Software Engineer :: C/C++, Python scripting, L2/L3 Networking (5-9 Years)

Meet the Team

Looking forward to getting an exciting start to your career? Catalyst Engineering IOS XE Platform Independent team, designs and develops high-performance system software for various Cisco Platforms which includes Enterprise Switching & Routers, Service Provider Routing Platforms. This is one of the team where we are leading the Enterprise Industry with several innovations; and we are in an exciting phase in the rapidly evolving market. The opportunities here are boundless, and we are sure you will add a character to the dynamism of this team!

Your impact

In your role as a Software Engineer, you will develop and integrate products that are deployed by some of the leading Enterprises in the world. You will work with a BU-wide vibrant technical community, learning from experts and translating this learning into exciting opportunities for personal growth. You will work on IOS XE OS that forms a crucial backbone of many Enterprise devices.

You will learn about groundbreaking technologies and platforms while developing software for these equipment’s. Experience the exhilaration of taking a product through development and integration.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and test robust, scalable software components and features that meet high technical standards.
• Design and develop control plane and data plane software for Cisco IOS XE Switching, Routing, Wireless, and IIoT products.
• Analyze requirements and problem statements, develop effective software designs, and create detailed design documents and functional specifications.
• Write clean, maintainable code and unit tests with minimal guidance.
• Code, debug, test, and troubleshoot software throughout the development lifecycle with minimal supervision.
• Develop expertise in multiple functional components.
• Diagnose and resolve complex technical issues to support system stability, security, and performance.
• Drive continuous improvement in development lifecycles, engineering processes, and industry best practices.
• Coordinate project timelines and regularly review, update, and communicate project specifications to team members and stakeholders.
• Develop remediation plans and alternatives to support timely delivery.
• Mentor peers and engineering interns.
• Develop innovative ideas that may lead to patents and create intellectual property for Cisco.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of related experience, or a master’s degree and 3+ years of related experience, or a PhD.
• Proficiency in writing high-quality C or C++ code.Experience developing control plane or data plane software.
• Hands-on experience developing or implementing networking protocols such as TCP/IP, BGP, or OSPF.
• Strong understanding of data structures and algorithms.Experience with wireless technologies such as 802.11ac, 802.11ax, or 802.11be.
• Knowledge of security and encryption technologies such as SSL/TLS, MKA, or MACsec.Experience with Linux, RTOS, or networking operating system internals.
• Experience developing software or firmware for networking products.Strong knowledge of software architecture and system design.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with complex systems architecture.
• Hands-on implementation experience in one or more areas such as high availability, inter-process communication (IPC), memory management, distributed communications infrastructure, serviceability, containers, or virtualization.
• Experience validating networking features using traffic generators and protocol analyzers such as Ixia, Spirent, Wireshark, or tcpdump.Ability to learn new technical skills quickly and adapt to evolving business requirements.
• Cisco networking certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE.Experience building an agentic network diagnostics assistant using Python, OpenAI APIs, RAG, and MCP-based tools to analyze device logs, retrieve relevant technical documentation, and generate evidence-backed troubleshooting recommendations.

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.

Disclaimer

To ensure that we hire the best talent in the right way, we follow a strict hiring process and recently, Cisco has been made aware of fraudulent recruiters claiming to be from the company. Please be advised that any communication from Cisco about careers will:

• be in direct response to an application you have submitted through the company career site
• begin with screening or an interview
• originate from a Cisco email address, and
• be conducted across email, phone, or WebEx

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