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Sr Software Engineer--Routing Platform & Infrastructure

Cisco · Milpitas, California, US · On-site

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About Cisco

Cisco is a worldwide technology leader powering an inclusive future for all. Learn more about our products, services, solutions, and innovations. Backed by Sequoia and Menlo.

About the role

Own the lifecycle of management frameworks that ensure seamless, standardized interoperability between our hardware and the complex pluggable optics ecosystem. Bridge the gap between hardware and software by driving the integration of control-plane and datapath logic, ensuring our NPU and ASIC designs deliver peak performance in next-generation high-speed environments.

What they're looking for

  • Bachelor's degree and 6+ years, Master’s degree and 4+ years, or PhD and 1+ years of experience with a degree in CS, EE, or related field, this experience must include:
  • C/C++/Python, Data Structures and Algorithms
  • Embedded systems development and Linux OS programming experience
  • Platform Infrastructure or Optics software development
  • Experience with coherent optics (ZR/ZR+), PHY / SerDes, FEC, ASIC / NPU, and DSP-based systems
  • Familiarity with CMIS and / or SFF standards
More about this role

The application window is expected to close on: 10/04/2026

Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received .

***Candidates must be local to Milpitas as this hybrid role requires being in office there at least 3 days each week***

Join the Platform Infrastructure & Optics team, a powerhouse within Cisco’s Mass Infrastructure Group dedicated to redefining network performance for the AI era. We design and deliver the software intelligence behind Cisco’s next-generation high-performance routing platforms, including the Cisco 8000 series. Our work sits at the critical intersection of high-speed optics, custom Silicon One NPUs, and distributed system software. We are looking for engineers who are passionate about solving the challenges of exponential data growth and building the resilient, scalable, and efficient transport foundations that power the world’s most critically important networks.

You will join this next-generation networking and AI infrastructure team, contributing to the design and development of scalable software systems for high-speed networking platforms, coherent optical transceivers, PHY devices, and...

Read the full posting on Cisco's site ↗

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