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**Meet the Team**
The Common _Hardware_ Group (CHG) creates innovative _hardware_ platforms central to the AI era, _power_ ing Cisco’s core _Switch_ ing, Routing, and _Wireless_ _product_ s for organizations globally. Our innovations in silicon, optics, and _hardware_ platforms—like Silicon One—are shaping the _technology_ industry. We're a global team of creative experts, _bring_ ing our unique backgrounds and bold ideas to push boundaries and help each other grow. Because full _product_ development—from _design_ to qualification to _product_ ion—is within our team, we’re able to think differently, experiment more, and work quickly. Join us to _power_ the future of the digital world.
Cisco Silicon One is the only unifying silicon architecture in the market that enables customers to deploy the best-of-breed silicon from Top of Rack (TOR) _switch_ es through web-scale data centers and across service providers, enterprise networks, and data centers with a fully unified routing and _switch_ ing portfolio. Come join us and take part in shaping Cisco's ground-breaking solutions by _design_ ing, developing, and _test_ ing some of the most complex _ASIC_ s being developed in the industry.
The Cisco Service Provider Routing _Hardware_ _Engineer_ ing team develops next-generation _hardware_ by adhering to IEEE standards and industry best practices. Our _engineer_ s drive innovation across the full _product_ lifecycle, serving as IP architects, creators, and solution integrators who manage _product_ s from _concept_ to _product_ ion.
We _design_ a new class of high-performance _router_ s for the Internet of the future: Cisco 8000 Series _router_ s. These cloud-enhanced systems are _power_ ed by Cisco Silicon One _ASIC_ s and deliver the scale, performance, and efficiency required by critical _infra_ structure. You will collaborate with _board_ _design_ , _ASIC_ , signal integrity, _power_ , software, mechanical, _thermal_ , _manufacturing_ , systems, and supplier teams to define, _design_ , _validate_ , and release high-performance _networking_ _product_ s.
**Your Impact**
As a Lead _Hardware_ _Board_ _Design_ _Engineer_ , you will be a recognized technical leader for a _product_ . You will apply deep _hardware_ expertise to define architecture, lead complex _product_ initiatives, resolve difficult technical issues, and guide _engineer_ s across disciplines. This is an individual contributor role with broad technical influence; it does not require people management but demands technical independence, sound judgment, visible ownership, and leadership across teams. As a Lead _Hardware_ _Board_ _Design_ _Engineer_ , you will be responsible for:
+ Defining _board_ -level architecture, _technology_ choices, _power_ -delivery strategy, and _design_ direction for complex _networking_ _product_ s.
+ Leading major _hardware_ initiatives from requirements and architecture through _validation_ , qualification, and _manufacturing_ release.
+ Solving novel or high-risk signal integrity, _power_ integrity, reliability, _thermal_ , and _manufacturing_ challenges.
+ Actively participating in _design_ reviews, architecture discussions, cross- _functional_ technical investigations, and laboratory work.
+ Guiding teams to clear, data-driven decisions.
+ Mentoring _engineer_ s and improving _hardware_ delivery processes.
+ Establishing practical _design_ methods, constraints, _verification_ strategies, and quality improvements.
+ Partnering with silicon vendors, _PCB_ fabricators, contract manufacturers, and other suppliers on technical tradeoffs and _product_ execution.
+ Communicating technical risks, alternatives, and recommendations to senior _stakeholder_ s.
+ Contributing to _product_ -line _technology_ roadmaps.
+ Owning the _design_ and _validation_ of a sub-system.
+ Ensuring _design_ s meet _functional_ specifications.
+ Participating as a valuable team member in cross- _functional_ meetings, specification creation, and technical documentation.
**Minimum Qualifications**
+ Bachelor’s degree in Electrical _Engineer_ ing or _Computer_ _Engineer_ ing and 7+ years of experience, or Master’s in Electrical _Engineer_ ing or _Computer_ _Engineer_ ing and 5+ years of related experience, or PhD in Electrical _Engineer_ ing or _Computer_ _Engineer_ ing and 2+ years of related experience.
+ Experience with _hardware_ _board_ _design_ and system-level development, including high- _speed_ digital _design_ , signal integrity, _power_ integrity, and _hardware_ _validation_ using lab equipment such as _oscilloscope_ s, _logic_ analyzers, and spectrum analyzers.
+ Experience with taking _board_ _design_ s from _concept_ through _product_ ion, including _schematics_ generation, layouts, _trouble_ shooting, and hands-on use of _design_ tools such as _Cadence_ _Concept_ and _Allegro_ .
+ Experience with _networking_ , server, _computer_ , or high-performance _embedded_ systems, including technologies such as high- _speed_ _Ethernet_ , _PCIe_ , _DDR_ , SerDes, advanced packaging, multi-phase _power_ conversion, _thermal_ management, EMI/EMC.
+ Experience with leading technical _project_ s or _program_ s, partnering with silicon vendors, fabricators, contract manufacturers, or _technology_ suppliers, and leading multi-site _engineer_ ing teams or cross- _functional_ tiger teams.
**Preferred Qualifications**
+ Methodical, analytical approach to problem solving, experience with breaking down complex issues, evaluating evidence, and documenting clear conclusions and next steps.
+ Experience with _networking_ _product_ s _design_ .
+ Experience with co-packaged optics, near-packaged optics, or optical and signal-integrity _budget_ analysis.
+ Experience creating _test_ scripts in _Python_ .
+ Experience collaborating with cross- _functional_ teams.
+ Effective verbal and written communication skills.
**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 $171,600.00 to $245,000.00 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:
$171,600.00 - $281,800.00
Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:
$151,300.00 - $250,900.00
* 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.