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Enterprise Hardware Engineering Technical Lead

CiscoRtp, North Carolina

$139,200 - $201,400 / year

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Overview

Schedule
Full-time
Education
Engineering (PE)
Career level
Senior-level
Remote
On-site
Compensation
$139,200-$201,400/year
Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance

Job Description

The application window is expected to close on: 09/30/2026

Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

Meet the Team:

The Enterprise Routing organization designs and develops Cisco's Edge and Access routing products. We architect the next generation of routing technology using both internally developed and commercially available silicon. The team designs, implements, and delivers industry leading routing products. You will be part of the dynamic and passionate team working on innovative projects.

Your Impact:

The HW Board and System Design engineer for Cisco’s Edge and Access routing products is responsible for hardware board design activities with a strong focus on test, qualification, and readiness for production. This role spans all phases of hardware development, from architecture and design through bring-up, validation, and qualification, combining deep technical expertise with leadership and cross-functional coordination.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Participate and contribute to the system hardware design.

  • Contribute to hardware specification, design, development, and test.

  • Drive product from concept to production.

  • Work under department strategy and direction.

  • Independently resolve and develop approaches to solutions.

  • Work closely with software, diagnostics, manufacturing, marketing, EDVT, and MDVT test teams throughout the development process.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering with 8+ years of experience in hardware board design and development, or a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering with 6+ years of experience in hardware board design and development.

  • Prior experience of taking a design from concept to production.

  • Prior experience in designing with x86 and/or ARM processors.

  • Prior experience in designing with DDR4/DDR5 memory, PCIe, SATA, USB.

  • Experience in schematic capture tools like Cadence Allegro Design Entry HDL (Concept HDL).

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience in using circuit simulation tools like HyperLynx, SPICE is a plus.

  • Experience designing Xilinx or Intel/Altera FPGAs or CPLDs using Verilog.

  • Prior experience in high-speed board design/signal integrity and power distribution is critical.

  • Prior experience in designing Ethernet (10/100/1000Mbps, 10GE, 25GE, 40GE, 100GE) and serial interfaces like I2C, SPI, UART, RS232, etc.

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 $139,200.00 to $201,400.00 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.

Automate your job search with Sonara.

Submit 10x as many applications with less effort than one manual application.

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FAQs About Enterprise Hardware Engineering Technical Lead Jobs at Cisco

What is the work location for this position at Cisco?
This job at Cisco is located in Rtp, North Carolina, according to the details provided by the employer. Some roles may also include multiple work locations depending on the requirement.
What pay range can candidates expect for this role at Cisco?
Candidates can expect a pay range of $139,200 and $201,400 per year.
What employment applies to this position at Cisco?
Cisco lists this role as a Full-time position.
What experience level is required for this role at Cisco?
Cisco is looking for a candidate with "Senior-level" experience level.
What education level is required for this job?
The education requirement for this position is Engineering (PE). Candidates with relevant qualifications or equivalent experience may also be considered.
What benefits are offered by Cisco for this role?
Cisco offers following benefits: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Disability Insurance, Life Insurance, Paid Holidays, Paid Vacation, Paid Sick Leave, Parental and Family Leave, Paid Community Service Time, Flexible/Unlimited PTO, 401k Matching/Retirement Savings, and Health & Wellness Programs for this position. Actual benefits may vary depending on the employer's policies and employment terms.
What is the process to apply for this position at Cisco?
You can apply for this role at Cisco either through Sonara's automated application system, which helps you submit applications 10X faster with minimal effort, or by applying manually using the direct link on the job page.