The application window is expected to close on: 11/29/2026 Meet the Team
The Cisco 8000 Layer 3 Forwarding team develops the IOS XR software that powers packet forwarding on Cisco Silicon One, Cisco’s family of high-performance networking ASICs. As part of Cisco’s Distributed Systems Engineering (DSE) organization, we build scalable, high-performance routing platforms for service providers and hyperscale networks, supporting the growing demands of cloud infrastructure and AI/ML workloads.
Our work connects routing decisions to hardware forwarding behavior - from programming routes and next hops to optimizing forwarding scale, performance, and reliability. We collaborate closely with routing control plane teams to translate routing information into hardware forwarding entries, and with Cisco’s Silicon One ASIC and SDK engineering teams to program the network processors using their software development kit (SDK). These partnerships put our team at the intersection of routing software and networking hardware.
You will contribute across the full development lifecycle, from design and implementation to validation and production troubleshooting. Join a team where your work directly shapes how some of the world’s largest networks move traffic.
Impact
You are a developer who will design, develop, automate, and execute new hardware or features across complex Network Architectures using C/C++ language. You define and qualify end to end / solution architectures, engage in debugging complex network problems and define solutions. Having worked on network automation, you could demonstrate algorithmic thinking and analytics applications derived from customer use cases.
What you will do:
o Contribute to the development and enhancement of Cisco IOS XR software. o Play a vital role in the innovation and improvement of software solutions for AI/ML, hyperscalers, and service providers. o Take ownership of tasks and features with the ability to quickly acquire new skills. o Address innovative challenges and resolve complex technical problems. o Work closely with fellow engineers to deliver new functionalities and enhancements to customers. o Collaborate with tools like Microsoft Copilot and Cisco's internal AI/ML solutions to drive development efficiency. o Develop new features for the software or design fully automated tests. o Investigate and troubleshoot issues to ensure reliable and effective solutions. o Utilize test tools to maintain high-quality standards and ensure the software meets rigorous benchmarks. o Gain hands-on experience with various areas of network technologies, such as Programmability and Routing Infrastructure. o Build expertise in cutting-edge network technology and develop skills applicable to a wide range of systems. o Enhance the experience and satisfaction of customers by delivering robust, high-quality software solutions. o Ensure the continuous improvement and innovation of Cisco IOS XR software to meet evolving customer needs.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelors + 7 years of related experience OR Masters + 4 years of related experience OR PhD +1 years of related experience.
- Experience in all phases of SW development cycle with some exposure to agile development methodologies
- Experience programming in C, C++ or Python
- Development Experience with Network routing protocols
- Experience using AI tools to improve engineering productivity such as optimizing complex routing protocols and reducing latency.
Preferred Qualifications
- Familiarity with Linux and modern software tools like GDB, VTune, Valgrind, Perf etc. for development and debugging.
- Deep understanding of L2/L3 to L7 technologies like OSPF, ISIS, BGP, BFD, MPLS technologies.
- Familiarity with VMs and virtualization technologies.
- Automation experience with Python, Tcl, REST, Jenkins.
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 $167,700.00 to $245,200.00 and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation*, equity, or benefits. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training. The full salary range for certain locations is listed below. For locations not listed below, the recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.
U.S. employees are offered benefits, subject to Cisco’s plan eligibility rules, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage, and basic life insurance. Please see the Cisco careers site to discover more benefits and perks. Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.
U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco’s policies:
- 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees
- 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco
- Non-exempt employees** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees
- Exempt employees participate in Cisco’s flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations)
- 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next
- Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members
- Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer
For non-sales roles, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco’s policies.
Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:
- .75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;
- 1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;
- 1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and
- Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.
For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay 0% up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.
The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below:
New York City Metro Area:
$167,700.00 - $282,000.00
Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:
$149,100.00 - $250,900.00
- For quota-based sales roles on Cisco’s sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined. ** Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.
