Software Engineering Technical Lead, Datapath & Go (Cilium)

Software Engineering Technical Lead, Datapath & Go (Cilium)

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• Location:RTP, North Carolina, US

• Alternate LocationUnited States of America

• Area of InterestEngineer - Software

• Compensation Range USD - USD

• Job TypeProfessional

• Technology InterestSecurity

• Job Id

The application window is expected to close on:October 28, 2025.

NOTE: Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.

Preference given to candidates located in the Eastern US time zone (ET).

Meet the Team

Isovalent, now part of Cisco, is the company founded by the creators of Cilium and eBPF. Cisco Isovalent builds open-source software and enterprise solutions solving networking, security, and observability needs for modern cloud native infrastructure. The flagship technology, Cilium, is the choice of numerous, industry-leading, global organizations.

We believe in fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where every team member feels valued, respected, and empowered. We believe that every employee contributes to our success, and we are committed to fostering an environment where everyone can thrive. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply and join us in our mission to deliver exceptional products and services.

Your Impact

Cisco Isovalent is seeking a skilled and experienced Software Engineer troubleshoot, mature and improve the reliability and scalability of Isovalent Products. You will be responsible for building and enhancing a Kubernetes-native control plane to provide seamless management of its network traffic, enabling scalable, secure, and resilient traffic management in cloud and hybrid enterprise environments. You will work with a highly collaborative and skilled team to build solutions that advance the next generation of networking and security in Kubernetes environments.

What you'll do:

• Developing high-quality Go and eBPF code for Cilium OSS and Enterprise, while following open source development principles and best practices.

• Debug, troubleshoot, and resolve performance, reliability, and security issues in the control plane.

• Design highly scalable solution to reliably run Cilium in very large environments.

• Participate in code reviews, architectural discussions, and contribute to technical documentation.

• Work andcoordinate US and EMEA teams, ensuring alignment during East Coast business hours (EST/EDT).

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors Computer Science degree, or related fields

• 4+ years of experience in Go, 2+ years of experience in C or eBPF

• Experience with Kubernetes, Cloud Native workloads and/or distributed systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge about Linux systems design, security and/or networking, Linux kernel

• Desire to write high quality and efficient code

• Experience designing and implementing APIs

• A public track record of open-source code commits isa plus

Why Cisco?

At Cisco, we're revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era - and beyond. We've been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint. Simply put - we power the future.

Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you'll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.

We are Cisco, and our power starts with you.

Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

When available, the salary range posted for this position reflects the projected hiring range for new hire, full-time salaries in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including equity or benefits. For non-sales roles the hiring ranges reflect base salary only; employees are also eligible to receive annual bonuses. Hiring ranges for sales positions include base and incentive compensation target. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location and additional factors, including but not limited to skillset, experience, and relevant education, certifications, or training. Applicants may not be eligible for the full salary range based on their U.S. or Canada hiring location. The recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees haveaccess ( to quality medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance and numerous wellbeing offerings.

Employees receive up to twelve paid holidays per calendar year, which includes one floating holiday (for non-exempt employees), plus a day off for their birthday. Non-Exempt new hires accrue up to 16 days of vacation time off each year, at a rate of 4.92 hours per pay period. Exempt new hires participate in Cisco's flexible Vacation Time Off policy, which does not place a defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use, but is subject to availability and some business limitations. All new hires are eligible for Sick Time Off subject to Cisco's Sick Time Off Policy and will have eighty (80) hours of sick time off provided on their hire date and on January 1st of each year thereafter. Up to 80 hours of unused sick time will be carried forward from one calendar year to the next such that the maximum number of sick time hours an employee may have available is 160 hours. Employees in Illinois have a unique time off program designed specifically with local requirements in mind. All employees also have access to paid time away to deal with critical or emergency issues. We offer additional paid time to volunteer and give back to the community.

Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:

.75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;

1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;

1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.

For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.

Cisco is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.

Cisco will consider for employment, on a case by case basis, qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.