Automation Support Lead Technical Engineer

***We are looking for candidates local to the RTP office as this is a hybrid work model requiring at least 3 days per week in the office***
Meet the Team

We are seeking a highly technical professional with a proven track record of accomplishments in networking and application domain.

Working under minimal direction and exercising significant technical judgment, the Technical Leader provides guidance, leadership, and hands-on expertise in developing solutions and resolving issues for large and complex automation software systems. This role involves close direct collaboration with customers, field teams, and internal test teams to ensure the delivery of high-quality, scalable, and maintainable software.

The successful candidate will interface with customers, Advanced Services (CX), TAC, Product management and other teams within Cisco to deliver solutions with exceptional quality and customer satisfaction. Projects include leading-edge technology implementations for large service providers and enterprise customers and proficiency with AI tools to develop and test application software. This position will oversee resolution of high-priority customer escalations, service requests, defect fixes, releasing patches, proactive & reactive support for customer issues and will be required to adhere to Quality standards & metrics.
Your Impact

• Design, develop, and maintain high-quality software solutions for networking and application domains, ensuring scalability, reliability, and maintainability
• Debug complex software issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement effective fixes in a timely manner
• Take ownership of customer-reported issues; reproduce problems in lab environments and deliver validated patches or workarounds as required
• Lead advanced technology implementations including AI inclusion for large service providers and enterprise customers
• Collaborate with geographically distributed development, QA, and support teams to drive issue resolution and continuous product improvements
• Participate in all phases of the software development lifecycle - including requirements gathering, design, implementation, testing, release, and support
• Scope, plan, and implement software releases, ensuring high-quality deliverables are tracked and delivered on time
• Mentor team members in both development and support areas, fostering technical growth and ownership
• Work multi-functionally with Product Management to translate customer requirements into product features
• Validate customer-specific use cases and incorporate feedback into development and support cycles
• Assist test teams in understanding real-world customer environments to enhance test coverage and robustness
• Create and maintain technical documentation, including MOPs, RCA reports, and knowledge base articles for both internal and customer-facing use
• Provide proactive and reactive support, participating in on-call rotations, and ensuring alignment to SLAs and quality metrics.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Proven experience in networking, developing complex network management applications, delivering end-to-end solutions, and supporting production environments
• Master's degree or a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related discipline, combined with extensive experience in modern software development and support
• Strong background in development, troubleshooting, and debugging using Java or Go, along with related web application technologies
• In-depth knowledge of Docker, Kubernetes, GitLab, YANG, and NETCONF; experience with Python, Perl, and Shell scripting is preferred
• Familiarity with a wide range of network equipment (Cisco, Nokia, Huawei, Juniper, Alcatel) is essential
• Skilled in Amazon Cloud (AWS) environments, with the ability to demonstrate AI tools for automation, analytics, and solution development

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Linux, Ubuntu, and Windows operating systems
• Familiarity with all phases of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and support processes
• Exposure to tools such as Git/Gerrit, HP OpenView, Netcool, Eclipse, and Visual Studio
• Experience with SNMP, MIBs, traps, and Syslog processing
• Relevant certifications such as AWS, CCNA, CCNP, CCIP, Oracle, Red Hat Linux, or Java
• Experience in writing technical documentation, Methods of Procedure (MOPs), and customer issue summaries
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong team collaboration abilities, with a focus on cross-cultural teamwork and inclusion
• Demonstrated experience in leading and mentoring support teams

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. Simply put - we power the future.

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:

When available, the salary range posted for this position reflects the projected hiring range for new hire, full-time salaries in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including equity or benefits. For non-sales roles the hiring ranges reflect base salary only; employees are also eligible to receive annual bonuses. Hiring ranges for sales positions include base and incentive compensation target. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location and additional factors, including but not limited to skillset, experience, and relevant education, certifications, or training. Applicants may not be eligible for the full salary range based on their U.S. or Canada hiring location. The recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees have to quality medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance and numerous wellbeing offerings.

Employees receive up to twelve paid holidays per calendar year, which includes one floating holiday (for non-exempt employees), plus a day off for their birthday. Non-Exempt new hires accrue up to 16 days of vacation time off each year, at a rate of 4.92 hours per pay period. Exempt new hires participate in Cisco's flexible Vacation Time Off policy, which does not place a defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use, but is subject to availability and some business limitations. All new hires are eligible for Sick Time Off subject to Cisco's Sick Time Off Policy and will have eighty (80) hours of sick time off provided on their hire date and on January 1st of each year thereafter. Up to 80 hours of unused sick time will be carried forward from one calendar year to the next such that the maximum number of sick time hours an employee may have available is 160 hours. Employees in Illinois have a unique time off program designed specifically with local requirements in mind. All employees also have access to paid time away to deal with critical or emergency issues. We offer additional paid time to volunteer and give back to the community.

Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components. 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 up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.