Software Engineer Lead–Cloud Security & AI

Cisco Systems, Inc.; North Carolina; Hybrid; USD 152,000 - 222,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

401(k) matching

Paid parental leave

Disability coverage

Life insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is hiring for a hybrid Cloud Security Engineer role in the RTP, NC area (and San Jose, CA as needed). You will architect AI-driven automation frameworks, lead a small team of engineers, and define the roadmap for cloud security initiatives across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.

The role emphasizes hands-on development, security-first design, and scalable tooling. Ideal candidates bring 8+ years of engineering experience, strong Python backend expertise, and experience with AI

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years of engineering experience.
• Experience in Python development and building backend services and APIs.
• Experience with AI/LLM-based or agentic workflows in production using managed platforms.
• Experience with major cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) including SDKs, APIs, and cloud-native architectures.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines for automated builds, tests, deployments.
• Experience with cloud-native event-driven architectures and container tech (Docker, Kubernetes, ECS).

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement AI-driven automation frameworks for cloud security misconfigurations at scale.
• Lead end-to-end technical execution of a focused workstream with 2-3 engineers.
• Define and drive the engineering roadmap for your workstream including SDLC, CI/CD, observability, and AI-assisted development.
• Build reusable internal tooling and services that scale across cloud platforms and teams.
• Scope work, communicate trade-offs, and align stakeholders on direction and outcomes.
• Mentor peers and set standards through code reviews and design sessions.

Skills

Python development

Backend services

AI/LLM workflows

Cloud platforms

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

AWS Bedrock

Azure AI Foundry

Vertex AI

Kubernetes

Docker

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 08/21/2026

Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

This is a hybrid position requiring two days per week onsite at Cisco's RTP, NC office, or for those based in San Jose, CA, occasional presence at the San Jose office as needed.

Meet the Team

Cisco's Cloud Security Engineering team within the Security & Trust Organization designs, builds, and operates cloud security solutions to secure Cisco's public cloud estate - AWS, Azure, GCP, and OCI. We partner with security engineering, IT, and cloud operations teams as well as internal business units to enforce secure cloud practices and scale innovative solutions. We're actively building the next generation of cloud security: AI-enabled, agentic remediation workflows that turn security outcomes into automated, developer-friendly action.

Your Impact

• Architect and implement AI-driven automation frameworks that detect and remediate cloud security misconfigurations at scale - delivering fixes directly into cloud environments or developer workflows via automated PRs

• Lead end-to-end technical execution of a focused workstream, contributing hands-on while guiding 2-3 engineers to deliver against key milestones

• Define and drive the engineering roadmap for your workstream - covering SDLC best practices, CI/CD, observability, business metrics, and AI-assisted development

• Build reusable, well-documented internal tooling and services that scale across cloud platforms and engineering teams

• Scope work accurately, communicate delivery trade-offs, and align multi-functional partners on direction and outcomes

• Mentor peers and set the standard for software quality through code reviews, design sessions, and knowledge sharing

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years of engineering experience

• Experience in Python development, building backend services and APIs, including data modeling and relational/NoSQL data stores

• Experience building or integrating AI/LLM-based or agentic workflows into production systems using managed platforms such as AWS Bedrock AgentCore, Azure AI Foundry, Google Vertex AI, or equivalent

• Experience with at least one major cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) including SDKs, APIs, and cloud-native service architectures

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines to automate builds, tests, and deployments across environments

• Experience with cloud native event-driven architectures and container technologies (Docker, Kubernetes, ECS, or equivalent)

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong communication skills with the ability to present to both technical and business audiences with clarity and brevity

• Experience using orchestration frameworks such as LangGraph, Strands Agents, Semantic Kernel, OpenAI Agents SDK, or equivalent

• Experience delivering internal services or tooling consumed broadly by engineering teams within a large organization

• Cloud security experience - familiarity with any of the following: cloud security controls, policy-as-code, ASPM or CSPM tools

• Infrastructure as Code experience (Terraform or equivalent)

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 $151,600.00 to $222,400.00 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:

$186,900.00 - $307,800.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$166,300.00 - $274,100.00

* 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.