Cisco

Cisco

Posted via Workday

Principal Software Engineer

Apply by Aug 31, 2026

Posted Aug 5, 2026

Role at a glance

Salary
$231.4K – $331.8K/yr
Location
San Jose, California, United States
Work arrangement
On-site
Employment
Full-time
Experience
12+ years of experience designing and developing large-scale software, platform, or distributed systems.
Education
Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.

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Role Summary

AI-generated

This role is part of Cisco’s Platform & Identity Engineering Group, which builds core platform services supporting secure and scalable management of Cisco’s security products and experiences. The position develops data platform and security-focused troubleshooting applications that provide visibility, analytics, automation, and operational insights across the Security portfolio.

What You'll Do

  • Innovate, develop, and drive data platform and security-focused troubleshooting applications as foundational platform components.
  • Provide guidance and consultation on complex challenges as an internal, external, and industry expert.
  • Connect emerging technology trends and assess their impact on Cisco products as a domain expert or cross-domain integrator.
  • Set standards for the technical direction of Cisco’s software and technology solutions.
  • Develop, execute, and enable technology strategies that deliver long-term business impact.
  • Partner across engineering, product, and business teams to translate strategic vision into scalable solutions.

Generated from the employer's posting. Verify important details before applying.

View full posting

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field; 12+ years of experience designing and developing large-scale software, platform, or distributed systems; experience building and scaling highly available, secure, and distributed systems in cloud or hybrid environments; production-grade coding experience using Go, Rust, C++, or other modern programming languages; and 5+ years of experience with security, privacy, and data protection principles applied to platform and identity systems.

Required

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field
  • 12+ years of experience designing and developing large-scale software, platform, or distributed systems
  • Experience building and scaling highly available, secure, and distributed systems in cloud or hybrid environments
  • Experience writing high-quality, production-grade code using modern programming languages such as Go, Rust, or C++
  • 5+ years of experience with security, privacy, and data protection principles as applied to platform and identity systems

Preferred

  • Advanced degree (Master’s or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
  • Recognized technical leadership as a domain expert or cross-domain integrator
  • Experience driving platform strategy in large-scale enterprise or cloud environments
  • Experience integrating systems with observability, data platforms, or AI/ML-driven systems
  • Track record of influencing technical direction and aligning stakeholders across a large, matrixed organization
  • Experience defining technical architecture and driving end-to-end system design across multiple teams or organizations
  • Contributions to industry standards, open-source projects, patents, or publications
  • Ability to translate emerging technology trends into long-term strategic direction and business impact

Original job description

Content provided by the employer

The application window is expected to close on: 08/31/2026

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 working onsite in San Jose.

Meet the Team 

You will join Cisco’s Platform & Identity Engineering Group, a foundational group responsible for building and scaling the core platform services that power Cisco’s products and experiences. The team focuses on delivering secure, scalable platform capabilities that enable consistent management of security products across Cisco’s portfolio. 

This organization partners closely with engineering, security, and product teams across multiple technology and business groups to provide the underlying systems that support Cisco’s innovation. The work spans cloud, security, and platform infrastructure, with an emphasis on reliability, interoperability, and long-term scalability. 

Your Impact

  • Innovate, develop, and drive data platform and security-focused troubleshooting application as foundational platform components that enable visibility, analytics, automation, and operational insights across the Security portfolio.

  • Act as an internal, external, and industry expert, applying deep technical expertise to provide guidance and consultation on complex challenges.

  • Serve as a domain expert or cross-domain integrator, leveraging breadth of knowledge to connect emerging technology trends and assess their impact on Cisco products.

  • Guide and set standards for the technical direction of Cisco’s software and technology solutions, influencing industry trends, business leaders, and Cisco’s technical community.

  • Ensure the development, execution, and enablement of technology strategies that deliver long-term business impact.

  • Stay ahead of evolving technology and industry trends, shaping innovation and enabling Cisco to maintain a strong competitive advantage.

  • Partner across engineering, product, and business teams to translate strategic vision into scalable, high-impact solutions.

  • Mentor and influence senior technical leaders, driving architectural consistency and engineering excellence across the organization.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field with 12+ years of experience designing and developing large-scale software, platform, or distributed systems.

  • Experience building and scaling highly available, secure, and distributed systems in cloud or hybrid environments.

  • Experience writing high-quality, production-grade code using modern programming languages (e.g., Go, Rust, or C++).

  • 5+ years of experience with security, privacy, and data protection principles as applied to platform and identity systems.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Advanced degree (Master’s or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.

  • Recognized technical leadership as a domain expert or cross-domain integrator influencing architecture across multiple product lines or business units.

  • Experience driving platform strategy in large-scale enterprise or cloud environments.

  • Experience integrating systems with broader platform services such as observability, data platforms, or AI/ML-driven systems.

  • Track record of influencing technical direction and aligning stakeholders across a large, matrixed organization.

  • Experience defining technical architecture and driving end-to-end system design across multiple teams or organizations.

  • Contributions to industry standards, open-source projects, patents, or publications.

  • Ability to translate emerging technology trends into long-term strategic direction and business impact.

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 $231,400.00 to $331,800.00 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 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 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:

$231,400.00 - $381,600.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$222,900.00 - $343,600.00

* 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.

Cisco

About the company

Cisco

Large Enterprise

Cisco is a global leader in networking technology, dedicated to connecting people and devices through innovative solutions. Founded in 1984, the company specializes in the development of hardware and software that enables secure internet communications, including routers, switches, and cybersecurity solutions. With a strong emphasis on cutting-edge research and development, Cisco continually adapts to the evolving digital landscape, empowering businesses to accelerate their digital transformation and improve operational efficiency. Committed to fostering talent, Cisco provides various career opportunities in fields such as engineering, sales, and technology, making it an ideal destination for aspiring professionals.