Embedded Software Team Lead

Cisco; Maynard (MA); On-site; USD 192,000 - 276,000; Full time

Job summary

Acacia (part of Cisco) is seeking a senior software engineer to lead embedded system software for high‑speed coherent transceivers. You will architect and implement complex subsystems and work with ASIC, DSP, and optics teams to enable next‑gen platforms.

You will collaborate with hardware and product teams to ensure smooth bring‑up, debug, and customer discussions, while mentoring junior engineers and driving cross-functional requirements in a telecom environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 12+ years (or Master’s with 8+ years) in electronics/electrical engineering or CS in telecom.
• 10+ years of experience with C++ and C in telecommunications.
• 10+ years of embedded firmware development (control and data path) in telecom.
• Experience with RTOS and embedded CPUs/microcontrollers.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture and design of complex optical sub-systems for Acacia SOCs.
• Collaborate with Chip, DSP, and Optics architects to drive product innovation.
• Architect system software, develop algorithms, and participate in bring-up and debug.
• Interface with Hardware, ASIC, Optical, DSP teams and Manufacturing transition.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Embedded firmware

RTOS

Embedded CPUs & microcontrollers

System architecture

Leadership

ARM processors

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electronics/EE/CS

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Git

Perforce

JIRA

Bugzilla

Jira Crucible

Make

Python

UNIX shell

Job description

This position is required to be onsite in Maynard, MA and in office five days a week.

Meet the Team

Acacia (part of Cisco) is a market leader in high-speed coherent optical transceivers, pioneering the development of coherent pluggable transceivers. Acacia’s coherent products are deployed by all hyperscalers to connect their Data Centers over distances from a few kilometers to thousands of kilometers and even in submarine networks. The emergence of AI has drastically increased the demand for Acacia’s coherent transceivers. Acacia’s coherent transceivers are also being used in space applications and is eventually expected to be used inside data centers as interconnect speeds continue to increase. Acacia is also entering the PAM4 Client market and is expected to be a key provider of PAM4 solutions, including a 1.6T PAM4 DSP.

Your Impact

You will be a key member of Acacia’s Software team responsible for embedded CPU code development to configure and manage our products. You will lead the architecture and design of complex optical sub-systems that go into future Acacia SOCs; collaborate with Chip, DSP and Optics architects to drive innovation in Acacia’s products.

You will interface with the wider cross-functional engineering team to architect the system software, develop algorithms, contribute to code development, and participate in system bring up and debug.

You will work with Acacia’s Hardware, ASIC, Optical, and DSP teams in the engineering organization and the PLM team. You will collaborate with the Product engineering and Quality teams to ensure smooth transition of our products to Manufacturing.

This role will also involve customer interface for technical discussions related to Acacia SW architecture and design with our customers.

• You are enthusiastic about architecting embedded firmware solutions and driving requirements for future platforms. You enjoy contributing and collaborating with the wider cross-functional engineering teams to develop efficient, compact algorithms for embedded CPUs. You are great at low-level RTOS debug and systems bring up in the lab.
• You are capable in figuring out complex systems specifications from standards bodies and a strong mentor for junior colleagues.
• You don't hesitate to point out how we can be more effective as a team, and you are open to similar suggestions by your team members.
• Your interpersonal and communication skills allow effortless collaboration within and across teams and to steer the development in a positive direction.
• You are able to work from high level system design to low level driver development.
• Bachelor's degree and 12+ years of relevant experience or Master's degree and 8+ years (Electronics/Electrical Engineering or Computer Science or equivalent) of relevant experience in the telecommunications industry.
• 10+ years of experience with C++ and C.
• 10+ years of experience with embedded firmware development (both control and data path) in telecommunications industry.
• Industry experience with RTOS and embedded CPUs and microcontrollers

Preferred Requirements:

• Experience with ARM processors.
• Experience leading software/firmware teams and driving cross-functional requirements across other engineering and product teams.
• Embedded systems firmware architecture, design and development for Optical transceivers, and High-speed Mixed-signal components.
• Experience working within a team environment developing complex control-plane code in a multi-processor/multithreaded environment.
• Experience with developing/debugging software state machines.
• Proficient in writing compact highly efficient code to control HW components.
• Experience with a revision control system and defect tracking systems (Perforce™, GIT, Bugzilla, JIRA).
• Experience with collaborative code review tools (such as Jira Crucible®).
• Comfortable with UNIX-style command-line development (make, shell programming, Python).

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 $192,400.00 to $275,800.00 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:

$214,100.00 - $356,300.00

$192,400.00 - $317,200.00

* 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.