Software Engineer

Cisco; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 126,000 - 177,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) with Cisco matching

Paid parental leave

Disability coverage

Life insurance

RSUs

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking a Software Engineer for its Wireless Networking Group in California. You will design, develop, and sustain core software powering the Wireless Access Point product line, collaborating with team leaders to meet commitments and deliver high‑quality results.

The role emphasizes C/C++ for embedded systems, Python scripting, and Linux development in a fast-paced, collaborative environment that values ownership and ongoing learning.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS or related field with 2+ years of relevant experience, or Master's with 1+ years of experience.
• Experience in C, C++ programming for embedded systems.
• Expertise in Python scripting for development and automation support.
• Knowledge of network - L2 Switching, IP Routing, TCP/IP, Wireless
• Experience with Linux-based development environments

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and sustain core software powering Cisco's Wireless Access Point product line
• Partner with team leaders to help deliver on commitments
• Influence user experience for millions of enterprise customers with high-performance connectivity

Skills

C/C++ for embedded

Python scripting

Networking concepts

Linux development environments

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Master's degree

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 12/17/2026

MEET THE TEAM

Cisco’s Wireless Networking Group is the industry leader in enterprise WLAN, recognized globally for building innovative, simple, and scalable solutions across both on-prem and cloud architectures. We serve as a hub for world-class engineering talent, working together to push the boundaries of what is possible in modern wireless connectivity. Our environment is fast-paced, highly collaborative, and deeply technical, fostering a culture of shared ownership and professional growth. What makes us truly exciting is the direct influence our software has on the global connectivity landscape, powering the networks that businesses rely on every day.

YOUR IMPACT

Join our team as a Software Engineer to design, develop, and sustain the core software that powers Cisco’s Wireless Access Point product line. Your focus will be on partnering with team leaders to help them deliver on their commitments. Your contributions directly influence the user experience for millions of enterprise customers, ensuring our solutions remain the standard for high-performance connectivity.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field with 2+ years of relevant experience, or a Master’s degree with 1+ years of experience.
• Experience in C, C++ programming for embedded systems.
• Expertise in Python scripting for development and automation support.
• Knowledge of network - L2 Switching, IP Routing, TCP/IP, Wireless
• Experience with Linux-based development environments

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Interpersonal and communication skills to facilitate cross-functional collaboration.
• Sense of ownership and proactive drive to take tasks to closure with quality.
• Commitment to continuous learning and ongoing professional development to adapt to emerging technologies.
• Strong team-oriented mindset with the ability to work effectively within a highly technical, diverse group.

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 $125,700.00 to $176,600.00 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:

$125,700.00 - $203,100.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$111,700.00 - $180,800.00

* 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.