Principal Engineer | AI and Security | 13+ years
Cisco · Posted Oct 31
Networking, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise IT infrastructure services
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About the role
The Infrastructure & Security CTO organization at Cisco drives AI-driven, cloud-native, security-first architectures across networking and security platforms. As a Principal Engineer, you will define how AI and security are embedded into Cisco's core networking and security products, working at the intersection of LLMs, Zero Trust security, and cloud-native systems. The role involves designing security-first architectures, building cloud-native platform capabilities, and developing large-scale telemetry and real-time inference systems for threat detection and intelligent policy enforcement.
What you will do
- Integrate AI/ML and LLMs into platforms for threat detection, anomaly analysis, and intelligent policy enforcement
- Design security-first architectures, including firewall, Zero Trust / secure access, and runtime security (e.g., Tetragon / eBPF)
- Build cloud-native platform capabilities leveraging Kubernetes and multi-cloud environments
- Develop large-scale telemetry, data pipelines, and real-time inference systems to power AI-driven insights
- Design solutions across the AI security lifecycle, including model/data protection, access control, and runtime enforcement
- Drive end-to-end execution from architecture through production, including hands-on design and critical-path development
- Partner with product teams to deliver customer-facing innovation and monetization opportunities
- Lead and mentor across teams spanning security, AI, and platform engineering
Skills used in this role
What the employer is looking for
- 12+ years in platform engineering, distributed systems, or security architecture
- Strong expertise in: Network and cloud security (firewalls, Zero Trust, secure access)
- Strong expertise in: Cloud-native systems (Kubernetes, microservices)
- Experience with cloud-native security (e.g., Tetragon, eBPF, or similar)
- Hands-on production experience building LLM/AI applications for security use cases, including deployment and scaling
- Strong programming skills in C/C++, Go, and/or Java, with Python for AI integration and automation
- Experience building large-scale, telemetry/data-driven platforms
Preferred qualifications
- Experience applying AI to security or networking platforms at scale
- Deep knowledge of Zero Trust, SSE/SASE, and identity-driven architectures
- Experience with multi-cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- Strong product mindset—connecting platform innovation to business outcomes
- Proven ability to drive cross-functional initiatives from concept to production
Benefits and support
- Compensation and benefits are detailed in the job posting
About Cisco
Cisco Systems, Inc. is a worldwide leader in IT, networking, and cybersecurity solutions that transform how people connect, communicate, and collaborate. The company specializes in routing, switching, data center infrastructure, and software-defined networking designed for enterprises of all sizes. Today, Cisco drives major advancements in AI infrastructure, observability, and secure hybrid work platforms.
- Industry
- Networking
- Company size
- 90000+ employees
- Founded
- 1984
- Location
- San Jose, California, USA
- Funding stage
- Public Company
Leadership
Chair and Chief Executive Officer
President and Chief Product Officer
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer
Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Experience Officer
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