Software Quality Assurance Engineer I (Full-Time) - United States

Cisco Systems, Inc.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. is seeking a Software Quality Assurance Engineer to design and execute test plans, develop automated scripts, and integrate tests into CI/CD pipelines. You will partner with developers and product managers to ensure high-quality software releases across Cisco platforms.

Proficiency in Python, Java, C++, JavaScript and frameworks like PyTest, Selenium or Postman is expected, along with Git and Linux basics. Excellent communication and teamwork are essential.

Qualifications

• Meet one of the following (completed within the past 3 years or expected within 12 months): a Bachelor's degree with 0 years of work experience; or an educational/workforce program with 1 year of work experience; or a high school diploma with 2 years of work experience.
• Proficient programming or scripting experience in Python, Java, C++, JavaScript, or Go.
• Foundational understanding of software QA methodologies: test case design, functional testing, defect tracking.
• Experience writing and maintaining automated test scripts using PyTest, JUnit, Selenium, or Postman; familiar with Git and CI/CD concepts.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute test plans to identify defects early in the lifecycle.
• Develop automated test scripts to increase coverage and reduce manual testing.
• Partner with developers to perform root-cause analysis and accelerate issue resolution.
• Integrate automated tests into CI pipelines to maintain reliability and support frequent deployments.

Skills

Python

Java

C++

JavaScript

Go

Test automation

Git

CI/CD

PyTest

JUnit

Selenium

Postman

REST API testing

Agile

Education

Bachelor's degree with 0 years

Boot camp / Certification with 1 year

High school diploma with 2 years

Tools

Docker

Git

Linux

Jira

Confluence

Postman

Job description

Please note this posting is to advertise potential job opportunities. This exact role may not be open today but could open in the near future. When you apply, a Cisco representative may contact you directly if a relevant position opens.

Applications are accepted until further notice.

Meet the Team

We are a collaborative and supportive engineering team dedicated to building high-quality software experiences for Cisco customers worldwide. Our team partners closely with developers and product managers to ensure every software release is secure, reliable, and performant. As a distributed group of twelve engineers, we foster an inclusive environment centered around continuous learning, teamwork, and active mentorship. You will work directly with modern testing frameworks and cloud platforms while helping shape our automated quality strategy from day one.

Your Impact

As a Software Quality Assurance Engineer, you will design and execute test plans to identify software defects early in the development lifecycle. Develop automated test scripts using modern programming languages to increase test coverage and reduce manual testing effort. Partner with software developers to perform root-cause analysis on bug reports and accelerate issue resolution. Integrate automated tests into continuous integration pipelines to maintain high product reliability and support frequent software deployments. Document testing procedures and quality guidelines to facilitate knowledge sharing and uphold engineering standards across the team.

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

-High school diploma (or equivalent) with 2 years of work experience.

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

• Hands-on programming or scripting experience in Python, Java, C++, JavaScript, or Go gained through academic coursework, projects, or internships.

• Foundational understanding of software quality assurance methodologies, including test case design, functional testing, and defect tracking.

• Experience writing and maintaining automated test scripts using testing libraries or frameworks such as PyTest, JUnit, Selenium, or Postman and familiarity with version control systems such as Git and fundamental concepts of continuous integration (CI/CD) pipelines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to API testing tools and RESTful web service validation techniques.

• Basic understanding of Linux operating systems, command-line utilities, and container tools like Docker.

• Familiarity with Agile methodologies, sprint workflows, and collaboration tools such as Jira and Confluence.

• Effective communication and problem-solving skills with an enthusiasm for learning new software technologies.

• Strong attention to detail and a collaborative mindset when partnering with cross-functional development teams.

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:

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:

$107,800.00 - $157,400.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$94,800.00 - $140,000.00

* 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.