Principal Engineer - Cisco AI Software and Platform

Job Description

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Meet the Team

Cisco’s AI Software and Platform (AISP) organization is one of the company's fastest-growing and most innovative teams, crafting a first-in-class digital experience for our customers and partners everywhere they connect with Cisco. We are at the epicenter of developing modern, cloud-native technologies that allow us to stay agile and adaptable in a constantly evolving market. Pioneers in our field, AISP enables Cisco product teams, customers and partners to maximize value with a simple, unified Cisco AI experience, driving accelerated time to impact. Join us and be a part of this exciting, transformative journey.

Your Impact

As a Principal in the AI/ML area of AISP, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Cisco's AI strategies.

• Lead the development of cutting-edge AI/ML technologies for Cisco products and solutions.
• Architect, design, validate, and deploy next-generation generative AI solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including AI/ML Product and Data Science Research teams, to build AI infrastructures and solutions.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in AI and foster a culture of innovation.
• Partner with developers, UX designers, and non-technical stakeholders to create a unified experience platform.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 15+ years of Software Engineering and System Architecture experience, or Master’s with 12+ years, or Ph.D. with 8+ years.
• 5+ years of experience working on core AI/ML projects.
• Expertise in building Generative AI applications using RAG, Finetuning, and Agentic AI.
• Proficiency with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerization tools like Docker.
• Strong programming skills in Python, Java, Go, or Scala.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong personal network across the generative AI/ML industry and ecosystem.
• Deep understanding of industry trends and business needs to drive technology innovation and execution.

#WeAreCisco where every individual brings their unique skills and perspectives together to pursue our purpose of powering an inclusive future for all.

Our passion is connection—we celebrate our employees’ diverse set of backgrounds and focus on unlocking potential. Cisconians often experience one company, many careers where learning and development are encouraged and supported at every stage. Our technology, tools, and culture pioneered hybrid work trends, allowing all to not only give their best, but be their best.

We understand our outstanding opportunity to bring communities together and at the heart of that is our people. One-third of Cisconians collaborate in our 30 employee resource organizations, called Inclusive Communities, to connect, foster belonging, learn to be informed allies, and make a difference. Dedicated paid time off to volunteer—80 hours each year—allows us to give back to causes we are passionate about, and nearly 86% do!

Our purpose, driven by our people, is what makes us the worldwide leader in technology that powers the internet. Helping our customers reimagine their applications, secure their enterprise, transform their infrastructure, and meet their sustainability goals is what we do best. We ensure that every step we take is a step towards a more inclusive future for all. Take your next step and be you, with us!

#WeAreCisco #CiscoAIJobs