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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Principal Engineer - Cisco IQ Services and Applications - **Company:** Cisco Systems, Inc. - **Location:** New York, NY, United States - **Salary:** $223,100.0 - $301,100.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services, Distributed Systems, Python (Programming Language), Network Protocols, Software Architecture, Ansible, Software Engineering, Systems Architecture, Large Language Models, Backend, Information Technology, Free and Open-Source Software, Virtual Agents, Terraform, Cisco - **Published:** August 16, 2026 - **Apply:** https://diversityjobs.com/main/sendform/8/8/28176/1/17971683?backUrl=%2Fcareer%2F17971683%2FPrincipal-Engineer-Cisco-Iq-Services-Applications-North-Carolina-Research-Triangle-Park ## About the Role * Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience. * 12+ years of experience in back-end software architecture and core software development using Python, Rust, or similar high-performance languages. * Proven track record of architecting and deploying large-scale, AI-spec driven applications and complex agentic workflows. * Demonstrated mastery of infrastructure-as-code and architectural automation, specifically Terraform and Ansible. * Extensive experience in leading large-scale technical initiatives and influencing cross-functional engineering organizations through the full software development lifecycle. Preferred Qualifications * Deep domain expertise in networking protocols, large-scale infrastructure management, and system-level design. * Advanced experience in fine-tuning Large Language Models (LLMs) and deploying domain-specific AI architectures into production environments. * Expert-level proficiency in designing and managing cloud-agnostic, distributed architectures across AWS, GCP, and private cloud environments. * Recognized thought leader in the industry, with a history of open-source contributions or research showcasing complex, production-grade software architecture. * Exceptional communication and executive presence, with the proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and translate high-level technical vision into actionable, long-term business outcomes. ## Description In this role, you will act as the primary technical authority, shaping the overarching vision and future of our digital services. You will define the architectural strategy for the Cisco IQ Services framework, championing an Agentic AI-first approach to complex workflows including automated network testing, seamless migrations, and post-quantum assessments. By establishing the standards for LLM-driven workflows, MCP integrations, and advanced prompt orchestration, you will drive the evolution of the intelligent backend systems that power our next generation of products. Core Responsibilities * Define andArchitectthe high-level strategy for scalable backend systems, ensuring the seamless integration of agentic AI into our core service delivery. * Provide Technical Leadership across the organization,settingthe vision and mentoring engineering leaders to ensure architectural consistency and long-term technical excellence. * Influence and Align stakeholders across the business to define multi-year technical roadmaps, ensuring that architectural standards align with global innovation goals. * Establish Standards for complex prompt engineering and model interactions, ensuring the reliability, security, and high-fidelity of AI-driven outputs at scale. ## Related Videos - [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) - [Developing the Backend with Stefan Lingler, CTO at Shpock](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100360-developing-the-backend-with-stefan-lingler-cto-at-shpock) - [Dev & Test in the Cloud? Deploy your cloud environments with Ansible & Terraform](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1607-dev-test-in-the-cloud-deploy-your-cloud-environments-with-ansible-terraform) - [The Software Engineer 2030: From Coder To AI Orchestrator? - Patrick Schnell](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1825-the-software-engineer-2030-from-coder-to-ai-orchestrator-patrick-schnell) - [Your Infrastructure Is Not a Playground: AI Agents for Infra Done Right](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2084-your-infrastructure-is-not-a-playground-ai-agents-for-infra-done-right) - [Eclipse Che for Infrastructure Automation](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1611-eclipse-che-for-infrastructure-automation) ## Related Articles - [How to Become an AI Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/331-how-to-become-an-ai-engineer) - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift) - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [Got AI ideas but no money? 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