Ciena

Senior Optical Engineer

Ciena$120K — $150K *
Telecommunications & Hardware
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or equivalent practical experience.
  • 5+ years of hands-on laboratory experience with DSP-based high-speed optical communication systems.
  • Proven experience with advanced optical and high-speed electronic test equipment.
  • Strong verbal, written communication, and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with a team of experts in the opto-electronic industry.
  • Utilize high-speed lab equipment to characterize 200G and 400G PAM-4 optical modules.
  • Characterize high-speed analog ICs and configure DSP-based SerDes interfaces.
  • Evaluate module compliance with industry standards and develop production testing specifications.
  • Conduct system-level tests with leading ML/AI, datacom, and telecom manufacturers.
  • Identify hardware issues and work with cross-discipline teams to resolve them.
  • Analyze measurement data to support design and debugging efforts.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision plans.
  • 401(K) & DCPP participation with company matching.
  • Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP).
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
  • Paid holidays, sick leave, and vacation time.
Full Job Description
Join Ciena's xPO Systems team and help drive next-generation optical interconnect innovation for AI-scale systems. In this role, you will shape the development of emerging Near-Packaged Optics (NPO) and Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) solutions, ensuring industry-leading performance across integrated photonics, packaging, and system-level design.

How You Will Make An Impact

As part of our team, you will:
  • Work alongside a world-class team of renowned opto-electronic industry experts.
  • Use state-of-the-art high-speed opto-electronic lab equipment to bring up, characterize, and test the world's densest 200G and 400G PAM-4 optical modules for ML/AI applications.
  • Characterize high-speed, high-density analog ICs and configure advanced DSP-based SerDes from major vendors to interface with our modules.
  • Assess module standards compliance (e.g., IEEE Ethernet, OIF CEI, PCIe Gen6/7) and customer specifications. Develop test benches and specifications for production testing.
  • Perform system-level tests at leading ML/AI, datacom, and telecom system manufacturers and operators.
  • Identify hardware issues and collaborate with teams specializing in integrated optics, high-speed electronics, and opto-electronic packaging to drive resolutions.
  • Analyze and interpret measurement results to guide design teams during product definition, design, and debug.
  • Collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams in a highly interdisciplinary, technically advanced environment.
  • Contribute to documentation and update content as requirements evolve.


The Must Haves:
  • Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or equivalent practical experience.
  • 5+ years of proven hands-on laboratory experience setting up and experimentally characterizing DSP-based high-speed optical communication systems.
  • Proven experience using state-of-the-art optical and high-speed electronic test and measurement equipment.
  • Strong verbal, written communication, and documentation skills


Nice To Haves:
  • Experience with Python tools for scientific computing and lab automation (e.g., pandas, numpy).
  • Experience with ADS simulations.
  • Knowledge of high-speed optical Ethernet (200G, 400G) and PCIe Gen6/7.


Pay ranges at Ciena are designed to accommodate variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions, and locations, reflecting our diverse products, industries, and lines of business. Please note that the pay range information provided in this posting pertains specifically to the primary location, which is the top location listed in case multiple locations are available.

Non-Sales employees may be eligible for a discretionary incentive bonus, while Sales employees may be eligible for a sales commission. In addition to competitive compensation, Ciena offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, participation in 401(K) (USA) & DCPP (Canada) with company matching, Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), company-paid holidays, paid sick leave, and vacation time. We also comply with all applicable laws regarding Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence.

About Ciena

Ciena Corporation is a global supplier of telecommunications networking equipment, software, and services. The company was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Hanover, Maryland. Ciena's products include optical transport and switching systems, software, and services that support the transport, switching, aggregation, and management of voice, video, and data traffic. Ciena serves customers in the telecommunications industry, including telecommunications service providers, cable operators, governments, and enterprises. The company has approximately 7,000 employees worldwide and operates in more than 100 countries.
Learn more about Ciena
Size
7,241 employees
Market Cap
$7.3 billion
Industry
Net Income
$354.3 million
Founded
1992
5 Year Trend
+5.3%
Revenue
$3.4 billion
NASDAQ

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