Software Engineering Technical Leader, Backend (Hybrid

Technical Lead

This is a hybrid role based out of Cisco's San Jose office.

Your Impact

As a Technical Lead, you will be responsible for leading major business projects that impact the entire function. You will act independently to define architectural strategies, solve unique and highly complex problems of substantial significance, and deliver innovative solutions that directly influence the direction of our business. You will serve as a key resource for the organization, applying deep technical expertise to ensure our AI platform remains at the forefront of the industry.

• Lead major, large-scale engineering projects with enterprise-wide impact, defining the architectural roadmap for Cisco's AI-powered backend systems.
• Proactively identify and resolve highly complex technical challenges that impact the strategic direction and resource allocation of the business.
• Develop and implement innovative strategies that enhance product value for customers and clients, setting new standards for platform reliability and performance.
• Act as a subject matter expert, providing guidance on advanced technical issues and influencing cross-functional leaders to adopt best practices.
• Utilize independent judgment to determine methods and techniques for complex system design, ensuring alignment with long-term organizational objectives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in STEM + 15 years of related experience, or Master's degree in STEM + 12 years of related experience, or PhD in STEM + 8 years of related experience.
• 10+ years of hands-on experience architecting and scaling backend platforms in a production environment.
• 10+ years of professional programming experience using Python and/or Go.
• Experience deploying and managing services on major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) with a focus on enterprise-grade reliability.
• Proficiency in containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) and complex microservices architectures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven track record of integrating and building with Generative AI technologies and LLM frameworks at scale.
• Deep, comprehensive understanding of modern AI tools, ML methodologies, and complex data pipelines.
• Demonstrated ability to drive technology innovation by translating emerging industry trends into scalable, actionable backend execution.
• Exceptional ability to design highly reliable, maintainable, and distributed systems that serve as the foundation for global products.
• Experience leading cross-functional platform initiatives and mentoring senior engineering staff to build organizational capability.