Cisco

Software Engineer

Cisco • $128K — $184K *
Information Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field with 3 years experience; or a Master's degree with 1 year experience; or a PhD; or equivalent practical experience.
  • Experience with production services on Kubernetes and Linux alongside GPU AI infrastructure.
  • Hands-on experience serving models with vLLM, NVIDIA NIM, Triton, or similar runtimes.
  • Ability to lead technical work, mentor others, and support services on an on-call basis.

Responsibilities

  • Maintain and improve the foundational model platform for Cisco IT.
  • Support model onboarding and releases, ensuring smooth deployment processes.
  • Automate validation processes for deployments to enhance efficiency.
  • Contribute to monitoring service performance and reliability metrics.
  • Collaborate with design and product management to provide user-centric solutions.

Benefits

  • Access to advanced engineering tools and resources.
  • Opportunity to work in a dynamic, evolving tech environment.
  • Engagement with a team of experts in AI infrastructure.
  • Chance to contribute to high-impact projects with significant visibility across the organization.
Full Job Description
The application window is expected to close on: 10/29/2026
Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

Meet the Team

We run the platform that serves foundational models to Cisco IT. Our Foundational Model Service, gives engineering teams across the company access to small, large language, and embedding models. youWe serve those models on Kubernetes clusters, with Nim, Vllm and other runtimes. Beyond serving, We benchmark, evaluate, monitor, and release new models as improvements and demand warrant. Our customers depend on the platform under a 99.9% uptime SLA, and we build and operate accordingly.

As a Software Engineer on the FMS team you'll keep that platform running and make it easier to run. You'll support model onboarding and releases, take your turn on call, help automate the validation that gates every deployment, and contribute to the monitoring that shows us and our customers how the service is behaving. You'll also apply Agentic solutions to our own operations to catch problems earlier and remediate them automatically.

Your Impact

You'll develop software consistent with Cisco Design Thinking Principles, with simplification and user experience at its core, using secure coding practices, protecting user privacy, and following software development best practices. You'll partner with design, product management, and other engineering teams to build the right solution for our customers. You'll create technical design documentation for the team, contribute to the documentation end users rely on, and debug platform issues both in development and in production.

This is a strong role for a systems or infrastructure engineer who has worked with LLMs, whether through academic coursework or by building and running them on the job, and who understands how inference serving works. We're looking for a self starter who takes on unfamiliar work and grows into it. You'll work with engineers who have built these systems from the ground up. New runtimes and new models arrive frequently, so the platform is always evolving, and you'll develop a deep understanding of developing AI infrastructure, model runtimes, and delivering products at scale. On call is shared across the team.

Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field with 3 years of related experience; master's degree with 1 year of related experience; PhD; or equivalent practical work experience.
• Experience developing and operating production services on Kubernetes and Linux, including exposure to GPU based AI infrastructure.
• Hands on experience serving models with vLLM, NVIDIA NIM, Triton, or a comparable inference runtime, including building supporting services.
• Experience leading technical work, mentoring engineers, documenting systems, and supporting critical services through an on call rotation.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience evaluating and benchmarking models to support production release decisions.
• Experience operating GPU workloads with NVIDIA CUDA or AMD ROCm.
• Familiarity with distributed inference, disaggregated serving, KV cache aware routing, capacity planning, or cost optimization.
• Experience fine tuning transformer models or evaluating RAG and agent systems using relevant frameworks.

About Cisco

Cisco Careers

Join the vibrant team at Cisco, a global leader in networking and cybersecurity solutions, where innovation and leadership thrive. Cisco offers a plethora of job opportunities that cater to a range of skills and experiences, making it an ideal place for both seasoned professionals and those seeking an internship to jumpstart their career. Work You’ll Do At Cisco, you’ll be part of a culture that values diversity, leadership, and professional growth. Engage in work that matters with a team that combines technology, creativity, and the power of human connection to redefine networking. Cisco’s commitment to innovation isn’t just about technology, but also about transforming the way we work and collaborate. Cisco’s employment philosophy supports career advancement and nurtures a leadership pipeline that is equipped with diversity training and opportunities for growth. Whether you’re applying your skills to drive our latest innovations or using our vast networking capabilities to solve complex problems, at Cisco, every role is impactful. Join Our Dynamic Team Explore job opportunities in areas ranging from engineering to marketing, sales to cybersecurity. Cisco is hiring individuals who are passionate, curious, and ready to drive change. Positions at Cisco offer competitive benefits, a supportive culture, and the chance to work with cutting-edge technology. Internship Programs Kickstart your career with a Cisco internship. Gain invaluable industry experience, enhance your resume, and build professional networks that last a lifetime. Our internships provide hands-on experience and the chance to work on projects that matter. Leadership and Development Cisco is committed to fostering leadership skills and providing employees with the training needed to succeed. Our leadership programs help you develop new skills, manage teams effectively, and lead with confidence. Cisco’s commitment to professional development ensures that your career path is as dynamic as our technologies. Benefits and Culture Cisco understands the importance of a balanced life. Our benefits package is designed to ensure that our team members are healthy, happy, and secure. At Cisco, you’ll find a supportive culture that encourages open communication, teamwork, and mutual respect. Stay Connected Join Cisco’s Talent Network Stay informed about new positions that match your skills and interests. At Cisco, we value the curiosity and unique perspectives of our team members. Subscribe to receive personalized job alerts and insider tips directly from our hiring managers. Explore Cisco Jobs Ready to advance your career at Cisco? Search open positions, prepare your resume, and get ready for an interview that could lead to your next big opportunity. At Cisco, we’re not just filling positions—we’re investing in leaders. Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. READ CAREERS BLOG Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts, the latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Discover the exciting and rewarding career opportunities that await you at Cisco.
Learn more about Cisco
Size
79,500 employees
Market Cap
$194.5 billion
Industry
Net Income
$10.1 billion
Founded
2014
5 Year Trend
+1.4%
Revenue
$48 billion
NASDAQ

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