Full Description

The application window is expected to close on: 04/10/2026

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

This position requires that you live within commuting distance of our San Jose, CA office and commute to the office 5 days per week.

MEET THE TEAM

Cisco Hardware Engineers develop and work with Next Generation Technology to build Cisco Hardware products keeping in mind the user experience and in accordance with IEEE standards, and industry best practices.

The Hardware Engineering Assurance team at Cisco plays a critical role in delivering world-class hardware products by ensuring the highest standards of quality, reliability, and performance. This team is responsible for rigorous system and unit testing of hardware components and associated code, employing a multistage validation process that guarantees every stage of development meets Cisco’s stringent quality criteria before production release. By joining this team, you will contribute to shaping the user experience through meticulous assurance of hardware platform behavior, working alongside innovative engineers dedicated to excellence and continuous improvement. We encourage you to apply if you are passionate about quality engineering and eager to make a tangible impact on cutting-edge hardware solutions that power Cisco’s global network infrastructure!

YOUR IMPACT

You will be a pivotal new product development and sustaining team member. You will be responsible for defining and implementing the platform host test procedures and carrying out the host design test characterization and qualification. Your focus will be on optical interfaces ranging from 1 Gbps to 224 Gbps per lane, spanning DAC, multimode, and single-mode optical solutions You'll also focus on emerging technologies such as CPO, LPO, and LRO, while contributing across multiple Cisco hardware platforms Review engineering specs and develop test strategies for new products. Integrate new equipment and develop test systems and environments. Leverage automation to implement test strategy & improve efficiency Test product's compliance with internal specs as well as industry standards Provide detailed issue mitigation & drive issues to closure. Document test plans, procedures, & test reports Help root cause field issues & support customer escalations Collaborate with system designers, SI engineers, SW/diagnostics engineers, customer escalation engineers, & external vendors to ensure robust test methodology & timely issue mitigation, resulting in high product quality.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering with 6+ years or Master's degree in electrical or computer engineering with 4+ years of experience with electrical or optical test & measurement equipment via professional work, and/or classroom learning. E.g., oscilloscopes w/CDR, network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, noise generators, traffic generators. Experience with high-speed SERDES or signal integrity

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in optical transceiver theory, functional blocks, and form factors (SFP, QSFP, OSFP, QSFPDD...) Experience with optical signal measurement Experience with troubleshooting & diagnostics and instrument control & automation. Experience building HW/Optics physical layer evaluation methodologies based on the product requirement, scripting (e.g., Python) for the measurement automation Experience with fundamental hardware blocks & subsystems - CPU/microcontrollers, LVDS signaling, clocking, & power issues; familiar with schematic and board layout Familiarity with the following standards - IEEE 802.3, OIF/CEI, MSA, SFF8431

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 $152,400.00 to $221,800.00 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

$152,400.00 - $255,100.00

Non-Metro New York State & Washington State

$134,300.00 - $224,800.00

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.