Software Engineer- L2/L3/ACL/QOS Packet Forwarding

The application window is expected to close on: 03/04/2026 Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received. This is a hybrid role, located in San Jose, CA and requires being in the office 3-4 days a week. Meet the Team At Data Center Business Unit in Cisco, we are dedicated to driving innovation in networking technologies. Our focus is on developing groundbreaking Ethernet Switching products that address the evolving needs of modern network infrastructures, including those in AI, cloud computing, and enterprise environments. Your Impact In this role, you will have the opportunity to learn a wide range of core Ethernet Technologies with architectural exposure to craft and develop Ethernet Switching as applied to both Public and Private cloud infrastructure. You will work on the intricacies of the critically important infrastructure that enables the world-class, multi-layered Nexus switches. In addition, you will have the opportunity to participate in multi-functional collaboration and be exposed to all facets of the software development cycle from innovation and marketing requirements to product delivery. You will work with a team of engineers involved in the development of software for our next generation data center switch Nexus product family. Define, architect, design, and deliver new features and solutions on the Nexus family platform Works independently but receives guidance and direction from leader then determines the best approach to accomplish work. Develops relationships with peer stakeholders within and across teams and builds productive working relationships. May lead projects with limited complexity to execute the defined software engineering roadmap. May lead small-to-medium features from technical design through completion. Stays current on industry trends and serves as an expert on the software development lifecycle and agile engineering practices; coaches others, as needed. Contributes to delivery of high-quality design and deliverables. Advocates for new features within a product to address customer needs. Tracks metrics for product adoption and success. Writes functional clean code and unit tests with minimal guidance. Performs coding, debugging, testing, and troubleshooting throughout the development process under minimal supervision. Performs code reviews for others in project. Writes code enabling scale, reliability, and velocity in product releases. Contributes as an authority in secure coding principles and understands threat model of a feature. Troubleshoots complex issues within the production environment, may serve customers through on-call rotations to identify end user problems, may lead postmortem and write root cause analysis. Minimum Qualifications Bachelors + 4 years of related experience, or Masters + 2 years of related experience C and/or C++ and Python programming language Embedded and/or router/switch software development experience Debugging with tools like GBD SDLC and L2/L3/ACL/QOS Packet Forwarding and/or CPU packet path experience and SDK development on NPU/DPU or networking ASIC Preferred Qualifications SDK development on NPU/DPU/Networking ASICs is highly desirable. Experience in fostering collaboration across diverse teams to achieve goals, resolve challenges, and drive innovation in a cross-functional environment. Hands-on experience with SDKs to include integration, debugging and optimization of the SDKs in software projects. Practical experience and knowledge working with network processors and/or packet forwarding ASICs including development, deployment and troubleshooting in real-world applications. Experience with traffic generator tools such as IXIA & Spirent 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 acro ... (truncated, view full listing at source)