The Hardware Security Engineer role will support Cisco’s Hyperscaler Security efforts by helping ensure Cisco’s next-generation platforms and custom hyperscaler hardware architectures meet security, trust, and resilience expectations. The position includes system-to-silicon security analysis, translating standards into engineering guidance, and running concurrent security and compliance workstreams.
Responsibilities
- Assess system-level hardware designs, including schematics, board architectures, and component datasheets, to identify threat vectors, vulnerabilities, and compliance gaps.
- Interpret, apply, and establish requirements aligned with emerging standards and compliance frameworks, including NIST SP 800-193 (Platform Firmware Resiliency), NSA CNSA 2.0 (Post-Quantum Cryptography / CNSA Suite), the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), and internal Hardware Cisco Secure Development Lifecycle (HW-CSDL) mandates.
- Provide technical advisory support by producing clear, actionable security requirements and architectural design guidance for product teams, hardware design engineers, firmware/BIOS teams, and third-party vendors.
- Develop hardware security requirements, review checklists, threat models, compliance white papers, and engineering specifications for internal and external audiences.
- Participate in and manage multiple concurrent security evaluations, design reviews, and compliance workstreams across diverse hardware programs.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field, plus 7+ years of relevant experience. Substitutions: Master’s with 4+ years, or PhD with 1+ year.
- Background in hardware development, including experience reading and interpreting system-level schematics, block diagrams, component datasheets, PCB design or review, or register-level hardware documentation.
- Background in hardware security fundamentals, including Hardware Root of Trust (RoT), Secure Boot, hardware and firmware resiliency, cryptographic primitives (symmetric/asymmetric encryption, hashing, digital signatures), and secure key storage.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience crafting, implementing, or evaluating hardware-rooted attestation architectures and device identity mechanisms such as SPDM and TCG DICE.
- Experience with hyperscaler and cloud platform architectures (for example, OCP specifications, OpenBMC, Caliptra, OpenTitan, OpenPRoT).
- Experience implementing industry standard security IP or developing novel hardware security solutions (examples include FPGA bitstream security, secure microcontroller architectures, HW RoT, and bus encryption).
- Experience with hardware threat modeling or hardware security analysis, including fault injection, side-channel analysis, and JTAG/debug security.
- Background in hardware security frameworks and standards such as NIST SP 800-193, NSA CNSA 2.0, TCG DICE / TPM, or global cybersecurity regulations including the EU CRA.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field.
Location and Work Model
Research Triangle Park (RTP), NC with a hybrid work model. Onsite requirement: 3 days per week.
Compensation
- Salary range: USD 132,800 to 259,100 per year.
- Starting salary range posted: $132,800.00 to $185,100.00.
- State-specific full salary ranges:
- New York City Metro Area: $154,900.00 to $259,100.00
- Non-Metro New York state & Washington state: $136,500.00 to $228,300.00
For quota-based sales roles on Cisco’s sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined.
Application Window
Expected to close on: 11/29/2026
Benefits
- Medical, dental and vision insurance
- 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution
- Paid parental leave
- Short and long-term disability coverage
- Basic life insurance
- Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time
- Paid holidays: 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees
- Paid day off for employee’s birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco
- Non-exempt employees: 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees
- Exempt employees: flexible vacation time off program with no defined limit on eligible vacation time used (subject to availability and some business limitations)
- 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, with up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward
- Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members
- Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer
- For non-sales roles: annual bonuses may be available subject to Cisco’s policies
- For employees on sales plans: performance-based incentive pay in addition to base salary
Additional Compensation Notes (U.S. and/or Canada Applicants)
The starting salary range posted for this position is $132,800.00 to $185,100.00 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. Individual pay is determined by hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training.
Sales Incentive Compensation Details
Cisco quota-based incentive pay is typically calculated as: 0.75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota; 1.5% for each 1% attainment between 50% and 75%; 1% for each 1% attainment between 75% and 100%; and at or above 1% for each 1% attainment beyond 100% with no cap on incentive compensation. For non-quota-based performance elements, incentive pay may range from 0% to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum performance threshold for incentive compensation payment.
