Hardware Engineer (Onsite)

The application window is expected to close on: 11/12/2026 This is an onsite position in Milpitas, California, US. Meet the Team The Product Operations team within the Core Routing Business Unit (CRBU) plays a critical role in delivering Cisco’s next-generation hardware products at scale. Working at the intersection of engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing, the team ensures seamless product lifecycle execution—from new product introduction to high-volume production and customer delivery. With a strong focus on reliability, efficiency, and operational excellence, the team drives impact across global operations and enables successful product outcomes. Your Impact Cisco Hardware Engineers are at the forefront of building the technology that powers the future. By balancing innovative design with rigorous IEEE standards, you will play a meaningful role in taking products from initial concept to high-quality production. In this role, you will work across a broad spectrum of the Cisco portfolio—including system and board design, signal integrity, power design, and validation. Whether you are defining industry standards as an architect or ensuring product reliability as a solution integrator, you will collaborate with multi-functional teams and external partners to optimize performance, cost, and quality. We are looking for engineers who are eager to challenge the status quo and drive innovation through research and practical application. Responsibilities include: • Silicon, Package & Board Characterization: Validate high-speed channels from silicon die through the PCB interface using advanced time-domain and frequency-domain techniques. Partner with layout engineers to optimize routing and define manufacturing test requirements. • PCIe Gen 6 Validation: Execute physical layer compliance and characterization for PCIe Gen 6/7 protocols, utilizing PAM4 signaling, multi-tap equalization, and advanced clocking architectures. • High-Speed Measurement Execution: Operate precision lab instrumentation, including multi-port Vector Network Analyzers (110GHz+), high-bandwidth Oscilloscopes, Bit Error Rate Testers (BERTs), and Time Domain Reflectometers (TDRs). • Measurement-to-Simulation Correlation: Extract S-parameters and utilize tools such as Ansys HFSS, Keysight ADS, or Cadence Sigrity to correlate lab data with simulation models. Drive root-cause analysis based on these findings. • Root-Cause Debugging: Troubleshoot complex signal and power integrity anomalies, such as insertion/return loss, crosstalk, jitter, and noise, to ensure robust product performance. • Lab Automation: Develop and maintain Python or MATLAB scripts to automate instrument control, streamline data collection, and process complex validation datasets. Minimum Qualifications • Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of related experience, or Master’s degree and 3+ years of related experience, or PhD plus 1+ years of related experience. • 5+ years of applied experience with VNA to measure multiport S Parameter (insertion loss, return loss and X talk) • Capability to set up TDR setups to locate impedance discontinuity, trace routing mismatches, structural damage in PCB, cables and connectors Preferred Qualifications • Prior experience with micro probing station, high bandwidth differential probes, calibration methodology. • Basic scripting skills in Python or MATLAB to parse data and analyze data. 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 $138,100.00 to $196,500.00 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 fle