Principal Software Engineer - AI Czar
Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.
The application window is expected to close on 6/4/26.
Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.
Meet the Team
Acacia designs intelligent optical interconnect products using advanced signal processing and photonic integration for 100G, 400G, 1T, and beyond. Our technologies are deployed across data center, metro, long-haul, and ultra-long-haul optical networks, helping enable the next generation of high-speed communications.
At Acacia, you’ll work alongside experts across DSP, ASIC, optics, photonics, software, hardware, systems, and application engineering in a collaborative environment passionate about innovation, technical excellence, and customer success.
Your Impact
We are looking for a strong leader to drive AI strategy and execution across the Acacia Business Units. This role will serve as the central point of coordination for AI initiatives within Acacia and work across cross-functional teams inside the BU to identify, prioritize, and implement high-value AI opportunities and implementing proper end-to-end workflows.
This role is focused solely on Acacia BU and will help teams across engineering organization, product, support, and other internal partner functions improve workflows, increase efficiency, and accelerate business outcomes through AI. The ideal candidate brings both strategic vision and practical execution experience, with the ability to translate fast-evolving AI trends into meaningful results for the business.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and drive the AI strategy, roadmap, and priorities for Acacia BU
- Identify and prioritize AI use cases across functions within the business unit
- Partner with cross-functional teams to improve workflows and enable better business outcomes through AI
- Coordinate AI efforts across Acacia to improve alignment, reduce duplication, and increase scale
- Evaluate emerging AI trends and technologies for relevance to Acacia’s business needs
- Lead AI initiatives from concept through pilot, implementation, and adoption
- Track progress, outcomes, and business value of AI initiatives
- Provide clear updates, recommendations, and prioritization guidance
- Help establish consistent practices for AI adoption and execution within the BU
What Success Looks Like
- Clear and actionable AI strategy for Acacia BU
- Greater AI adoption across teams within the business unit
- Improved workflows and measurable efficiency gains
- Better coordination of AI efforts across cross-functional groups
- Delivery of practical AI solutions aligned to Acacia business priorities
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelors + 15 years of related experience, or Masters + 12 years of related experience, or PhD + 8 years of related experience, or equivalent related work experience
- Experience leading AI, automation, advanced analytics, or digital transformation initiatives
- Experience with generative AI, workflow automation, and AI-enabled productivity tools, RAG, Agent, and Skill creations
- Experience working across business and technical teams
- Experience driving cross-functional programs from strategy through execution
- Experience with current AI trends and their practical application in business environments
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with CI/CD workflow.
- Experience identifying and scaling high-impact use cases
- Experience presenting technical and non-technical content to cross-functional teams and executives.
- Experience balancing innovation with execution and measurable outcomes
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 $231,400.00 to $331,800.00 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:
$231,400.00 - $381,600.00Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:
$222,900.00 - $343,600.00* 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.
