Software Engineering Technical Leader – Routing, C, Linux

Cisco Systems, Inc.; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 2,000,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking a Technical Leader to develop and evolve the forwarding and platform software for their SD-WAN and edge routing solutions. In this role, you will collaborate with hardware and engineering teams to create high-performance packet forwarding and implement innovative solutions using modern AI tools.

The ideal candidate will possess over 12 years of experience in networking software development and a strong proficiency in C/C++. Key responsibilities include firmware development, performance optimization, and mentorship of engineering teams.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of industry experience with end-to-end software development in networking.
• Experience across various platforms, system software, and performance tuning.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ and debugging capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and evolve forwarding and platform software for SD-WAN.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to define architectures.
• Implement high-performance packet forwarding solutions.

Skills

C/C++ proficiency

Networking systems software

Performance tuning

Debugging complex systems

AI/ML techniques for development

Tools

Linux

RTOS

Hardware debuggers (e.g., GDB)

Development tools (e.g., IDEs)

Job description

Meet the Team

Cisco is a global leader in networking and IT, dedicated to transforming how people connect, communicate, and collaborate. We have created an unrivaled company culture that is collaborative, empathetic, and provides employees with the autonomy to develop technology that is intuitive, secure, and simple for everyone to use.

Our Routing SD-WAN Group is at the forefront of innovation, delivering intelligent, secure, and scalable WAN edge solutions. Within this group, the Routing Platform Software team builds industry-leading SD-WAN and edge routing platforms. We are reinventing the WAN with controller-based, intent-driven networking that delivers secure connectivity across cloud, on-prem, and SaaS applications. You will join a high-energy group working on next-generation routing and services at a global scale, connecting thousands of devices and millions of users.

Your Impact

As a Technical Leader, you will develop and evolve the forwarding and platform software that powers our SD-WAN and edge routing solutions. You will collaborate with ASIC, hardware, and cross-functional engineering teams to define new architectures, implement high-performance packet forwarding, and deliver robust, production-ready features. You will also leverage modern AI tools to enhance software development practices, driving efficiency, quality, and innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Hardware-Software Integration:Collaborate with hardware engineering teams to bring up new platforms, develop low-level drivers, and integrate Network Interface Modules (NIMs).
• Firmware Development:Design, implement, and maintain ROMMON and bootloader software to ensure secure and reliable system initialization.
• Forwarding Plane Optimization:Develop and tune high-performance forwarding plane software to meet the rigorous demands of modern secure routing environments.
• Performance Debugging:Perform deep-dive analysis into performance bottlenecks at the kernel and hardware-abstraction layers, including the control plane.
• Modern Development Practices:Utilize AI-assisted coding tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Claude) and IDEs like VSCode to accelerate the development lifecycle.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:Partner with hardware, manufacturing, diagnostics, product management, QA, release operations, and customer support.
• Mentorship:Mentor engineers and foster the development of technical leadership within the organization.

Minimum Qualifications

• 12+ Years of industry experience with end-to-end software development in networking.
• Experience across platforms, system software, kernel/user-space drivers, boot loaders, BIOS, and performance tuning spanning control-plane and data-plane.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ with a focus on systems programming and Linux environments.
• Proven experience in developing device drivers and working with RTOS/Linux kernels.
• Solid understanding of routing architectures and hardware-software interfaces.
• Experience with boot loaders (ROMMON), hardware bring-up, and board support packages (BSP).
• Demonstrated ability to debug complex issues spanning hardware, firmware, and software layers.
• Experience with LAN/WAN communication interfaces.
• Familiarity with AI/ML techniques and tools for development (e.g., code assistants, static analysis tools, test automation).

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of high-speed interfaces (PHY, MAC, MACSEC) and DPDK.
• Deep platform/system expertise, such as kernel bring-up, driver development, platform/network management software, and cloud networking.
• Debugging experience with i2c, i2c trace analyzers, and PCIe.
• Knowledge of x86 or ARM assembly code, instruction sets, and ABIs.
• Experience with hardware and software debuggers (e.g., GDB, Arium, BDI).