Software Engineer - Networking

The application window is expected to close on: 07/04/2026 Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received . This is an onsite role based in the Research Triangle Park, NC office. While the team may have hybrid days, this is at the discretion of the team and is subject to change at any time. Meet the Team Cisco Silicon One is the center of Cisco’s ASIC design and is driving the development of next-generation network devices for the 5G and AI era. Our outstanding team works in a startup atmosphere within a stable and leading corporate environment, and our design center hosts all silicon Hardware and Software development fields under one roof. Our devices are crafted for universal adaptability, delivering high speed without sacrificing programmability, buffering, power efficiency, scale, or feature flexibility. The Cisco Silicon One team develops breakthrough silicon products. We enable the use of these innovative products in the fast-paced world of Open Standards, Open Networking, and massively Scalable Cloud Data Centers. If you want to work with amazing people and innovative customers developing the next generation of elite products, join us! Our team develops the full software stack enabling the Silicon One network processors. We work with the Open Standards community and our incredible customers to deliver best in class routing and switching platforms. Work also with architecture and design teams to define the next generation of ASIC products being developed. You will work cross-functionally with ASIC teams, customer engineering teams to understand and prioritize features, capabilities. These platforms play a key role in the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. We work with subject-matter experts around the world who share a common mission to deliver world-class products and to have fun doing it!

In this role, you will be tasked with designing, developing and testing software features for control plane and data plane on Cisco’s Silicon One NPU. You'll develop core software technologies at the heart of tomorrow's leading infrastructure solutions, taking on the entire range of challenges from user-facing APIs, through high-level algorithms, all the way down to firmware. You will design and develop software driving the world's most advanced infrastructures, using modern C++ and Python. As the SME of specific areas of development on the NPU you will take complete ownership of delivering software features in these areas in a timely manner and with outstanding quality. You will gain intimate knowledge of the Silicon One hardware architecture, software programming models and work with the architecture and design teams to define the next generation of ASIC products being developed. You will serve as the subject-matter expert for multicast on Silicon One, owning features such as PIM, IGMP/MLD snooping, multicast replication, and MVPN. You will also augment the team on L2 switching features and platform infrastructure as needed Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related degree and 7+ years of experience in an Engineering role or Master's degree with 4+ years of related experience. Experience in C++ and Python.  Experience with ASIC/NPU SDK development or dataplane/forwarding plane programming. Experience with networking protocols and technologies.

Experience in analytical reasoning and debugging, with practical experience in using tools such as GDB, PDB, etc.  Experience with cloud, data center, or edge networking products  Experience with writing and testing software for high performing and scalable networking products.  Experience with Layer 2/3 networking protocols, with specific depth in multicast (PIM, IGMP/MLD). Why Cisco?  At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure