Lead Software Engineer - AI Networking & Secure Cloud

Cisco Systems, Inc.; San Jose (CA); Hybrid; USD 187,000 - 268,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking a Lead Software Engineer for the Cisco AI Research team, based in Seattle or San Jose.

You will build secure, cloud-native networking and simulation platforms that power Cisco’s domain-specific LLMs, partnering across AI research, security, product, and infrastructure engineering. You will architect simulation topologies, automate controller ecosystems, and translate AI and networking concepts into production-grade capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field + 8 years of related experience, OR Master’s degree in STEM + 6 years of related experience, OR PhD in STEM + 3 years of related experience (or equivalent).
• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience designing, developing, and testing production-grade software.
• 4+ years of professional experience in enterprise/datacenter networking protocols and network simulation platforms (CML, EVE-NG, GNS3).
• 3+ years of cloud-native infrastructure, distributed systems architecture, and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• 2+ years of experience integrating and automating network controllers via REST APIs/SDKs (Nexus Dashboard, Catalyst Center, Intersight).

Responsibilities

• Architect high-fidelity, secure network topologies using Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) and establish data contracts for AI training data.
• Lead the secure automation and integration of Cisco controllers across on-prem, hybrid, and cloud-native environments.
• Design, build, and test high-performance distributed software with focus on network programmability and cloud architecture.
• Apply zero-trust principles, threat modeling, RBAC/IAM, and secrets management to secure integrations and pipelines.
• Implement telemetry and monitoring for simulation performance and cloud infrastructure, driving root-cause analyses into preventive controls.
• Mentor peers through design reviews and shape the engineering roadmap.

Skills

Python

Go

C++

Java

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS or related field

Master's degree in STEM

PhD in STEM

Tools

Cisco Modeling Labs (CML)

EVE-NG

GNS3

Nexus Dashboard

Catalyst Center

Intersight

Job description

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking a Lead Software Engineer for the Cisco AI Research team, based in Seattle or San Jose.

You will build secure, cloud-native networking and simulation platforms that power Cisco’s domain-specific LLMs, partnering across AI research, security, product, and infrastructure engineering. You will architect simulation topologies, automate controller ecosystems, and translate AI and networking concepts into production-grade capabilities.