Automation Support Lead Technical Engineer

***We are looking for candidates local to the RTP office as this is a hybrid work model requiring at least 3 days per week in the office***

**Meet the Team**

We are seeking a highly technical professional with a proven track record of accomplishments in networking and application domain.

Working under minimal direction and exercising significant technical judgment, the Technical Leader provides guidance, leadership, and hands-on expertise in developing solutions and resolving issues for large and complex automation software systems. This role involves close direct collaboration with customers, field teams, and internal test teams to ensure the delivery of high-quality, scalable, and maintainable software.

The successful candidate will interface with customers, Advanced Services (CX), TAC, Product management and other teams within Cisco to deliver solutions with exceptional quality and customer satisfaction. Projects include leading-edge technology implementations for large service providers and enterprise customers and proficiency with AI tools to develop and test application software. This position will oversee resolution of high-priority customer escalations, service requests, defect fixes, releasing patches, proactive & reactive support for customer issues and will be required to adhere to Quality standards & metrics.

**Your Impact**

+ Design, develop, and maintain high-quality software solutions for networking and application domains, ensuring scalability, reliability, and maintainability

+ Debug complex software issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement effective fixes in a timely manner

+ Take ownership of customer-reported issues; reproduce problems in lab environments and deliver validated patches or workarounds as required

+ Lead advanced technology implementations including AI inclusion for large service providers and enterprise customers

+ Collaborate with geographically distributed development, QA, and support teams to drive issue resolution and continuous product improvements

+ Participate in all phases of the software development lifecycle — including requirements gathering, design, implementation, testing, release, and support

+ Scope, plan, and implement software releases, ensuring high-quality deliverables are tracked and delivered on time

+ Mentor team members in both development and support areas, fostering technical growth and ownership

+ Work multi-functionally with Product Management to translate customer requirements into product features

+ Validate customer-specific use cases and incorporate feedback into development and support cycles

+ Assist test teams in understanding real-world customer environments to enhance test coverage and robustness

+ Create and maintain technical documentation, including MOPs, RCA reports, and knowledge base articles for both internal and customer-facing use

+ Provide proactive and reactive support, participating in on-call rotations, and ensuring alignment to SLAs and quality metrics.

**Minimum Qualifications:**

+ Proven experience in networking, developing complex network management applications, delivering end-to-end solutions, and supporting production environments

+ Master's degree or a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related discipline, combined with extensive experience in modern software development and support

+ Strong background in development, troubleshooting, and debugging using Java or Go, along with related web application technologies

+ In-depth knowledge of Docker, Kubernetes, GitLab, YANG, and NETCONF; experience with Python, Perl, and Shell scripting is preferred

+ Familiarity with a wide range of network equipment (Cisco, Nokia, Huawei, Juniper, Alcatel) is essential

+ Skilled in Amazon Cloud (AWS) environments, with the ability to demonstrate AI tools for automation, analytics, and solution development

**Preferred Qualifications:**

+ Experience with Linux, Ubuntu, and Windows operating systems

+ Familiarity with all phases of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and support processes

+ Exposure to tools such as Git/Gerrit, HP OpenView, Netcool, Eclipse, and Visual Studio

+ Experience with SNMP, MIBs, traps, and Syslog processing

+ Relevant certifications such as AWS, CCNA, CCNP, CCIP, Oracle, Red Hat Linux, or Java

+ Experience in writing technical documentation, Methods of Procedure (MOPs), and customer issue summaries

+ Excellent verbal and written communication skills

+ Strong team collaboration abilities, with a focus on cross-cultural teamwork and inclusion

+ Demonstrated experience in leading and mentoring support 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:**

The starting salary range posted for this position is $174,700.00 to $253,400.00 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 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:

$210,600.00 - $350,800.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$189,300.00 - $312,200.00

* 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 is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.

Cisco will consider for employment, on a case by case basis, qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.