Distinguished Software Engineer (Identity Engineering)
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 remote position in the USA.
Meet the Team
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!
Your Impact
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Innovate, develop, and drive industry-leading software, hardware, and technology solutions with global impact across Cisco ’s product portfolio.
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Serve as a recognized internal and external thought leader, influencing industry direction through technical expertise, innovation, and execution.
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Act as a cross-domain technology leader, translating emerging technology trends into strategic advantage for Cisco .
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Define and drive the long-term technical vision and architecture for platform and identity systems while influencing senior leadership and technical communities.
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Establish and uphold engineering and architectural standards that guide multiple organizations and product lines.
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Drive company-wide technology strategy aligned to long-term business outcomes and market leadership.
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Anticipate and develop industry trends, positioning Cisco at the forefront of identity and security innovation.
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Translate sophisticated technologies into scalable platform strategies and business opportunities across Cisco ’s portfolio.
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Lead highly complex, cross-functional initiatives spanning multiple business units from concept through delivery.
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Mentor and influence senior and principal engineers, elevating technical leadership and architectural consistency across teams.
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Represent Cisco externally through industry forums, standards bodies, patents, publications, and strategic partnerships.
Minimum Qualifications:
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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.
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Experience defining and influencing architecture and technical strategy across multiple teams, organizations, or product lines.
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10+ years of experience in platform, identity, or security systems, or demonstrated success operating as a cross-domain technology leader.
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8+ years of experience building and scaling highly available, secure, and distributed systems in cloud or hybrid environments.
Preferred Qualifications:
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Proven track record of driving company-wide or industry-level technical impact across large, complex organizations.
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Recognized industry leadership through patents, publications, conference speaking, or contributions to standards bodies.
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Experience defining and driving platform or identity strategy at enterprise or industry scale.
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Deep understanding of security, identity, privacy, and data protection principles within large-scale platform systems.
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Experience integrating across platform services such as observability, data platforms, AI/ML systems, and security infrastructure.
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Track record of leading highly complex, cross-functional initiatives with significant business impact.
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Experience influencing senior leadership, including executives, on technical direction and business strategy.
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Strong ability to align diverse stakeholders and drive consensus across large, matrixed organizations.
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Proven ability to translate emerging technology trends into long-term strategic direction and measurable business outcomes.
Why Cisco ?
At Cisco , we’re revolut