Platform Test Engineer - L2/L3 Protocols| Routing| Python Automation (8-12 yrs)

Job description

Meet the Team Cisco SDWAN focuses on simplifying and securing enterprise WANs, enabling seamless cloud connectivity, automating network operations, and ensuring optimal application performance through advanced SD-WAN solutions. Our Team works on Cisco SD-WAN solutions that help enterprises build resilient, secure, and scalable wide area networks for distributed branch, cloud, and hybrid environments. The focus is on simplifying network operations through centralized management and automation, improving application and user experience with intelligent connectivity, and strengthening security with SASE-ready, zero-trust architecture. The team enables customers to connect sites, users, and cloud workloads with better visibility, performance, and operational efficiency. Your Impact Establish Define and drive the comprehensive test strategy and validation for the Cisco Secure Router Platform, including conducting deep-dive performance analysis to identify and resolve bottlenecks at the kernel, hardware-abstraction, data and control plane layers. As Platform Test engineer, you need to test Hardware, Software, Programmable and certify SFP/optics interoperable with Cisco Secure routers. Performance Debugging: Perform deep-dive analysis into performance bottlenecks at the kernel and hardware-abstraction layers including control plane. Design and evolve scalable test frameworks, test automation, and validation pipelines for both software and hardware. Collaborate with engineering leaders, product management, hardware, and TAC teams to define quality goals, test scope, and execution plan. Contribute to customer demos and technical presentations to showcase product and solution capabilities. Represent the test organization in multi-functional forums to influence release decisions, risk assessment, and quality metrics. Modern Test Practices: Use modern Test workflows, including AI-assisted coding tools (such as GitHub Copilot, Claude, or Codex) and integrated development environments like VSCode, to accelerate the development lifecycle and improve code quality. Minimum Qualifications and Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Computer Science, or an equivalent technical field (BE/ME/CS/AI/ML). 8-12 years of proven industry experience in testing Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 networking products, platform validation, and product development. Solid understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), with expertise in requirements analysis, test plan creation, execution, and release validation. Extensive hands-on experience in platform testing, PHY/MAC layer validation, and high-speed interface integrity testing, which you will use to validate our Next-Gen engineering platforms. Demonstrated ability to architect robust test plans and map them to critical platform testing areas, including port validation, Datapath/control path validation, FPGA, ROMMON, and environmental/hardware functional testing (e.g., power supplies, LEDs, fans). Deep technical knowledge and hands-on experience conducting deep-dive testing of MACsec, Port-Channels, Flow Control, and Quality of Service (QoS). 6+ years of experience and strong proficiency in driving test automation development using Python and REST APIs to implement longevity, soak, and stress testing. Expert-level troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills, utilizing advanced debugging techniques, kernel logs, and system traces. Solid foundation in Linux operating systems and hands-on experience with virtualization technologies, such as KVM and ESXI. Hands-on expertise with industry-standard network traffic generators (Ixia, Spirent) and protocol analyzers (Wireshark). Proficiency in applying Git for source code and version control management. Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across multi-functional teams. Proven track record of mentoring junior engineers, fostering teamwork, and a strong passion for talent development. Preferred Qualifications: Industry-recognized certifications such as CCNP Enterprise Infrastructure or equivalent. Solid understanding of optical networking, various cabling technologies, and advanced routing concepts. Prior experience conducting Interoperability, Performance, Scale, and Convergence testing, as well as reproducing and resolving complex customer issues. Practical experience working within Agile development methodologies and fast-paced engineering environments. #sdwanhiring 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.