Software Engineer

Cisco Systems, Inc; Milpitas (CA); Hybrid; USD 168,000 - 245,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco's Backend Team in San Jose is seeking a skilled Backend Engineer to design and deliver the AI-driven backbone of Cisco Cloud Control. You will collaborate across stacks to build scalable integrations powering Cisco's global platform.

You will mentor engineers, own backend features end-to-end, and work in a hybrid model with 2–3 days in the office, focusing on performance, reliability, and observability using AWS and modern CI/CD practices.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of hands-on backend development experience.
• Proficient in Go, Java, or Rust.
• Experience with AWS and observability tools such as ELK, Splunk, or Datadog.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver both functional and non-functional backend features.
• Drive sophisticated product integrations and AI-native solutions across Cisco's portfolio.
• Collaborate with frontend and infrastructure teams to ensure seamless end-to-end delivery.
• Build and maintain scalable, reliable, and high-performance backend services that support global enterprise users.
• Mentor and guide junior developers, promoting best practices.

Skills

Backend development

Go/Java/Rust

AWS

CI/CD

Tools

ELK

Splunk

Datadog

CI/CD tools

Job description

The role is hybrid based 2-3 days/week in our San Jose office

Meet the Team

Join our Backend Team to design and deliver the AI-driven backbone of Cisco Cloud Control. You'll work across multiple stacks and domains to build integrations and features that power the next generation of Cisco's global platform.

Your impact

As a Backend Engineer, You Will

• Design and deliver both functional and non-functional backend features.
• Drive sophisticated product integrations and AI-native solutions across Cisco's portfolio.
• Collaborate with frontend and infrastructure teams to ensure seamless end-to-end delivery.
• Build and maintain scalable, reliable, and high-performance backend services that support global enterprise users.
• Mentor and guide junior developers, promoting best practices.

Minimum Qualifications

• 7-10 years of hands-on backend development experience.
• Experience with Go, Java, or Rust.
• Experience with AWS and monitoring/observability tools (ELK, Splunk, Datadog).
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with AI pipeline and related technologies.
• Experience with data pipelines, highly scalable data ingestion, building 3rd party integrations (e.g. Service Now)
• Knowledge of AI tools, frameworks, or methodologies.
• Passion for building scalable, reliable, and maintainable backend systems.
• Experience mentoring or coaching other developers.

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 $167,700.00 to $245,200.00 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 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.

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.