Communications Specialist I (Intern) - United States

Cisco Systems, Inc.; San Jose (CA); Remote; USD 11,021,000 - 13,776,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking an aspiring strategic communicator for a 10‑week internship with Cisco Global Communications.

You will transform complex ideas into compelling narratives, edit and polish materials, and collaborate with senior leaders to drive global storytelling in the AI era. You will gain hands‑on experience in content creation, analytics, and cross‑functional collaboration, while developing professional skills in a dynamic, inclusive environment that emphasizes accountability

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program (Associate's or Bachelor's).
• Qualifying education should be in Communications or a related field.
• Expected to continue enrollment in degree program following completion of the internship.
• Experience in creating content for digital channels, public relations, or multimedia platforms.
• Proven ability to initiate and lead projects or participate in extracurricular leadership roles.
• Strong writing, editing, and organizational skills with an eye for detail.

Responsibilities

• Assist in crafting strategic communications and storytelling.
• Support development of campaigns and track content performance.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to execute communications plans.
• Gain hands‑on experience across Cisco Global Communications functions.

Skills

Strong writing

Editing

Organizational skills

Cross‑functional collaboration

Project management

Education

Undergraduate degree in Communications or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Generative AI for content

Job description

Applications are accepted until further notice.

This role may be eligible for remote work in the United States depending on business needs and hiring manager approval.

Meet The Team

Challenge yourself and discover the career path that sparks your passion within Cisco Global Communications! Our culture is defined by bold thinking, exceptional execution, and collective success, creating an inclusive environment that drives high performance and meaningful impact.

You will join a diverse cohort of interns, partner with experienced mentors, and collaborate with Global Communications leaders to tackle real-world business challenges. Our organization is led by six VPs reporting to our CCO across several specialized functions - Analyst Relations, Public Relations, Employee & Executive Communications, International Communications, CEO Communications, and Digital Communications & Strategy, Planning & Operations - all working together to share Cisco's story with the world.

Your Impact

• Enhance your communication skills during a 10-week internship in a fast-paced environment where we position Cisco as the critical infrastructure for the AI era.
• Contribute to our shared goals: Lead with storytelling, make great repeatable, and shape Cisco's future.
• Participate in development opportunities, networking events, and volunteer and social activities designed to accelerate your career growth and expand your professional network.
• Internship assignments are tailored to your educational background, skills, aspirations,and interests, giving you hands-on experience in one of our core communication functions.

Who You Are

As an aspiring strategic communicator, you are ready to bridge the gap between organizational goals and audience engagement by transforming complex ideas into impactful narratives. You possess strong writing and editing skills and are curious about how data and analytics can sharpen storytelling to drive meaningful impact in the AI era. You value collaboration and thrive in cross-functional environments, bringing an experimental mindset that isn't afraid to challenge the status quo. Your adaptability and creativity enable you to navigate a dynamic global landscape while managing multiple projects and meeting deadlines with precision. You are eager to learn from experienced leaders and contribute to Global Communications' core values: intentionality, accountability, and connection. By combining your analytical problem‑solving skills with a passion for creative storytelling, you will help us amplify how Cisco transforms to support our customers.

Minimum Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program (Associate's or Bachelor's)
• Qualifying education should be in Communications or a related field.
• Expected to continue enrollment in degree program following completion of the internship.
• Experience in creating content for digital channels, public relations, or multimedia platforms.
• Proven ability to initiate and lead projects or participate in extracurricular leadership roles.
• Strong writing, editing, and organizational skills with an eye for detail.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to present complex information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.
• Experience developing communication strategies and managing campaigns across multiple platforms.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for tracking and analyzing communication metrics, with familiarity using generative AI to enhance content creation.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to support cross‑functional initiatives and manage deadlines.
• Experience as a campus ambassador or brand representative, with strong community‑building skills and an interest in cross‑cultural communication.

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:

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:

$44,000.00 - $185,000.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$44,000.00 - $185,000.00

* 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.