UI Desktop Engineer Hybird
Cisco· startup· Enterprise Software· Oct 18, 2026 · 10d ago
RTP, North Carolina, US
Hybrid
Full-time
Senior
$138K–$226K
6+ years exp
Job description
The application window is expected to close on: 11/22/2026 Meet the Team
Our team is part of the Cisco AI and Automation portfolio, responsible for the Circuit platform—the central AI engine that powers productivity and process automation for all of Cisco. We are a rapidly expanding, high-impact group dedicated to building the vehicle for AI-driven business transformation. We operate at the intersection of applied research and production, ensuring our technology is not only cutting-edge but also optimized for performance, reliability, and functional quality for our 80,000 monthly users.
As a Desktop UI Developer, you will lead the greenfield effort to bring Circuit to the desktop—building a persistent, ambient, native-grade experience for macOS and Windows that lives where our users work.
Your Impact
As a Desktop UI Developer , you will design and build the Circuit Desktop application—a native-grade, cross-platform experience for macOS and Windows that brings AI-driven productivity to the desktop. You bring the full skill set of a modern web UI developer (Angular, Node.js, GCP, Figma-driven UX, REST APIs) and extend it to the desktop, bridging the gap between our web application and the operating system.
You will own the desktop shell end-to-end: application lifecycle, OS-level integrations (system tray, notifications, deep linking, always-on presence), installers, and safe auto-updates. This is a high-visibility, high-ownership role where you will define how tens of thousands of Cisco employees experience Circuit as a first-class desktop citizen.
Responsibilities
Design, build, and maintain the Circuit Desktop application for macOS and Windows using Electron (or Tauri) with an Angular/TypeScript UI, ensuring a consistent, performant, native-grade experience across both platforms.
Implement desktop-specific functionality—system tray, native notifications, file system access, deep linking, global shortcuts, and always-on ambient presence—architecting clean IPC communication between the UI (renderer) and main processes with context isolation and sandboxing.
Build responsive AI-driven interfaces (chat, agents, streaming responses) from Figma designs and UX frameworks, integrating with REST APIs and Node.js services, and reusing Circuit s web design system on the desktop surface.
Packaging, Signing & Distribution: Own cross-platform build pipelines and installers (DMG/PKG for macOS, MSI/NSIS for Windows), including code signing and macOS notarization , hardened runtime, and reliable differential auto-updates .
Native & Performance Engineering: Integrate native modules where needed (Swift/Objective-C on macOS, C /C# on Windows), and profile and optimize startup time, memory, and CPU usage; debug native crashes and manage large local state (SQLite/IndexedDB).
Deploy supporting services on Google Cloud Platform , contribute to a multi-platform CI/CD matrix, and collaborate within an Agile team of designers, backend, platform, and quality engineers.
Work with UX and UI designers throughout the product lifecycle, from early feasibility conversations through build and release. Participate in design reviews, give honest input on what is feasible in code, and help scope work so designs can ship without last-minute compromises.
Build interfaces using a shared component library and design tokens, extending existing patterns instead of writing one-off styles. Keep UI consistent, theme-aware, and maintainable as the product grows.
Implement WCAG 2.2 AA patterns for dynamic AI interfaces, including ARIA live regions for streaming responses, semantic structure for conversation UIs, focus management across modals and context switches, full keyboard support, and color contrast in light and dark modes.
Research-informed implementation: Apply findings from usability testing and end-user feedback during development. Know when a design is ready to build versus still in exploration, and raise gaps or edge cases with designers before they become production issues.
Human-AI interaction UI: Build front-end patterns that help users understand AI behavior: streaming and token-by-token rendering, clear loading and error states, recovery flows when responses fail, and UI that supports trust and comprehension in non-deterministic experiences.
Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree with 6 years, Master’s degree with 4 years, or PhD with 1 year of experience in Computer Science or a related technical field.
Frontend and UI Expertise: Proficiency in Angular (v10 ), TypeScript/JavaScript, and Node.js, with a strong focus on translating Figma designs into scalable, component-based UIs using formal design systems.
Desktop Application Development: Proven ability to build and ship secure production desktop applications for macOS and Windows using Electron or Tauri, with deep knowledge of application lifecycles, IPC, and security best practices.
Deployment and Lifecycle Management: Experience managing cross-platform packaging, code signing, and auto-update mechanisms, complemented by practical experience deploying and running services on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
Development Standards and Methodology: Proficiency in Git and Agile methodologies, with a specialized focus on implementing advanced accessibility standards for dynamic, real-time web UIs.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience building web-based or desktop AI applications, including LLM/chatbot/agent interfaces, streaming responses, and real-time updates via WebSockets.
Proficiency in writing native modules (Swift/Objective-C for macOS; C /C# and Win32 APIs for Windows) and experience with performance profiling to optimize Electron overhead (startup time, memory, and CPU usage).
Experience building and maintaining a multi-platform CI/CD matrix using GitHub Actions (e.g., running macos-latest and windows-latest in parallel with secure signing secrets) and familiarity with Docker for containerized development.
Experience with local/offline storage solutions (SQLite, IndexedDB, filesystem) and managing efficient large-scale local state.
Familiarity with OS-level accessibility APIs and deep integration of desktop accessibility/WCAG standards.
Strong problem-solving, effective communication, and a proven track record of hands-on ownership of complex features and projects.
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 $115,800.00 to $163,200.00 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:
$138,100.00 - $226,000.00
Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:
$124,000.00 - $201,000.00
* 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.
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