Software Development Engineer – C/C++ | Linux | Networking Protocols | Layer 2/Layer 3

Meet the Team Cisco is a global leader in networking and IT, dedicated to transforming how people connect, communicate, and collaborate. We have created an unrivalled company culture that is collaborative, empathetic, and provides employees with the autonomy to develop technology that is intuitive, secure, and simple for everyone to use. Our Routing SD-WAN Group is at the forefront of innovation, delivering intelligent, secure, and scalable WAN edge solutions that empower enterprises to connect and protect their networks from the edge to the cloud. Within this group, the Routing Platform Software team builds industry-leading SD-WAN and edge routing platforms. We are reinventing the WAN with controller-based, intent-driven networking that delivers secure connectivity to users and devices across cloud, on-prem, and SaaS applications. You will join a high-energy group working on next-generation routing and services at a global scale, connecting thousands of devices and millions of users. Your Impact In this role, you will develop and evolve the forwarding and platform software that powers our SD-WAN and edge routing solutions. You will collaborate with ASIC, hardware, and cross-functional engineering teams to define new architectures, implement high-performance packet forwarding, and deliver robust, production-ready features. You will also leverage modern AI tools to enhance software development practices, driving greater efficiency, quality, and innovation across the team. Key Responsibilities Hardware-Software Integration: Collaborate closely with hardware engineering teams to bring up new platforms, develop low-level drivers, and integrate Network Interface Modules (NIMs). Firmware Development: Design, implement, and maintain ROMMON and bootloader software to ensure secure and reliable system initialization. Forwarding Plane Optimization: Develop and tune high-performance forwarding plane software to meet the rigorous demands of modern secure routing environments. L2 Feature Development: Implement and optimize Layer 2 networking protocols and features within the platform stack. Performance Debugging: Perform deep-dive analysis into performance bottlenecks at the kernel and hardware-abstraction layers, including the control plane. Modern Development Practices: Utilize modern development workflows, including AI-assisted coding tools (such as GitHub Copilot, Claude, or Codex) and IDEs like VSCode, to accelerate the development lifecycle and improve code quality. Minimum Qualifications 8-12 years of industry experience with end-to-end software development in networking. Experience across platforms, system software, kernel/user-space drivers, bootloaders, BIOS, and performance tuning spanning control-plane and data-plane. Strong proficiency in C/C++ with a focus on systems programming and Linux environments. Proven experience in developing device drivers, working with RTOS/Linux kernels, and understanding hardware-software interfaces. Solid understanding of routing architectures and Layer 2 networking protocols (e.g., Ethernet, VLANs, STP). Experience with bootloaders (ROMMON), hardware bring-up, and board support packages (BSP). Demonstrated ability to debug complex issues spanning hardware, firmware, and software layers. Experience with LAN/WAN communication interfaces and Layer 2/Layer 3 technologies. Experience with AI/ML techniques and tools for development (e.g., code assistants, static analysis tools, test automation). Preferred Qualifications Knowledge of high-speed interfaces (PHY, MAC, MACSEC) and DPDK. Platform/system expertise such as kernel bring-up, driver development, platform/network management software, and cloud networking. Debugging experience with i2c, i2c trace analysers, and PCIe. Knowledge of x86 or ARM assembly code, instruction sets, and ABIs. Experience with debugging using hardware and software debuggers (e.g., GDB, Arium, BDI). #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. 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