Cisco · Technology

Cisco DevOps Engineer Interview

Complete guide to the DevOps Engineer interview at Cisco — real questions, insider tips, salary data, and stage-by-stage preparation.

2–3 weeks from first contact to offer

4 stages

14 questions

Practise this interview free

Overview

Interviewing for DevOps Engineer at Cisco

Interviewing for a DevOps Engineer position at Cisco is a distinct experience from applying to the same role elsewhere. Cisco with 3,500+ employees, has built a structured hiring process that reflects both the demands of the DevOps Engineer role and the company's own values and culture. The process is designed to assess not just whether you can do the job technically, but whether you'll thrive in Cisco's specific working environment.

For DevOps Engineers specifically, Cisco tends to emphasise practical problem-solving and technical depth alongside cultural fit. You should expect a process that tests your ability to work with tools like Kubernetes and Docker, CI/CD platforms (Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub Actions), Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, Ansible) in realistic scenarios, not just abstract theory. The interviewers are typically people you'd be working with directly, so the conversation goes both ways — they're evaluating you, but you're also getting a genuine sense of the team and day-to-day work.

Understanding what Cisco values — and how that translates into their interview expectations for a DevOps Engineer — gives you a significant advantage. This guide breaks down the full process, the specific questions you're likely to face, and how to prepare effectively.

Process

How Cisco interviews DevOps Engineers

Cisco's interview process for DevOps Engineer roles typically runs 2–3 weeks and involves 4 distinct stages. The process begins with recruiter screen and progresses through increasingly focused assessments. Each stage is designed to evaluate different aspects of your suitability — from baseline qualifications through to cultural alignment and role-specific capability.

For DevOps Engineer candidates specifically, expect the technical stages to focus on your hands-on ability with Kubernetes and Docker, CI/CD platforms (Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub Actions), Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, Ansible), Monitoring and logging (Prometheus, ELK, Datadog). Cisco typically includes a practical assessment — this could be a coding challenge, a system design discussion, or a technical case study depending on the seniority level. The behavioural stages will probe your collaboration style and how you handle ambiguity, since DevOps Engineers at Cisco work across teams regularly.

Recruiter Screen

Initial conversation about background and interest.

Tailor your application specifically for the DevOps Engineer role at Cisco. Highlight experience with Kubernetes and Docker, CI/CD platforms (Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub Actions), Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, Ansible) and use language that mirrors their job description. Cisco receives high volumes of applications, so a generic CV will be filtered out.

Technical Phone Interview

Coding or system design depending on role.

Prepare concrete examples of your DevOps Engineer work. Be ready to solve problems live — talk through your reasoning, consider edge cases, and demonstrate how you'd use Kubernetes and Docker and CI/CD platforms (Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub Actions).

On-site Interviews (2–3 rounds)

Technical interviews and team fit discussion.

Research Cisco's approach to this stage. Prepare specific examples from your DevOps Engineer experience that demonstrate the qualities they value: technical depth, enterprise focus, collaboration.

Manager Round

Conversation with hiring manager about role and team.

Research Cisco's approach to this stage. Prepare specific examples from your DevOps Engineer experience that demonstrate the qualities they value: technical depth, enterprise focus, collaboration.

Format

Interview format and logistics

As a mid-size organisation, Cisco's interview process for DevOps Engineer roles tends to be more personal and direct than at larger employers. Expect fewer formal stages — typically 2-3 rounds rather than 4-5 — with earlier access to the hiring manager or team lead. Interviews may be conducted via video call or in person depending on location. The format is less rigidly structured than at enterprise companies, which means you'll have more opportunity for genuine conversation, but the expectations are equally high. Come prepared to discuss your experience in depth rather than delivering polished, rehearsed answers.

Qualities

What Cisco looks for in DevOps Engineers

Technical Depth

Cisco values technical depth because Strong fundamentals in networking, security, or infrastructure. Deep knowledge is valued..

For the DevOps Engineer role, show this by sharing examples where you used Kubernetes and Docker or CI/CD platforms (Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub Actions) to deliver measurable results.

Enterprise Focus

Cisco values enterprise focus because Understanding of enterprise customer needs and large-scale deployments..

For the DevOps Engineer role, show this by sharing examples where you used Kubernetes and Docker or CI/CD platforms (Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub Actions) to deliver measurable results.

Collaboration

Cisco values collaboration because Excellent teamwork and communication. Enterprise products require cross-team coordination..

As a DevOps Engineer, demonstrate this through DevOps isn't a gatekeeping role. Do you enable other engineers? Can you explain complex infrastructure in ways non-DevOps engineers understand?.

Problem-Solving

Cisco values problem-solving because Ability to think through complex technical challenges systematically..

For the DevOps Engineer role, show this by sharing examples where you used Kubernetes and Docker or CI/CD platforms (Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub Actions) to deliver measurable results.

Reliability mindset

For DevOps Engineer roles specifically, reliability mindset is essential because Do you naturally think about failure modes? Can you explain graceful degradation, rollback strategies, and disaster recovery?.

Prepare 2-3 examples from your experience that clearly demonstrate reliability mindset. Cisco's interviewers will probe this in behavioural questions.

Questions