Hi everyone,
I’m an SDE-2 with ~3+ YOE in the networking domain and would really appreciate community input on a career decision. I’m trying to balance long-term career growth, work culture, stability, and compensation, rather than just optimizing for TC.
Current Role:
Cisco, Role: SDE-2, Networking
TC: ~22.75 LPA
Work: Networking stacks, low-level systems, debugging
Offers / Opportunities
1. Nokia
Role: SDE-2, Data Center Networking
TC: ~37 LPA + ~5 L joining bonus
Focus: DNX chips, data-center systems, low-level networking
2. NextHopAI (Startup)
Role: Software Development / Networking
TC: ~36 LPA + ~1800 ESOPs
Focus: SONiC, data-center networking platforms
3. Zscaler
Role: SDE-2, Backend / Distributed Systems
TC: ~28 LPA + ~2 L joining bonus + ~15k RSUs (4 Yrs)
(May be negotiable to ~33–35 LPA all-in + RSU's)
Focus: Backend services (C/C++), distributed systems, databases
Context
My long-term goal is to grow into a strong backend / distributed systems engineer, with flexibility to move toward FAANG-like roles or US opportunities in the future. At the same time, I also care about stability, work culture, and sustainable growth.
Questions for the Community
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From a long-term career perspective, how do roles in deep networking compare with backend / distributed systems roles?
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For those who’ve worked at or interviewed with Cisco, Nokia, Zscaler, or similar companies, how do learning curve, ownership, and work culture typically differ?
Looking forward to hearing different perspectives. Thanks!