[Hiring] Distinguished Hardware Security Engineer @Cisco

Role Description

This is a US remote role for U.S. citizens where some travel is required.

As a Distinguished Engineer on our Foundational Security Technologies team, your architectural decisions will help secure millions of devices running the world’s most critical networks, data centers, and AI infrastructure.

Your Impact:

• This is Cisco’s principal authority role for hardware security — spanning trustworthy systems, embedded security, secure enclaves, and silicon roots of trust.
• You’ll set the foundational hardware security roadmap across Cisco’s networking, routing, switching, optical, data center, AI systems, and cloud infrastructure portfolio.
• Architect immutable roots of trust, platform firmware resiliency, cryptographic device identity, and anti-tamper protections.
• Advise business unit engineering leaders and executives on embedded security decisions.
• Ensure Cisco stays ahead of emerging regulation, including the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and US federal executive orders.
• Work directly with hyperscaler and cloud-scale customers’ technical leadership to translate their security requirements into Cisco’s silicon and system roadmaps.
• Represent Cisco in the industry standards bodies that shape the field.
• Mentor the next generation of hardware security architects and technical leaders.

Qualifications

• BS/MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 15+ years of experience in hardware systems design, silicon security, or embedded architecture.
• A track record as a Distinguished Engineer, Fellow, Chief Architect, or senior technical leader driving hardware security strategy.
• Deep knowledge of complex networking systems, board-level design, FPGA/ASIC development, and system-level cost/performance trade-offs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of applied cryptography, PKI architectures, key management, and hardware security countermeasures.
• Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to move fluidly between low-level silicon and firmware detail and executive-level strategy.

Requirements

• Active contribution to, or leadership within, hardware-security-focused industry standards groups.
• Hands-on experience with post-quantum cryptography, NIST SP 800-193 platform resiliency, secure enclave design, physical anti-tamper mechanisms.
• Experience leading products through security certification and regulatory compliance programs.
• Experience conducting hardware security assessments, penetration testing, and/or side-channel resiliency testing.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision insurance.
• 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution.
• Paid parental leave.
• Short and long-term disability coverage.
• Basic life insurance.
• 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees.
• 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday and paid year-end holiday shutdown.
• 16 days of paid vacation time for non-exempt employees.
• Flexible vacation time off program for exempt employees.
• 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter.
• Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer.