Distinguished Software Engineer (Identity Engineering) (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 .

You will join Cisco's Identity Engineering Group, a foundational organization responsible for transforming Cisco's Identity products into a unified Identity experience as a Distinguished Engineer. The team delivers secure, scalable Identity capabilities that enables customers to control and enforce access across humans, agents, and non-human identities.

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

- Innovate, develop, and drive industry-leading software, hardware, and technology solutions with global impact across Cisco's product portfolio.

- Serve as a recognized internal and external thought leader, influencing industry direction through technical expertise, innovation, and execution.

- Act as a cross-domain technology leader, translating emerging technology trends into strategic advantage for Cisco.

- Define and drive the long-term technical vision and architecture for platform and identity systems while influencing senior leadership and technical communities.

- Establish and uphold engineering and architectural standards that guide multiple organizations and product lines.

- Drive company-wide technology strategy aligned to long-term business outcomes and market leadership.

- Anticipate and develop industry trends, positioning Cisco at the forefront of identity and security innovation.

- Translate sophisticated technologies into scalable platform strategies and business opportunities across Cisco's portfolio.

- Lead highly complex, cross-functional initiatives spanning multiple business units from concept through delivery.

- Mentor and influence senior and principal engineers, elevating technical leadership and architectural consistency across teams.

- Represent Cisco externally through industry forums, standards bodies, patents, publications, and strategic partnerships.

- Bachelor's degree with 15+ years of related experience, Master's degree with 12+ years of related experience, or PhD with 10+ years of related experience designing and developing large-scale software, platform, or distributed systems.

- Experience defining and influencing architecture and technical strategy across multiple teams, organizations, or product lines.

- 10+ years of experience in platform, identity, or security systems, or demonstrated success operating as a cross-domain technology leader.

- 8+ years of experience building and scaling highly available, secure, and distributed systems in cloud or hybrid environments.

- Proven track record of driving company-wide or industry-level technical impact across large, complex organizations.

- Recognized industry leadership through patents, publications, conference speaking, or contributions to standards bodies.

- Experience defining and driving platform or identity strategy at enterprise or industry scale.

- Deep understanding of security, identity, privacy, and data protection principles within large-scale platform systems.

- Experience integrating across platform services such as observability, data platforms, AI/ML systems, and security infrastructure.

- Track record of leading highly complex, cross-functional initiatives with significant business impact.

- Experience influencing senior leadership, including executives, on technical direction and business strategy.

- Strong ability to align diverse stakeholders and drive consensus across large, matrixed organizations.

- Proven ability to translate emerging technology trends into long-term strategic direction and measurable business outcomes.

The starting salary range posted for this position is $293,900.00 to $406,800.00 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.