Senior Software Engineer, DNS

Cisco Systems, Inc.; North Carolina; On-site; USD 139,000 - 204,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking a DNS Engineer to join the Cisco Common Platform Services organization.

You will design, build, and evolve enterprise DNS architecture spanning authoritative and recursive DNS, forwarding, delegation, and service integrations. You will modernize the platform with infrastructure as code and automation, troubleshoot complex issues, and collaborate with software, network, cloud, and security teams to deliver resilient DNS solutions.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in software development, systems engineering, or cloud/platform engineering with a related degree.
• Experience designing, implementing, or operating DNS services (authoritative/recursive).
• Experience automating infrastructure using Python and IaC tools (Ansible, Terraform).
• Experience administering Linux and diagnosing DNS, networking, and distributed systems.
• Experience using AI-assisted tools to automate tasks and improve workflows.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and evolve enterprise DNS architecture across authoritative and recursive DNS.
• Modernize provisioning, config management, validation, monitoring, and recovery with IaC and automation.
• Improve reliability, performance, security, and maintainability of DNS services at scale.
• Troubleshoot complex resolution issues through global Tier 3 support and cross-team collaboration.

Skills

DNS engineering

Python automation

Linux administration

Infrastructure as code

AI-assisted tooling

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s degree in a relevant field

Tools

Ansible

Terraform

Job description

This position will perform work that the U.S. government has specified can only be performed by a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil.

Meet the Team

The Cisco Common Platform Services (CCPS) organization is transforming how Cisco delivers software-as-a-service by providing a modern, consistent, and secure platform for all! With demonstrated ability, our global team brings innovative methodologies to building and managing hybrid cloud environments. We focus on platform management services, continuously evaluating infrastructure and operations to ensure efficiency and precision. Our expertise in IaaS and PaaS, combined with repeatable and portable delivery models, enables the rapid and secure deployment of applications.

Within CCPS, the Cloud Software & Solutions (CSS) group designs and develops cloud platforms with an emphasis on quality, stability, simplification, user experience, scalability, performance, and portability. We are looking for a DNS Engineer to join our team for the DNS engineering, automation, and continuous improvement of enterprise DNS platforms and services.

Your Impact

As a Software Engineer, you will help design, build, and evolve enterprise DNS architecture spanning authoritative and recursive DNS, forwarding, delegation, and service integrations. You will modernize the platform by improving provisioning, configuration management, validation, monitoring, and recovery through infrastructure as code and automation frameworks. Your work will strengthen the reliability, performance, security, and maintainability of critical DNS services at scale. Through global Tier 3 support, you will troubleshoot complex issues involving resolution behavior, zone design, DNSSEC, caching, delegation models, and integration dependencies. You will also collaborate with software, network, cloud, and security teams to deliver resilient DNS solutions for new services and platform changes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 6+ years or Master's degree with 4+ years of experience in software development, systems engineering, or cloud/platform engineering.
• Experience designing, implementing, or operating DNS services, including authoritative and recursive DNS, delegation, forwarding, caching, and DNS record behavior.
• Experience developing infrastructure automation using Python and tools such as Ansible, Terraform, or equivalent infrastructure-as-code technologies.
• Experience administering Linux environments and diagnosing issues across DNS, networking, and distributed systems.
• Experience using AI-assisted tools to automate routine tasks, support technical troubleshooting, and improve software or infrastructure engineering workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with DNSSEC, GSLB, Anycast DNS, and hybrid cloud DNS patterns.
• Experience integrating DNS with IPAM, DHCP, cloud networking, and platform automation.
• Familiarity with Kubernetes CoreDNS.
• Familiarity with CI/CD, policy-based automation, and engineering validation frameworks.
• Experience working in regulated, security-sensitive, or large enterprise environments.

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 $139,300.00 to $203,600.00 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:

$167,700.00 - $282,000.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$149,100.00 - $250,900.00

* 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.