Hardware (Signal Integrity) Engineer

Cisco Systems, Inc.; North Carolina; On-site; USD 116,000 - 163,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. in RTP, NC is seeking a Signal Integrity Engineer to contribute to PCB board design, simulation, and validation of high-speed Serdes and power delivery networks.

You will work with hardware, layout, and validation teams to resolve issues, perform SI simulations, prototype bring-up, and system-level validation focusing on DDR/LPDDR, PAM4/NRZ, and related high-speed interconnects.

Qualifications

• Experience with high-speed SerDes technologies such as PAM4 or NRZ.
• Experience with electromagnetic or signal integrity simulation tools, including 2D/3D field solvers on comparable platforms such as Ansys HFSS, Cadence Clarity, Sigrity, Siemens Hyperlynx.
• Degree in electrical/computer engineering with 3+ years relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the design and analysis of high-speed digital and analog systems from concept through to production.
• Perform signal integrity simulations using industry-standard tools.
• Model and analyze power delivery networks to ensure signal integrity and system reliability in next-generation hardware.
• Optimize pre- and post-route signal integrity analysis of PCBs.
• Support prototype function bring-up, and system-level validation and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with hardware, layout, and validation teams to resolve technical issues.
• Contribute to documentation, data analysis, and correlation of simulation and lab measurements.

Skills

SerDes design

Signal integrity

High-speed PCB

Lab measurements

Simulation tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

HFSS

Cadence Clarity

Sigrity

HyperLynx

Ansys HFSS

Job description

This role requires the employee to work onsite from RTP, NC location.

Meet the Team

The Networking Hardware Engineering (NHE) group creates innovative hardware platforms central to the AI era, powering Cisco's core Switching, Routing, and Wireless products for organizations globally.

We, signal integrity team under NHE, are a close-knit, creative, and multi-skilled team where each person is unique, but we bring our talents together to work on the design and development of next-generation Security Firewall products and Campus and Date Center Routing systems. As a Signal Integrity Engineer, you will contribute to PCB board design, simulation, and validation of high speed Serdes, DDR/LPDDR and power delivery network, collaborating with experienced engineers and multi-functional teams.

Your Impact

• Assist in the design and analysis of high-speed digital and analog systems from concept through to production.
• Perform signal integrity simulations using industry-standard tools.
• Model and analyze power delivery networks to ensure signal integrity and system reliability in next-generation hardware.
• Optimize pre- and post-route signal integrity analysis of PCBs.
• Support prototype function bring-up, and system-level validation and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with hardware, layout, and validation teams to resolve technical issues.
• Contribute to documentation, data analysis, and correlation of simulation and lab measurements.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering/science or related degree with 5+ years of relevant experience, or master's degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering/science or related field with 3+ years of relevant experience.

• Experience with high-speed SerDes technologies such as PAM4 or NRZ, including some combination of simulation, bring-up, debugging, measurements, or optimization*
• Experience with electromagnetic or signal integrity simulation tools, including 2D/3D field solvers on comparable platforms such as Ansys HFSS, Cadence Clarity, Sigrity, Siemens Hyperlynx

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with IBIS, HSPICE, ADS, MATLAB, Cadence PowerSI AC/DC, Allegro.
• Familiarity with different I/O standards for clock signals (e.g., LVDS, LVPECL, HCSL).
• Working experience with DDR5/LPDDR5, NRZ and PAM4 SerDes, as well as high-speed PCB/package development and PI analysis
• Thorough knowledge of PCB stack-up design - standard processes, performance vis-a‑vis PCB materials, surface finishes, vendor capabilities, and manufacturing trade‑offs.
• Hands on exposure to lab measurements including real‑time scope, sampling scope, Spectrum analyzer, VNA & TDR.
• Good understanding of EM and transmission line concepts, timing, jitter, crosstalk, noise, channel modeling, channel equalization techniques, power delivery & decoupling

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 $115,800.00 to $163,200.00 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 ofunused sick timecarried forwardfrom one calendar yearto 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:

$138,100.00 - $226,000.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$124,000.00 - $201,000.00

* 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.