Top Benefits
About the role
As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena is committed to a people-first approach. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a flexible work environment that empowers individual growth, well-being, and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.
How You Will Contribute:
Reporting to the Senior Manager, Optical Engineering, as a Senior Optical Systems Engineer, you will be part of the Optical Systems Performance Team involved in the modeling, design, prototyping, development, testing, and customer engagement on current and next generation high optical line systems.
- You will review and finalize functional hardware and system designs, provide feedback to relevant teams, and make architecture suggestions to enhance the performance of Ciena’s current and future Reconfigurable Line Systems.
- You will propose and validate end-to-end line system specifications through simulations, lab testing, and/or consultation with Product Line Management.
- You will coordinate and schedule modeling efforts, code reviews, and code integration using an Agile workflow.
- You will co-architect and contribute to fiber optical propagation simulators used for photonic control and align model expectations with hardware/systems/link-budget/link-engineering teams.
- You will coordinate and influence the architecture and design of major hyperscaler optical technologies from initialization to operation.
- You will provide field support to our customers, Services, and Solutions Engineering teams by offering failure root-cause analyses, investigations, and work to alleviate performance or operational issues.
- You will mentor junior and new in career engineers to help develop lab instrumentation and data analysis tools for the wider team.
The Must Haves:
- Graduate or Post-graduate degree in Physics or Engineering with focus on optical communication- and/or control systems coupled with demonstrated experience in all aspects of system design processes: architecture, design, modeling, prototyping, verification, integration, control and optimization.
- Well versed in fiber optic propagation, optical amplifier control, optical switching, and digital communications.
- Strong programming and computational skills in Matlab and Python.
- Experience in ESD protected lab environment; familiar with standard lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, optical power monitors, power supplies, and spectrum analyzers.
- Proven debugging- and problem-solving skills.
- Team leadership experience with a willingness to coach and support junior and experienced engineers.
Assets:
- Advanced degree in optical communications or related discipline.
- Experience with network planning or optical modeling tool development.
- Knowledge of micro-service architectures and distributed systems optimization.
- Knowledge of optical waveguide types, sensing techniques, methods, and implementation in optical line systems
Pay Range: $94,100 - $150,300
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.
Not ready to apply? Join our
Talent Community
to get relevant job alerts straight to your inbox.
At Ciena, we are committed to building and fostering an environment in which our employees feel respected, valued, and heard. Ciena values the diversity of its workforce and respects its employees as individuals. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination.
Ciena is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.
If contacted in relation to a job opportunity, please advise Ciena of any accommodation measures you may require.
About Ciena
Ciena (NYSE:CIEN) is a global leader in optical and routing systems, services, and automation software. We build the world’s most adaptive networks to address ever-increasing digital demands for richer, more connected experiences for all users. For three-plus decades, we’ve brought our innate sense of humanity to our relentless pursuit of innovation. We prioritize deep, collaborative relationships within our teams, and alongside our customers, partners, and communities—local and global.
Top Benefits
About the role
As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena is committed to a people-first approach. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a flexible work environment that empowers individual growth, well-being, and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.
How You Will Contribute:
Reporting to the Senior Manager, Optical Engineering, as a Senior Optical Systems Engineer, you will be part of the Optical Systems Performance Team involved in the modeling, design, prototyping, development, testing, and customer engagement on current and next generation high optical line systems.
- You will review and finalize functional hardware and system designs, provide feedback to relevant teams, and make architecture suggestions to enhance the performance of Ciena’s current and future Reconfigurable Line Systems.
- You will propose and validate end-to-end line system specifications through simulations, lab testing, and/or consultation with Product Line Management.
- You will coordinate and schedule modeling efforts, code reviews, and code integration using an Agile workflow.
- You will co-architect and contribute to fiber optical propagation simulators used for photonic control and align model expectations with hardware/systems/link-budget/link-engineering teams.
- You will coordinate and influence the architecture and design of major hyperscaler optical technologies from initialization to operation.
- You will provide field support to our customers, Services, and Solutions Engineering teams by offering failure root-cause analyses, investigations, and work to alleviate performance or operational issues.
- You will mentor junior and new in career engineers to help develop lab instrumentation and data analysis tools for the wider team.
The Must Haves:
- Graduate or Post-graduate degree in Physics or Engineering with focus on optical communication- and/or control systems coupled with demonstrated experience in all aspects of system design processes: architecture, design, modeling, prototyping, verification, integration, control and optimization.
- Well versed in fiber optic propagation, optical amplifier control, optical switching, and digital communications.
- Strong programming and computational skills in Matlab and Python.
- Experience in ESD protected lab environment; familiar with standard lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, optical power monitors, power supplies, and spectrum analyzers.
- Proven debugging- and problem-solving skills.
- Team leadership experience with a willingness to coach and support junior and experienced engineers.
Assets:
- Advanced degree in optical communications or related discipline.
- Experience with network planning or optical modeling tool development.
- Knowledge of micro-service architectures and distributed systems optimization.
- Knowledge of optical waveguide types, sensing techniques, methods, and implementation in optical line systems
Pay Range: $94,100 - $150,300
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.
Not ready to apply? Join our
Talent Community
to get relevant job alerts straight to your inbox.
At Ciena, we are committed to building and fostering an environment in which our employees feel respected, valued, and heard. Ciena values the diversity of its workforce and respects its employees as individuals. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination.
Ciena is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.
If contacted in relation to a job opportunity, please advise Ciena of any accommodation measures you may require.
About Ciena
Ciena (NYSE:CIEN) is a global leader in optical and routing systems, services, and automation software. We build the world’s most adaptive networks to address ever-increasing digital demands for richer, more connected experiences for all users. For three-plus decades, we’ve brought our innate sense of humanity to our relentless pursuit of innovation. We prioritize deep, collaborative relationships within our teams, and alongside our customers, partners, and communities—local and global.