Principal Hardware Engineer

020 Cisco Systems, Inc.; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 221,000 - 292,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. Outshift Quantum Research team seeks a seasoned engineer to deliver rack-mounted quantum systems to data centers and research facilities, uniting disciplines from electronics to photonics into deployable hardware.

You will lead design, integration, testing, and site acceptance, ensuring compliance with UL/CE/IEC, and collaborate with scientists and program management to scale manufacturing.

Qualifications

• 10+ years experience designing, integrating, and deploying high-density electro‑mechanical, optoelectronic, or telecom rack.
• Experience with 3D CAD software (SolidWorks, Creo, or Inventor) with rack layout design (EIA‑310), enclosures, and cable routing.
• Experience with AC/DC power distribution (PDUs, grounding schemes, safety isolation), thermal/airflow management inside enclosed racks, and environmental interlocks.
• Experience managing a team of engineers.

Responsibilities

• Deliver integrated, rack-mounted quantum systems to customer data centers and research facilities, driving site acceptance timelines.
• Unify outputs across electronics, RF/microwave, thermal, optical, and fiber subsystems into manufacturable rack architectures.
• Serve as a link between scientific research and program management to ensure precise assembly and test activities.

Skills

Rack design

Team leadership

3D CAD experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Master's degree

PhD

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

Inventor

PDUs

Grounding schemes

Job description

Meet the Team

The Outshift by Cisco team is one of the Cisco’s most visible innovation organizations, driving the next generation of transformative technologies and business opportunities. You will collaborate with some of the company’s most forward-thinking researchers, engineers, and technology leaders. Within the Outshift Quantum Research team and Quantum Labs, we are pioneering the design and development of practical, scalable, and efficient quantum networking technologies — foundational building blocks for the future Quantum Internet. Our multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers is dedicated to advancing the state of the art in quantum networking, distributed quantum systems, and quantum-enabled applications.

Your Impact

• You act as the primary technical authority responsible for delivering integrated, rack-mounted quantum systems directly to customer data centers and research facilities, directly driving customer satisfaction and site-acceptance timeline success.
• You will unify disparate engineering domain outputs—including precision control electronics, RF/microwave distribution, thermal management, optical/photonic routing, and fiber management—into a cohesive, manufacturable, and serviceable rack architecture.
• You will serve as a critical link between the scientific research team and the program management function, ensuring that hardware assembly and test activities are performed with precision.
• Architect scalable, manufacturable rack solutions by integrating electrical, RF/microwave, thermal, optical, and fiber-optic subsystems.
• Lead the design, integration, and deployment of rack‑level quantum systems for customer data centers and research environments, including EIA‑310‑compliant rack infrastructure, PDUs, UPS integration, grounding, electrical isolation, thermal management, and environmental monitoring systems.
• Ensure compliance with global electrical and safety standards, including UL, CE, and IEC requirements.
• Optimize system layouts for performance, reliability, serviceability, and efficient cable and fiber management.
• Collaborate with scientists and engineers to transition laboratory technologies into robust, deployable hardware platforms.
• Partner with program management to ensure principled execution of assembly, integration, testing, and site acceptance activities.
• Establish and improve assembly and test processes to support the scaling and delivery of Cisco's quantum computing hardware.
• Demonstrates outstanding attention to detail and a dedication to quality by consistently producing accurate laboratory records and experimental results.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelors + 15 years of related experience, or Masters + 12 years of related experience, or PhD + 8 years of related experience, or equivalent related work experience.

• 10+ years experience designing, integrating, and deploying high-density electro‑mechanical, optoelectronic, or telecom rack.
• Experience with 3D CAD software (SolidWorks, Creo, or Inventor) with experience in rack layout design (EIA‑310 standard), structural enclosures, and cable management routing.
• Experience with AC/DC power distribution (PDUs, grounding schemes, safety isolation), thermal/airflow management inside enclosed racks, and environmental interlocks.
• Experience managing a team of engineers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience defining and performing Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), including authoring site‑readiness specifications for enterprise or research customer facilities.
• Experience reading, interpreting, and producing engineering drawings, schematics, and assembly procedures, with demonstrated ability to provide structured design feedback based on assembly and test findings.

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.

The starting salary range posted for this position is $220,900.00 to $291,500.00 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.

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: $233,900.00 - $380,000.00

Non‑Metro New York state & Washington state: $220,900.00 - $344,300.00 * 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.

Cisconians power the future. We make impact as a team, innovating fast and fearlessly to create meaningful solutions on a large scale. The depth and breadth of our technology doesn't just benefit our customers – it also means limitless opportunities for us to experiment and learn. We understand the power each of our unique backgrounds bring when we work together. Because of that, we have a global network of thinkers, doers, experts, and curious creators who help one another do their life’s best work.