Software Engineer Complier I (Full Time) – United States

Cisco; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 114,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision insurance

401(k) with Cisco matching

Paid parental leave

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Cisco’s Networking Engineering team builds essential software and hardware foundations that power Cisco IOS-XE, Silicon One, and cloud-scale routing platforms. You will design and maintain compiler and debugger toolchains, focusing on C/C++ with LLVM infrastructure, across ARM64 and x86, and contribute to GDB/LLDB integration.

Responsibilities include accelerating code generation, enhancing runtimes, and creating automated tests and regression pipelines using Python in a CI/CD environment.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated programming proficiency in C or C++ with memory management and data structures.
• Foundational understanding of computer architecture (ARM/x86) and OS fundamentals.
• Coursework or projects in compiler construction, code generation, LLVM infrastructure, or debugger fundamentals (GDB/LLDB/DWARF).

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain advanced compilation and debugging toolchains for Cisco platforms.
• Develop compiler enhancements and runtime diagnostic tools in C/C++ and optimize LLVM-based workflows.
• Build automated regression pipelines using Python and CI/CD tools; integrate AI-assisted tooling into IDEs.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Memory management

Computer architecture (ARM/x86)

Debugger fundamentals (GDB/LLDB)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering/Software/CS/IT

Tools

LLVM

Clang

GCC

GDB

DWARF

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 09/29/2026

Meet the Team

Networking Engineering builds the foundational software and hardware systems that connect the world. Within our Core Platform Software and Toolchains organization, our team develops, optimizes, and maintains the mission-critical compiler, debugger, and code analysis toolchains that power Cisco IOS-XE, Silicon One, and cloud-scale routing platforms. We operate at the leading edge of systems engineering- bridging modern processor architectures with LLVM/GCC optimizations and high-fidelity runtime debugging infrastructure. As active contributors to the open source community, we solve complex low-level puzzles to maximize software performance, developer velocity, and binary resilience across Cisco's global product portfolio.

Your Impact

As a Compiler and Debugger Software Engineer, you will design, implement, and maintain advanced compilation and debugging toolchains that power Cisco's core networking platforms. You will develop compiler enhancements and runtime diagnostic tools in C and C++, optimize code generation and LLVM infrastructure for ARM64 and x86 architectures, and enhance GDB/LLDB debuggers. You will build automated regression pipelines using Python and CI/CD tools, integrate DWARF debug information standards, and integrate AI-assisted developer productivity tools into modern IDE environments. Success in this role means driving end-to-end toolchain excellence, evangelizing secure coding practices, and contributing impactful enhancements to open source toolchain ecosystems.

Minimum Qualifications

• Meet one of the following (completed within the past 3 years or expected to be completed within the next 12 months):
  
  
  
  • -A Bachelor's degree with 0 years of work experience; OR-
  
  
  • An educational or workforce development program (e.g., Associate's, Apprenticeship, Boot camp, or Certification) with 1 year of work experience; OR - A High school diploma (or equivalent) with 2 years of work experience.
  
  
  
  


• Qualifying education and work experience should be in Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.


• Demonstrated programming proficiency in C or C++ with a strong foundational understanding of memory management, pointer arithmetic, and data structures.


• Foundational understanding of computer architecture (ARM or x86), operating system fundamentals (processes, memory management), and the ability to read assembly language.


• Coursework, academic research, or hands‑on project experience in compiler construction, code generation, LLVM infrastructure, or debugger fundamentals (GDB, LLDB, DWARF).

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands‑on experience with LLVM, Clang, GCC, or GDB open-source toolchains, including writing custom LLVM passes or toolchain extensions.


• Familiarity with DWARF debug format specifications, object file structures (ELF), symbol tables, and binary analysis utilities (GNU Binutils).


• Practical experience developing test automation scripts using Python and Linux shell utilities in a CI/CD environment.


• Experience configuring or cross-compiling toolchains for Embedded Linux or networking operating systems (routers/switches).


• Interest or experience integrating AI‑assisted developer tools or modern IDE plugins (VSCode, Language Server Protocol / DAP) to enhance software development workflows.

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 $84,600.00 to $113,600.00 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.

• 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

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%;