Software Engineering Technical Lead, Datapath & Go (Cilium)

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 and coordinate 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 is a 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.