The application window is expected to close on: 03/09/2026
Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

This position is based onsite at our Milpitas, CA location.

Meet the Team

Be part of the Service Provider Hardware Team inside Cisco’s Common Hardware Group (CHG). This team develops the groundbreaking routers deployed in Service Providers and Data Centers worldwide.

Your Impact

As a Hardware Engineer on the Hardware Design Validation Test (DVT) team, you will be a critical member of the PDVT (Power-DVT). You collaborate closely with multi-functional teams (Hardware Development, Diagnostics/Software Development, Mechanical, SI, Power, Thermal, Compliance, and Manufacturing). Through these close partnerships you will deliver best-in-class products and solutions to our customers and drive continual improvements on the team.

• Contribute to a project team of engineers involved in the design, development, and testing of pioneering hardware.

• Execute complex unit and system level testing, debug, isolation, analyze sophisticated problems, and help facilitate the root cause, resolution, and closure.

• Perform front end power (FEP) and board mounted power (BMP) qualification at the component and at the system level.

• Perform analysis of system power, current, voltage drop, power stability, etc. and complete measurements.

• Perform in depth fault isolation, provide detailed issue mitigation, and drive issues to closure.

• Support Design Engineers and provide feedback on complex issues at unit or system level.

• Support the root cause field issues, support customer escalation, and fix verification.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s in electrical or computer engineering with 2+ years of related experience or equivalent experience.

• Experience with Hardware Validation (Power or Electrical).

• Experience with Debugging High End Routers or Switches.

• Experience with Electrical Test and Measurement Equipment - oscilloscopes, power supplies, power analyzers and meters, AC power sources, DC electronic loads, traffic generators, switches, routers, environment chambers

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of fundamental hardware blocks & subsystems – NPU, PHY, CPU, High speed signaling and clocking, fundamental signal integrity, and power design methodologies

• Very comfortable in a Unix environment.

• Understanding of L2/L3 routing and switching.

• Understanding of LAN/WAN topologies, basic router and switch configurations using IPV4/IPv6/MPLS/VRF.

• Some scripting language exposure TCL, Python, Perl, or any other automation tools.

• Ability to lift heavy loads.

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 $110,400.00 to $159,600.00 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:

$110,400.00 - $183,600.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$106,600.00 - $162,000.00

• 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.