Software Engineer Compiler I (Full Time)

About the Role

This posting advertises potential job opportunities. Roles may not be open today but could open in the near future. A Cisco representative may contact you if a relevant position opens.

Your Impact

As a Compiler Software Engineer II, you will:

• Architect, implement, and optimize advanced compilation, code analysis, and debugging toolchains for Cisco's core networking platforms.
• Develop sophisticated compiler transformations and runtime diagnostic tools in modern C/C++.
• Optimize LLVM/GCC backends and intermediate representations (IR) for ARM64 and x86 architectures.
• Enhance GDB/LLDB debugging capabilities.
• Build robust automated validation pipelines using Python and CI/CD frameworks.
• Advance DWARF debug format standards.
• Integrate AI-assisted developer productivity tooling into modern engineering workflows.

Success in this role means driving end-to-end toolchain excellence, delivering high-performance code generation improvements, and contributing impactful enhancements to open-source systems.

Minimum Qualifications

Meet one of the following (completed within the past 3 years or expected to be completed within the next 12 months):

• A Bachelor's degree with 0 years of work experience.
• An educational or workforce development program (e.g., Associate's, Apprenticeship, Boot camp, or Certification) with 1 year of work experience.
• A High school diploma (or equivalent) with 2 years of work experience.

Qualifying education and work experience should be in Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.

• Demonstrated programming proficiency in C or C++ with a strong foundational understanding of memory management, pointer arithmetic, and data structures.
• Foundational understanding of computer architecture (ARM or x86), operating system fundamentals (processes, memory management), and the ability to read assembly language.
• Coursework, academic research, or hands-on project experience in compiler construction, code generation, LLVM infrastructure, or debugger fundamentals (GDB, LLDB, DWARF).

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with LLVM, Clang, GCC, or GDB open-source toolchains, including writing custom LLVM passes or toolchain extensions.
• Familiarity with DWARF debug format specifications, object file structures (ELF), symbol tables, and binary analysis utilities (GNU Binutils).
• Practical experience developing test automation scripts using Python and Linux shell utilities in a CI/CD environment.
• Experience configuring or cross-compiling toolchains for Embedded Linux or networking operating systems (routers/switches).
• Interest or experience integrating AI-assisted developer tools or modern IDE plugins (VSCode, Language Server Protocol / DAP) to enhance software development workflows.