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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Software Engineering Technical Leader - **Company:** Cisco Systems, Inc. - **Location:** Durham, NC, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $149,100.0 - $218,900.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, JIRA, Automation of Tests, Bash Shell, Border Gateway Protocol, Ubuntu (Operating System), Catalyst (Software), CentOS, Cisco IOS, Communications Protocols, System Configuration, Linux, Multi-protocol Systems, Java GUIs, Python (Programming Language), Kernel-Based Virtual Machine, Network Layer, Unix Shell, Machine Learning, Multicasting, Netconf, Network Monitoring, Routing, Network Protocols, Cisco Nexus Switches, Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), Open Source Technology, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Software Engineering, Software Quality Assurance (SQA), Test Execution Engine, Virtualization Technology, Grafana, Software Troubleshooting, Git, Containerization, Kubernetes, Influxdb, Restful APIs, Open Network Automation Platform, Grpc, Cisco, Docker, Jenkins, Vmware - **Published:** July 26, 2026 - **Apply:** https://jobs.localjobnetwork.com/apply/add/85906112/1 ## About the Role * Bachelors in STEM with 8+ years of relevant experience * Experience in developing automation tools, test frameworks, and network validation scripts using Python * Hands-on experience with Layer 2/Layer 3 networking protocols such as BGP, OSPF, ISIS, MPLS, Segment Routing, and Multicast technologies * Experience in network automation (e.g., using pyATS or similar), protocol testing, and software quality assurance * Experience reproducing customer environments, perform root cause analysis, and delivering solutions for large-scale service providers or enterprise deployments * Experience in configuring, validating, and troubleshooting routing platforms (e.g., Nexus switches), with experience in hardware-based forwarding Preferred Qualifications: * Hands on experience with GIT, Jira, Jenkins and CI/CD pipeline tools * Industry certification such as CCIE/CCNP/Cisco DevNet will be a plus * Experience with network monitoring tools like Grafana, telegraf and InfluxDB and traffic generators like Ixia and Spirent * Experience with network programmability - gNMI, gRPC, NETCONF, YANG , REST API, RPC * Knowledge of Linux/OS such as CentOS, Redhat, Ubuntu and expertise on Bash/Unix Shell Scripting * Knowledge of virtualization and containerization technologies - KVM, VMware, Docker, and Kubernetes * Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills. * Understanding and hands on Cisco IOS/IOS-XR platforms * Experience with AI and ML is a plus * Experience in configuring, validating, and troubleshooting routing platforms (e.g., Cisco ASR, NCS, 8000, Nexus, Catalyst or non-Cisco router/switch), with experience in hardware-based forwarding #WeAreCisco ## Description ***We are looking for candidates local to RTP as this is a hybrid role requiring at least 3 days per week onsite in the office*** Meet the Team The Customer Validation Testing (CVT) team is at the forefront of developing solutions that power the largest networks in the world. Engineers on this team will collaborate with dedicated, dynamic, hardworking team members to work on the qualification and automation of influential technologies, XR platforms, and solutions for deployment in high-end Cisco Web and Service Provider customers, impacting an endless number of users worldwide. The team is comprised of talented engineers with diverse experience levels, ranging from 3 to over 20 years, bringing significant expertise to the table. With a global presence, the team operates from centers in the US, Canada, and India. Your Impact As a Solution Qualification/Automation Technical Leader, you will be responsible for designing, automating, configuring, and qualifying customer use cases based on IOS-XR for platforms such as ASR9K, NCS5500, and 8000. This role includes bringing up customer solutions in cisco lab, developing innovative test frameworks and web-based GUIs that leverage analytics and machine learning, as well as driving automated and manual test cases on validating the solution. You will collaborate globally with internal development teams and account management teams to ensure alignment and understanding of the work. You will also... Collaborate with internal teams to understand customer use cases and design the topology to replicate their solutions * Reproduce customer environments in internal labs using hardware, traffic generators, and open-source tools to validate solutions * Accurately replicate network protocols, using tools and technologies to mimic real-world scenarios for testing and validation purposes * Design and develop innovative test frameworks and tools to support the test execution environment plans * Monitor and optimize performance of the customer's network environment ## Related Videos - [How a Small Team Shrank a Microsoft Monorepo by 94%](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1236-how-a-small-team-shrank-a-microsoft-monorepo-by-94) - [Improving quality with Agentic AI with Rovo Dev and Xray](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2005-improving-quality-with-agentic-ai-with-rovo-dev-and-xray) - [Exploring the Power of gRPC-Gateway for Writing RESTful Services](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2072-exploring-the-power-of-grpc-gateway-for-writing-restful-services) - [How Cisco embraced a DevOps culture within its network engineering team](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/99-how-cisco-embraced-a-devops-culture-within-its-network-engineering-team) - [Git for Code Reviews](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/429-git-for-code-reviews) - [Unlocking the potential of Digital & IT at Vodafone](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/602-unlocking-the-potential-of-digital-it-at-vodafone) ## Related Articles - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [Is Software Engineering Over-Saturated?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/418-is-software-engineering-over-saturated) - [How to Write a CV and Interview if You Don't Fully Qualify For The Job](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/183-how-to-write-a-cv-and-interview-if-you-don-t-fully-qualify-for-the-job) - [What’s the Difference between a Junior, Mid, and Senior Developer?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/238-what-s-the-difference-between-a-junior-mid-and-senior-developer) - [Best US AI Conferences for CTOs in 2026: Build vs. Buy, Vendor Evaluation, and Peer Intelligence](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/736-best-us-ai-conferences-for-ctos-in-2026-build-vs-buy-vendor-evaluation-and-peer-intelligence) - [The Best Software Developer Blogs to Read](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/156-the-best-software-developer-blogs-to-read)