Mechanical Engineering Technical Leader

The application window is expected to close on: 07/31/2026 Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received . This role can be performed onsite in San Jose, CA or remotely within the US. Meet the Team We are seeking a highly experienced and driven ASIC Mechanical Engineer to join the Cisco ASIC Group. In this role, you will lead mechanical and thermomechanical simulation efforts for ASICs and complex silicon/package/board assemblies, driving design decisions and ensuring product reliability for high-performance Cisco systems. You will work across a globally distributed team and play a key role in shaping simulation methodologies, reliability strategies, and design guidelines across packaging, board-level integration, and system hardware engineering. Your Impact Lead and perform advanced finite element analysis (FEA) to evaluate thermomechanical behavior and reliability of ASIC packages and board-level assemblies, including stress, warpage, and interconnect integrity. Own and drive solder joint reliability assessments, including thermal cycling, mechanical shock, and vibration, and develop lifetime prediction methodologies. Model and analyze nonlinear and time-dependent material behavior, including creep, viscoplasticity, and fatigue, with strong understanding of temperature and rate effects. Define and establish simulation methodologies, modeling best practices, and correlation strategies for packaging and board-level reliability. Drive correlation between simulation and reliability testing (e.g., TCT, drop, field returns) to improve predictive accuracy and enable design signoff. Influence product design by providing data-driven recommendations, risk assessments, and reliability sign-off criteria early in the development cycle. Lead root cause analysis for mechanical/reliability failures and guide cross-functional teams toward robust solutions. Develop and scale simulation workflows and automation using Python, Fortran, or similar tools to improve team efficiency and consistency. Communicate complex technical findings clearly to stakeholders across mechanical, packaging, and system teams. Minimum Qualifications Bachelors + 8 years, or Masters + 6 years, or PhD + 3+ years in mechanical engineering or related field. Strong experience in thermomechanical simulation of semiconductor packages and/or board-level assemblies. Proven track record in solder joint reliability analysis, including fatigue and/or creep modeling. Deep hands-on experience with ABAQUS or ANSYS, including nonlinear material modeling. Demonstrated ability to drive technical decisions and work across global teams. Preferred Qualifications Expertise in board-level reliability (BLR) and PCB–package interaction modeling. Professional with solder constitutive models (e.g., Anand) and fatigue life prediction methods (Coffin-Manson, Darveaux). Knowledge of JEDEC/IPC standards for reliability qualification. Experience with advanced packaging (flip chip, 2.5D/3D, heterogeneous integration). Track record of correlating simulation with test data and driving design improvements. 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 $168,800.00 to $241,200.00 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: $168,800.00 - $277,400.00 Non-Metro New York state & Washington state: $148,800.00 - $248,200.00 * 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.