Tech Lead - Hardware /Embedded Engineer

Engg; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 151,000 - 216,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Quantum Research seeks an Embedded & Controls Engineer to own electronics and control architecture for quantum hardware. You will bridge photonic hardware with software platforms, developing firmware, FPGAs, and precision control loops.

Collaborate with software, systems, mechanical, optical, and photonics teams to deliver manufacturable, field-ready rack-mounted systems with ultra-low-noise electronics.

Qualifications

• Bachelors/Masters/PhD in a relevant field or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years designing custom electronic hardware and embedded control systems.
• Experience with mixed-signal PCBs and embedded processors/FPGAs.
• Proficient in C/C++ and RTL/HLS familiarity.

Responsibilities

• Architect and bring up hardware, firmware, and test benches for quantum hardware.
• Develop embedded software to control custom electronics and photonic devices.
• Design high-speed signal paths with strict SI/latency/noise requirements.
• Interface with processors, FPGAs, ADCs, DACs and telemetry signals.
• Create digital control loops for precision regulation of hardware.
• Plan and execute hardware/system tests and debugging.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve reliability.

Skills

Embedded control systems

C/C++ programming

FPGA development

Mixed-signal PCBs

Hardware bring-up

Hardware debugging

System interfaces (Ethernet, UART, SPI

Test planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Master's degree

PhD

Tools

RTL

High-Level Synthesis (HLS)

FPGA design tools

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 10/17/2026

Meet the Team

The Outshift by Cisco team is one of Cisco’s most visible innovation organizations, driving the next generation of transformative technologies and business opportunities. As part of the Strategy, Incubation & Applications group led by Cisco’s Chief Strategy Officer, you will collaborate with some of the company’s most forward-thinking researchers, engineers, and technology leaders. Within the Outshift Quantum Research team and Quantum Labs, we are pioneering the design and development of practical, scalable, and efficient quantum networking technologies — foundational building blocks for the future Quantum Internet. Our multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers is dedicated to advancing the state of the art in quantum networking, distributed quantum systems, and quantum-enabled applications.

Your Impact

Cisco Quantum Research is seeking a highly skilled Embedded & Controls Engineer to help develop the next generation of deployable quantum networking hardware. You will take end-to-end ownership of the electronics and control architecture that connects our advanced photonic and quantum hardware to Cisco's software and orchestration platforms. Your work will span custom PCB design, mixed-signal and high-speed electronics, FPGA and embedded systems, firmware, precision control algorithms, hardware APIs, and rack-level system integration. Working closely with our photonics, software, systems, and mechanical engineering teams, you will transform laboratory prototypes into robust, manufacturable systems capable of operating outside the laboratory. You will address challenging requirements including ultra-low-noise electronics, precise synchronization, sub-nanosecond timing, high-speed signal integrity, closed-loop optical control, and reliable remote management. Your work will establish the electronic and control infrastructure required to bring Cisco's quantum networking technologies from research prototypes into scalable, field-deployable platforms.

You Will

• Architect custom mixed-signal PCBs for precision control, data acquisition, timing, and communication within rack-mounted quantum systems.
• Develop embedded software and firmware to control custom electronics, optical components, and photonic devices.
• Design high-speed analog and digital signal paths while maintaining stringent requirements for signal integrity, latency, synchronization, and noise.
• Interface with embedded processors, FPGAs, ADCs, DACs, and discrete control and telemetry signals.
• Design, implement, and tune digital control loops for precision regulation and stabilization of optical and electronic hardware.
• Architect low-noise power distribution, grounding, and control electronics for sensitive quantum hardware.
• Develop interfaces for system communication using technologies such as Ethernet, UART, SPI, USB, GPIO, and high-speed data-converter interfaces.
• Define and implement APIs that enable higher-level software platforms to control hardware and access system status and telemetry.
• Develop custom cable harnessing and interconnect solutions for RF, digital, analog, telemetry, and high-speed signals.
• Collaborate with software, systems, mechanical, optical, and photonics engineers to optimize thermal performance, grounding, EMI/EMC, signal integrity, and overall system reliability.
• Lead hardware bring-up and debug complex interactions between electronics, firmware, FPGA logic, and system-level software.
• Create and implement comprehensive hardware, firmware, and system-level test plans; analyze results and drive design improvements.
• Transform laboratory and benchtop prototypes into reliable, manufacturable, field-deployable rack-mounted systems.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors + 8 years of related experience, or Masters + 6 years of related experience, or PhD + 3 years of related experience, or equivalent related work experience.
• 3+ years of experience developing custom electronic hardware and embedded control systems.
• Experience designing mixed-signal PCBs incorporating embedded processors, microcontrollers, or FPGAs.
• Experience in embedded software/firmware development using C/C++.
• Experience with FPGA-based systems, including familiarity with RTL and/or High-Level Synthesis (HLS).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing electronics and control systems for lasers, electro-optic modulators, optical switches, photonic integrated circuits, or other photonic devices.
• Experience with analog and digital electronics, signal integrity, impedance matching, grounding, and high-speed PCB design.
• Experience working with ADCs, DACs, and mixed-signal data-acquisition and control systems.
• Experience with common communication interfaces including Ethernet, UART, SPI, USB, and GPIO.
• Experience designing low-noise power distribution and electronics for sensitive instrumentation.
• Background in classical optics, quantum optics, quantum networking, photonics, or precision instrumentation.

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 $151,300.00 to $216,200