Hardware Engineering Technical Leader

The application window is expected to close on: 12/21/2026

Meet the Team

You will work closely with a network of Cisco optical suppliers and internal Cisco teams to guide optical components and optical module qualification and module assembly. You will operate in a highly collaborative, cross-functional environment that includes engineering, operations, and supply chain teams to develop next-generation optical transceiver technologies. This role offers high cross-organizational visibility and the opportunity to influence critical technology development and commodity strategy for Cisco's various product platforms.

Your Impact

As an Optical Hardware Engineering Technical Leader, you will lead optical device and assembly process qualification for Cisco's next generation optics products. You will partner with internal design teams to assess, develop, and qualify suppliers and technologies for high speed optical transceivers, ELSFP, CPO/NPO etc. You will own the quality, reliability, and manufacturability of these components and modules from the design phase through to end-of-life.

Responsibilities:

Assess, develop, and qualify suppliers and technologies for next generation optics products.

Conduct technical assessments of optical suppliers, including next-generation technologies, material systems, packaging solutions, and quality/reliability.

Perform design and process reviews and audits to ensure design robustness, quality, and manufacturing readiness.

Own the quality, reliability, and manufacturability of optical sub-modules and optical transceivers from design phase to end-of-life.

Assess business-impacting issues and drive product/component failure analysis, containment, and corrective actions.

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years of relevant experience in optics, specifically in opto-electronics or optical materials.
• Degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, or a similar field.
• Demonstrated understanding of design, working principles, physics, and failure modes of optical components, sub-assemblies and modules.
• Proven experience in reliability engineering, quality metrics, and resolving design/manufacturing reliability issues.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a cross-functional environment and manage external suppliers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to troubleshoot optical device reliability and assembly process issues.
• Experience in 8D or model-based problem solving.
• Knowledge of statistical process control and facility with data analysis.
• Proficiency in optical component and semiconductor failure analysis techniques.
• Strong communication, project management, and influencing skills.

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 $171,600.00 to $245,000.00 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:

$171,600.00 - $281,800.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$151,300.00 - $250,900.00

* 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.