Hardware Test Engineer

Cisco Systems, Inc.; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 138,000 - 197,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. in San Jose, CA is seeking an Environmental/ NEBS Test Engineer to validate product performance and generate certification reports. You will work with hardware design and software teams to address design changes and troubleshoot issues.

The role focuses on NEBS/GR-63-CORE compliance, lab testing, and maintaining accreditation across Cisco’s test labs. Onsite work and collaboration with cross-functional teams are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering; Master’s preferred.
• Knowledge of GR-63-CORE NEBS requirements.
• Familiarity with NEBS TAP and Performance Data.
• Experience operating test equipment such as shaker tables and environmental chambers.
• Familiarity with Cisco products and servers.

Responsibilities

• Validate and analyze the performance of Cisco products and prepare reports to support certification processes.
• Collaborate with hardware design and software teams on design changes and troubleshooting activities.
• Ensure NEBS standards compliance and maintain accreditations across Cisco test labs.

Skills

Strong communication

Troubleshooting

Team collaboration

Documentation

Physical stamina

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering; Master’s preferred

Tools

Test Equipment (shaker tables, environmental chambers)

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 08/31/2026

Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

This role will be onsite in our San Jose, CA location.

Meet The Team

The Cisco Corporate Compliance Environmental/ NEBS team is dedicated to championing, facilitating, and influencing global approvals and market access. As an Environmental/ NEBS Test Engineer, you will bring top-tier technical expertise to support business processes that ensure compliance throughout the entire product lifecycle. You will drive timely regulatory assessments to generate necessary country specific test reports (Smart grid, Railway, Marine, Acoustic) aligned with business priorities and help maintain accreditations for Cisco’s world-class test laboratories. Additionally, you will provide expert guidance to business units to enable Environmental/ NEBS compliance for Cisco products.

Your Impact

Cisco’s Corporate Compliance organization is seeking an Environmental/ NEBS (Network Equipment Building System) Test Engineer. In this role, you will validate and analyze the performance of Cisco products, prepare reports and documentation to support certification processes, and collaborate closely with hardware design and software teams on design changes and troubleshooting activities. Your work will directly contribute to ensuring product compliance and NEBS standards are met.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering or equivalent work experience; Master’s degree preferred

• Knowledge and understanding of the test requirements of GR-63-CORE Standard

• Understand and Review the NEBS Test Assessment Plan (TAP) and Performance Data; Ensure all relevant NEBS requirements are applied and will be tested to.

• Should be efficiently able to operate Test Equipment such as (but not limited to) electro-dynamic and seismic shaker tables, controllers and environmental chambers.

• Familiarity with servers, large networking equipment, and Cisco products

• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge and understanding of IEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 Standards’ environmental test specifications

• Strong communication skills with the ability to share information clearly among team members

• Strong troubleshooting skills with the ability to solve problems and make decisions effectively

• Ability to generate comprehensive test summaries and related documentation

• Collaborative mindset to work effectively with design and software teams for continuous improvement

• Capability to manage and track testing across multiple projects under tight schedules, ensuring timely completion

• Experience working with external auditors on compliance initiatives, particularly related to ISO/IEC 17025

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 $138,100.00 to $196,500.00 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.