Automation AI Ops Engineer Hybrid

Final date to receive applications:
July 31, 2026 (Posting may close earlier if filled).

Location / Model:
Hybrid — Onsite 3 days per week in Raleigh (Research Triangle Park), NC or San Jose, CA
.

Our team is part of the Cisco AI and Automation portfolio
, responsible for the Circuit platform — the central AI engine that powers productivity and process automation across all of Cisco. We are a rapidly expanding, high-impact group operating at the intersection of applied research and production, delivering performance, reliability, and functional quality for 80,000+ monthly users
.

As an Automation AI Ops Engineer
, you will serve as a modern-day functional and performance evaluation leader, driving the transformation of our regression testing ecosystem. You will move beyond manual processes to implement AI-driven agents that generate, validate, and maintain regression suites for both new and legacy features.

By leveraging advanced AI coding tools (
Cursor
, Copilot
, Claude Code
), you will bridge the gap between AI-generated code and production-ready software, ensuring the Circuit platform remains a reliable, scalable vehicle for process automation across Cisco.

• AI-Driven Regression:
  Architect and drive AI-based automation strategies to replace manual QA, ensuring comprehensive regression coverage for the entire Circuit platform.
• Modernizing Legacy Features:
  Utilize AI agents to modernize existing features, generating and maintaining accurate regression suites for legacy codebases.
• Agentic Workflow Development:
  Build and refine workflows where AI agents generate code that passes automated validation and is successfully merged into the main production branch.
• Quality Validation:
  Establish robust validation frameworks to ensure that AI-generated artifacts meet Cisco’s high standards for functional quality, security, and performance.
• Cross-Functional Leadership:
  Act as a "Team Captain" for automation initiatives, influencing peers and collaborating with engineering teams to integrate automated testing into the core development lifecycle.

• Education & Experience:
• Bachelor’s degree with 6+ years of related experience
• Master’s degree with 4+ years of related experience
• PhD with 1+ year of related experience in Computer Science, AI/ML, or a related technical field
• Automation Expertise:
  Proven experience in test automation and regression framework development, with a deep understanding of functional quality assurance.
• AI-Assisted Coding:
  Hands-on experience using tools like Git Hub Copilot, Cursor, or Claude Code to build, validate, and deploy production-level software while auditing auto-generated code for stability and security standards.
• Software Engineering:
  Solid conceptual and practical knowledge of the SDLC, including CI/CD pipelines and automated testing best practices.
• Critical Thinking:
  Strong ability to evaluate technical trade-offs between manual and automated testing strategies.

• Experience in AI Ops, MLOps, or building/fine-tuning custom LLMs.
• Proven track record of leading technical projects and mentoring junior engineers.
• Experience applying Design Thinking principles to AI-driven user experiences.
• Hands-on experience with real-time AI workload management and token optimization strategies.
• Experience building and productizing agentic applications with a focus on evaluation and business acceptance.

• Projected Starting Base Salary: $199,700 – $254,600 (Excludes bonuses, equity, or location-based adjustments)
• New York City Metro Area: $199,700 – $292,800
• Non-Metro NY & Washington State: $174,500 – $260,500

• Health & Financial:
  Medical, dental, vision insurance, 401(k) with company matching contribution, restricted stock units (RSUs), and annual incentive bonus program.
• Paid Time Away:
• Exempt Employees:
  Flexible vacation time off program (no defined limit).
• Holidays & Shutdowns: 10 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday, birthday off, year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 personal wellness days.
• Sick & Care Leave: 80 hours of sick time provided upon hire (up to 80 hours carryover annually).
• Volunteer Time: 10 paid days per year for volunteer work.

At Cisco, we’ve been innovating for 40 years to connect and protect organizations in the AI era and beyond. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make big things happen on a global scale.
* Cisco is an Equal Opportunity Employer and an E-Verify employer.*