Senior Hardware Systems Architect Lead, Networking

Cisco Systems, Inc.; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 195,000 - 329,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. in Milpitas, CA is seeking a Senior Technical Lead Hardware Board Design Engineer to shape hardware architecture for next-generation routers and datacenter platforms.

You will collaborate with board design, ASIC, signal integrity, power, software, mechanical, thermal, manufacturing, and suppliers to define, validate, and release high‑performance networking products. This role emphasizes tech leadership without direct people management, requires a deep background in PCIe,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering with 11+ years of experience, or Master's with 7+ years, or PhD with 4+ years.
• End-to-End System Design: hardware board design and system architecture for high-performance systems, including PCIe, Ethernet, DDR, SerDes, and thermal/EMI management.
• Technical Validation & Tools: high-speed digital design, signal/power integrity, power distribution, reliability testing; Cadence tools and lab instrumentation.
• Strategic Leadership & Delivery: leading complex multi-site engineering initiatives; collaboration with silicon vendors and contract manufacturers.

Responsibilities

• Define long-term hardware architecture, power-delivery strategy, design standards, and roadmaps for high-performance networking systems.
• Lead major multi-disciplinary hardware initiatives from concept through product release and delivery.
• Act as senior escalation point for architectural, signal integrity, power integrity, reliability, field, and manufacturing issues.
• Develop and communicate technical strategies aligning multiple business units and engineering disciplines.
• Establish reusable methods, constraints, verification practices, and quality standards for board design.
• Guide senior engineers through architecture reviews, tradeoffs, and investigations.
• Represent hardware engineering in executive reviews and external technical engagements.

Skills

End-to-End System Design

Technical Validation & Tools

Strategic Leadership & Delivery

Collaboration

Problem-Solving

Automation

Leadership & Influence

Innovation & Industry Impact

Education

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering

PhD in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering

Tools

Cadence

HyperLynx

ANSYS

Keysight ADS

Oscilloscopes

Logic Analyzers

VNA

Job description

Cisco Systems, Inc. in Milpitas, CA is seeking a Senior Technical Lead Hardware Board Design Engineer to shape hardware architecture for next-generation routers and datacenter platforms.

You will collaborate with board design, ASIC, signal integrity, power, software, mechanical, thermal, manufacturing, and suppliers to define, validate, and release high‑performance networking products. This role emphasizes tech leadership without direct people management, requires a deep background in PCIe,