AI Researcher, Technical Leader

The application window is expected to close on: 01/29/2026 Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received. The application window is open until further notice. Note: Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applicants are received. Meet the Team The Cisco AI Research team is composed of AI research scientists, data scientists, and network engineers with deep subject matter expertise. This diverse group collaborates on both foundational and applied research projects, driven by the challenge of connecting people and devices at a global scale. The team is newly formed and dynamic, blending AI and networking domain experts who work closely with engineers, product managers, and strategists experienced in AI and distributed systems. Members have the opportunity to shape the culture and direction of this growing team. Your Impact As a Lead AI Researcher you will be advancing research in Generative AI to enhance models and agents for networking automation, human-computer interaction, model safety, and other key AI-driven networking areas. Develop domain-specific foundational representations relevant to networking that provide unique value across diverse applications. Serve as a thought leader in the global research community by publishing papers, delivering technical talks, and organizing workshops. Collaborate with cross-functional teams including engineers, product managers, and strategists to integrate research outcomes into practical solutions. Stay current with cutting-edge developments in generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and multi-modal models, applying these innovations to emerging business challenges. Minimum Qualifications PhD in Computer Science or a related technical field with experience in an industry or academic research lab, or a Master’s degree with 5+ years of relevant experience . Experience working with machine learning models and familiarity with frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, Hugging Face, or equivalent platforms. Experience building and fine-tuning foundation models, including LLMs, multi-modal models, or domain-specific models. Ability to maintain and apply up-to-date knowledge in generative AI, LLMs, and multi-modal models to innovative business use cases. Preferred Qualifications Have publications in top AI conferences such as ACL, EMNLP, ICLR, ICML, NAACL, or NeurIPS. Experience leading research projects in industry or university labs. Interest and expertise in combining representation learning with problem-specific properties. 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 $212,300.00 to $275,800.00 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 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 locat ... (truncated, view full listing at source)