Principal Software Engineer (Security & Policy Platform) (Remote)

The application window is expected to close on: 09/21/2026 Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received .

This is a fully remote opportunity open to candidates located anywhere in the United States.

You will join Cisco's Security and Policy Platform Group, a foundational organization responsible for transforming Cisco's Security products from single point products to comprehensive security outcomes, as a Principal Engineer. The team delivers secure, scalable capabilities enabling customers to control and security policies across Cisco and third-party products.

This work spans cloud and client infrastructure, security, policy and networking, with a strong emphasis on reliability, interoperability, and long-term scalability!

- Innovate, develop, and drive unique software and technology solutions with global impact across Cisco's broader product portfolio and multiple technology and business groups.

- Act as an internal, external, and industry expert, applying deep technical expertise to provide mentorship and consultation on sophisticated challenges.

- Serve as a domain expert or cross-domain integrator, leveraging breadth of knowledge to connect emerging technology trends and assess their impact on Cisco products.

- Guide and set standards for the technical direction of Cisco's software and technology solutions, influencing industry trends, business leaders, and Cisco's technical community.

- Ensure the development, execution, and enablement of technology strategies that deliver long-term business impact.

- Stay ahead of evolving technology and industry trends, shaping innovation and enabling Cisco to maintain a strong competitive advantage.

- Partner across engineering, product, and business teams to translate strategic vision into scalable, high-impact solutions.

- Mentor and influence senior technical leaders, driving architectural consistency and engineering excellence across the organization.

- Bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field with 12+ years of experience designing and developing large-scale software, platform, or distributed systems.

- Experience building and scaling highly available, secure, and distributed systems in cloud or hybrid environments.

- Experience writing high-quality, production-grade code using modern programming languages (e.g., Go, Rust, or C++).

- 5+ years of experience with security, privacy, and data protection principles as applied to policy and platform systems.

- Advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.

- Recognized technical leadership as a domain expert or cross-domain integrator influencing architecture across multiple product lines or business units.

- Experience driving platform strategy in large-scale enterprise or cloud environments.

- Experience integrating systems with broader platform services such as observability, data platforms, or AI/ML-driven systems.

- Track record of influencing technical direction and aligning stakeholders across a large, matrixed organization.

- Experience defining technical architecture and driving end-to-end system design across multiple teams or organizations.

- Contributions to industry standards, open-source projects, patents, or publications.

- Ability to translate emerging technology trends into long-term strategic direction and business impact.

The starting salary range posted for this position is $250,600.00 to $362,600.00 and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation*, equity, or benefits.