Senior Embedded & Hardware Lead - Quantum Networking

020 Cisco Systems, Inc.; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 151,000 - 216,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking an Embedded & Controls Engineer to join the Outshift Quantum Research team and help develop deployable quantum networking hardware.

You will own electronics and control architecture across PCB design, FPGA and embedded software, and system integration, working with photonics, software, systems, and mechanical engineers to turn lab prototypes into field-ready platforms. This role requires ultra-low-noise electronics, sub-nanosecond timing, and rigorous testing to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field; 8+ years of related experience.
• 3+ years developing custom electronic hardware and embedded control systems.
• Experience with embedded software/firmware development using C/C++.

Responsibilities

• Architect custom mixed-signal PCBs for precision control and data acquisition.
• Develop embedded software/firmware to control electronics and photonic components.
• Design high-speed analog/digital signal paths with strict SI and latency requirements.
• Interface with embedded processors, FPGAs, ADCs/DACs, and telemetry signals.
• Design and tune digital control loops for optical and electronic hardware.
• Architect low-noise power distribution, grounding, and control electronics.
• Develop system interfaces using Ethernet, UART, SPI, USB, GPIO, and high-speed data-converter interfaces.
• Define and implement APIs for higher-level software platforms to control hardware and access telemetry.
• Create cableHarnessing and interconnect solutions for RF, digital, analog, and high-speed signals.
• Collaborate across software, systems, mechanical, optical, and photonics teams to optimize thermal, grounding, EMI/EMC, and reliability.
• Lead hardware bring-up and debug complex interactions between electronics, firmware, FPGA logic, and system software.
• Create comprehensive hardware, firmware, and system-level test plans; drive design improvements.
• Transform lab prototypes into manufacturable, field-deployable rack-mounted systems.

Skills

Embedded software/firmware (C/C++)

FPGA-based systems

Mixed-signal PCB design

High-speed electronics

System bring-up & debugging

Hardware-software interfaces

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Master's degree in related field

PhD in related field

Tools

FPGA

RTL / HLS

Job description

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking an Embedded & Controls Engineer to join the Outshift Quantum Research team and help develop deployable quantum networking hardware.

You will own electronics and control architecture across PCB design, FPGA and embedded software, and system integration, working with photonics, software, systems, and mechanical engineers to turn lab prototypes into field-ready platforms. This role requires ultra-low-noise electronics, sub-nanosecond timing, and rigorous testing to