Firmware Development & Product Integration Engineer

Cisco Germany is seeking a Firmware Development & Product Integration Engineer to join our Optical Transceiver Engineering team in Nuremberg, developing next-generation 100G+ optical modules that power global cloud and AI infrastructure.

Meet the Team

Our Optical Engineering team in Nuremberg is at the forefront of designing and delivering high-speed optical transceiver modules operating at 100G/s and beyond. As data center bandwidth and AI/ML interconnect demands accelerate globally, our team bridges the gap between optics, digital signal processors (DSPs), ASICs, and embedded firmware to power Cisco's world-class routing and switching platforms. We are a close-knit, multidisciplinary group of firmware, hardware, optics, and systems engineers who value technical excellence, hands-on collaboration, and continuous innovation. Joining us means taking ownership of the foundational optical technologies that connect global cloud data centers and service provider networks.

Your Impact

As a Firmware Development & Product Integration Engineer, you will take end-to-end ownership of embedded firmware development and hardware-software integration for our next-generation optical transceiver modules. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, you will design robust diagnostic and control firmware on microcontrollers and ASICs, investigate cross-subsystem behaviors, and present clear technical summaries to cross-functional engineering teams from early prototype bring-up through volume qualification.

Key Responsibilities:

• Architect & Develop Embedded Firmware: Design, implement, and maintain high-reliability embedded firmware in C (and C++) for microcontroller- and ASIC-based controllers operating in optical modules at 100G/s and above.
• Implement Device Diagnostics & Control: Develop low-level device control, system monitoring, diagnostic routines, fault handling, and host-management interfaces for internal ASICs and external peripheral components.
• Drive Hardware-Software Integration: Integrate firmware with electro-optic components, including lasers, photodiodes, DSPs, and module controllers, to ensure optimal optical link performance and reliability.
• Lead Prototype Bring-Up & Root-Cause Analysis: Perform hands-on board bring-up, debug cross-domain electrical/firmware issues, and methodically investigate performance and interoperability anomalies.
• Autonomous Technical Communication: Independently synthesize complex test results, document architectural decisions, and effectively present technical findings and project status to multidisciplinary stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on professional experience in embedded software development using C (and C++).

• Proven track record developing firmware on microcontrollers and controllers for hardware diagnostics, device control, and interface management with ASICs and external components.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience.

• Hands-on proficiency with low-level communication protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, MDIO), reading schematics and component datasheets, and using embedded lab equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG).

• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously, lead technical problem-solving investigations, and summarize and present complex project details clearly to cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing firmware with a Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) in resource-constrained environments.
• Domain knowledge of optical transceivers (100G/s and above), coherent optics, high-speed SerDes, DSPs, or optical monitoring subsystems.
• In-depth understanding of optical management and communications standards, such as CMIS (Common Management Interface Specification), SFF specifications, and Ethernet protocols.
• Proficiency in Python or similar scripting languages for test automation, hardware control, and systematic data analysis.
• Background in Design Verification Testing (DVT), product qualification lifecycles, or manufacturing test readiness.

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. 

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