Director, Cisco Silicon - Definition Product Manager: AI Switching 

The application window is expected to close on: 03/06/2026

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

Meet the Team

The team is composed of cross-functional experts from Cisco Silicon, optics, software, and systems groups collaborating closely with hyperscaler customers and partners. Together, they drive innovation in AI switching silicon solutions, focusing on large-scale AI network infrastructure for hyperscaler networks, ensuring Cisco leads in AI networking technology.

Your Impact

As the lead Product Definition Manager for Cisco Silicon’s AI Switching silicon segment, you will drive cross-functional requirements for next-generation silicon and system-inspired solutions targeting large-scale AI network infrastructure for hyperscaler networks. Your expertise in AI workloads, network requirements, and AI rack system dynamics will be essential to meet modern architectural demands.

• Lead AI Network Silicon Segment Definition: Drive requirements for system-inspired silicon solutions for large-scale hyperscaler AI networks. Orchestrate multi-disciplinary collaboration across silicon, optics, software, and systems to integrate cohesive switching fabric solutions.
• Market & Customer Insight Strategy: Build trusted relationships with hyperscaler customers and partners. Lead market sensing and competitive analysis.
• Inspire Technical Vision & Action: Challenge and inspire network technologists and architects. Foster timely collaborative problem-solving for the industry's most complex AI networking challenges.
• Manage Product Definition Stage-Gate: Oversee the full product definition lifecycle for AI network solutions, ensuring rigorous decision-making and readiness.
• Develop Strategic Business Cases: Establish robust business cases for new product investments, linking technical requirements to market opportunity, financial projections, and competitive advantage.
• Cultivate Thought Leadership: Shape Cisco’s vision for AI networking silicon segments. Influence industry partners and standards, positioning Cisco as a leader in the domain.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field with 15+ years defining winning products, architectures, or systems within large-scale AI networking, cloud infrastructure, or AI silicon solutions.
• Experience with AI workloads, AI data center architectures, network architectures, routing/switching, fabric designs, distributed systems, network performance, programmability, and advanced interconnects.
• Prior experience in leading product definition cycles and managing stage-gate processes.
• Experience engaging with industry partners, conducting competitive analysis, and working within environments such as network operators, cloud service providers, or network silicon suppliers.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Prior experience integrating market, technology, and business signals into actionable, prioritized product and system roadmaps.
• Experience influencing at all organizational levels, inspiring technologists, driving complex visions, and aligning diverse stakeholders around shared objectives.
• Current knowledge of the latest networking technologies and ecosystem trends.
  
  

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.

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:

The starting salary range posted for this position is $230,100.00 to $325,300.00 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 the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training. The full salary range for certain locations is listed below. For locations not listed below, the recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees are offered benefits, subject to Cisco’s plan eligibility rules, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage, and basic life insurance. Please see the Cisco careers site to discover more benefits and perks. Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.

U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco’s policies:

• 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees
• 1 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** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees
• Exempt employees participate in Cisco’s flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations)
• 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next
• 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, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco’s policies.

Employees On Sales Plans Earn Performance-based Incentive Pay On Top Of Their Base Salary, Which Is Split Between Quota And Non-quota Components, Subject To The Applicable Cisco Plan. 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 0% up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.

The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below:

New York City Metro Area

$230,100.00 - $374,100.00

Non-Metro New York State & Washington State

$216,500.00 - $337,000.00

• 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.
• Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.