Technical Leader, DPU Networking and AI Infrastructure

Cisco

Remote Hybrid

Quick summary

Work type
Remote
Location
Milpitas, CA
Salary
$183,800–$263,600 / yr
Posted
2 days ago
Closes
Jul 31, 2026

Market check

Salary context

Competitive pay

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $209k
This role $224k
$162k most similar roles pay here $275k

This role pays more than 59% of similar roles. Most pay $172,500–$246,150 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $224k versus about $209k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About Cisco

Cisco Systems is the world''s leading networking technology company, designing and manufacturing networking hardware, telecommunications equipment, and cybersecurity solutions for businesses and governments. Industry: Networking Technology & Cybersecurity

Cisco currently has 174 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $165,000–$241,400 across 174 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · Technical Leader, DPU Networking and AI Infrastructure

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Cisco seeks a senior technical leader to join its cutting-edge team developing a DPU-enabled networking platform for secure and high-performance infrastructure, particularly in large-scale AI clusters. This role involves defining the architecture for host networking, security, and network services across modern DPU and SmartNIC platforms, including decisions on what runs on the DPU versus the CPU. Responsibilities include architecting distributed firewalling, microsegmentation, virtual routing, traffic steering, and line-rate policy enforcement, as well as guiding platform decisions related to SDKs, programmable pipelines, Linux networking, telemetry, and upgrade models. The ideal candidate will have deep experience in production networking systems, security platforms, cloud networking, and large-scale infrastructure software, along with proficiency in C/C++, Go, Rust, Python, and applied skills in Linux networking and packet processing. Additionally, hands-on experience with DPU SDKs, P4-like programmable pipelines, DPDK, OVS, eBPF/XDP, and AI/HPC cluster networking behavior is preferred.

Skills

C C++ Go Rust Python Linux DPU SmartNIC NVIDIA BlueField DOCA AMD Pensando DPDK OVS tc eBPF XDP SR-IOV P4 RDMA RoCE PFC ECN ECMP CI/CD

What you'll do

  • Lead architecture for DPU-accelerated host networking and security.
  • Define optimal placement of services on DPUs versus host CPUs.
  • Architect distributed firewalling and microsegmentation systems.
  • Guide platform decisions across SDKs, pipelines, and control planes.
  • Design APIs and policy models for distributed networking systems.
  • Provide technical leadership for AI cluster networking challenges.
  • Mentor senior engineering talent in packet processing and networking.

What we're looking for

  • Bachelor’s degree with significant related experience or advanced degree in networking, systems software, distributed systems.
  • Deep experience designing and building production networking systems, security platforms, cloud networking, host networking, or large-scale infrastructure software.
  • Proficiency in systems programming using C/C++, Go, Rust, Python, or similar languages.
  • Applied skills in Linux networking, packet processing, routing, policy enforcement, virtualization, and production debugging.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead architecture across multiple teams and drive complex technical decisions from concept through production.
  • Hands-on experience with DPU, SmartNIC, NIC offload, NPU, ASIC, or hardware-accelerated networking platforms.

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