapath bring up

• Experience with AI/ML technologies or workloads in networking environments
• Knowledge of Layer 2 and Layer 3 networking protocols
• Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills in complex distributed systems
• Experience working with network processors, optical networking, or high‑performance networking platforms
• Experience leading New Platform Introduction (NPI) programs in networking or hardware‑adjacent domains
• Experience with Silicon One SDK, Broadcom SDK is a plus