Cisco
Principal Software Engineer
San Jose, California, US · Principal · Full-time
Sponsorship not specified$231k-$332kDetected 1 day ago
GoRustC++Distributed SystemsMachine LearningElectrical EngineeringCiscoLeadership
About the role
- 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.
Responsibilities
- 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.
- 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.
Requirements
- 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 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.
Nice to have
- 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.
- Contributions to industry standards, open-source projects, patents, or publications.
- Ability to translate emerging technology trends into long-term strategic direction and business impact.
- We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale.
Compensation
- 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 benef
Benefits
- Partner across engineering, product, and business teams to translate strategic vision into scalable, high-impact solutions.
- 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.
- 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)
- Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training.
This listing is sourced directly from Cisco's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.