AI-Driven Network Validation Architect

Cisco Systems, Inc.; North Carolina; On-site; USD 241,000 - 417,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) plan with Cisco matching

Paid parental leave

Paid time off

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking a senior backend architect to define the next generation of our network validation ecosystem.

You will lead high-level strategy for scalable services, architect AI-first workflows, and set standards for reliability and security in complex environments. You will mentor leaders, drive multi-year roadmaps, and partner with stakeholders to align architecture with Cisco's innovation goals, delivering resilient, cloud-agnostic solutions across SD-WAN and data center

Qualifications

• 12+ years of backend software architecture and core development in Python, Rust, or similar.
• Deep networking knowledge with SD-WAN or data center infra.
• Proven track record architecting AI-driven apps and complex agentic workflows.
• Extensive experience leading large-scale technical initiatives across cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Define high-level strategy for scalable backend services automating validation of complex network environments.
• Provide technical leadership and architectural consistency across the organization.
• Align multi-year roadmaps with global innovation and reliability goals.
• Establish best practices for prompt engineering and AI model interactions at scale.
• Drive infrastructure and deployment practices for resilient, high-velocity network services.

Skills

Backend architecture

Python

Rust

Networking (SD-WAN/Data center)

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Terraform

Ansible

AWS

GCP

Private cloud

Job description

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking a senior backend architect to define the next generation of our network validation ecosystem.

You will lead high-level strategy for scalable services, architect AI-first workflows, and set standards for reliability and security in complex environments. You will mentor leaders, drive multi-year roadmaps, and partner with stakeholders to align architecture with Cisco's innovation goals, delivering resilient, cloud-agnostic solutions across SD-WAN and data center