Technical Marketing Engineer Optics

Job description

Technical Marketing Engineer - Optics

Apply (https://jobs.cisco.com/jobs/Login?projectId=1440682)

+ Location:San Jose, California, US
+ Area of InterestEngineer - Hardware
+ Compensation Range168800 USD - 241200 USD
+ Job TypeProfessional
+ Technology InterestNetworking
+ Job Id1440682

**The application window is expected to close on: 10/30/2025**

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

The Transceiver Modules Group Business Unit handles Cisco’s pluggable optic modules that enable customers to connect switches, routers, and servers with high-speed fiber optics.

The Product Management team includes Product Managers and Technical Marketing Engineers (TMEs) and covers a broad range of optical technologies, customer applications, and market segments.

The TMEs support the team’s business goals by supporting sales, fostering new technology, and performing investigations and demos.

**What You’ll Do**

In this role, you will craft and implement validation test plans for Cisco’s optics based on AI customer requirements.

You will prepare technical content to support Product Requirement Documents and specifications for new products for AI applications.

You will collaborate with technology and Go-To-Market partners for interoperability testing and system functional validation, and respond to field inquiries related to optical transceivers.

Additionally, you will contribute to forward-looking programs, roadmaps and collaborate on content for internal Concept Commits and Execution Commits, focusing on customers, configurations, and competitive industry information.

**Who You'll Work With**

We value creativity and collaboration.

Sometimes the wild ideas turn out to be the best ones! You’ll also collaborate with the product managers, TMEs, and engineers in our BU and other Cisco BUs.

**Who You Are**

You’re a problem solver who embraces opportunities to step outside your comfort zone.

You are comfortable solving pluggable optics in switches and routers, even in front of customers.

You know your way around a fiber optics lab with high-speed scopes and optical spectrum analyzers.

You know that machines are logical and people can be more nuanced.

**Minimum Qualifications:**

+ Bachelors + 8 years of experience and/or Masters + 6 years of related experience or PhD with 3+ years, preferably combined with a degree in Electrical Engineering or a physical science or related.
+ Experience in Technical Marketing, Field Application Engineering, or related.
+ Knowledge of standards related to pluggable optical transceivers, including optical PMDs (e.g. IEEE 802.3xx, optical MSAs), pluggable form factor MSAs (SFF, QSFP-DD, CMIS, etc.), and IEEE Attachment Unit Interfaces (AUIs).

**Preferred Qualifications:**

+ Knowledge of customer optical infrastructure requirements in AI datacenter networks.
+ Knowledge of or prior experience with relevant networking technologies, and an understanding of Cisco’s switching and routing portfolio.
+ Hands on skills for interoperability testing and validation activities in the lab (for example: validating optical modules on switches and routers).

**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 (https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/careers/we-are-cisco/benefits-and-perks.html) 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.

Required Skill Profession

Other General