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.
- Analyze complex, large-scale datasets to uncover patterns, trends, and opportunities that translate into actionable insights and measurable business value
- Design, develop, deploy, and maintain predictive models and machine learning solutions supporting business and operational use cases
- Build AI-powered applications and AI agents leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs), prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), orchestration frameworks, and tool integration
- Research, evaluate, and prototype emerging AI, machine learning, and agentic technologies and assess their applicability within telecom and networking environments
- Develop solutions supporting network operations, automation, incident analysis, anomaly detection, knowledge assistance, customer support, and decision support
- Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders to define use cases, translate requirements, and deliver scalable, production-ready solutions
- Define and apply evaluation methods and performance metrics for machine learning and LLM-based systems, including quality, reliability, latency, and business impact
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Engineering, Physics, or a related quantitative field
- Proven experience in a Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer, Applied Scientist, or similar role
- Strong proficiency in Python and hands-on experience with data science and machine learning libraries
- Experience building and deploying machine learning models in production or near-production environments
- Practical experience with Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI applications, including prompt engineering, model integration, or retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
- Solid understanding of AI agent concepts including orchestration, tool use, planning, memory, guardrails, and human-in-the-loop approaches
- Strong foundation in data structures, software design, system architecture, and analytical problem-solving
- Experience working with cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform, or Microsoft Azure
- Familiarity with Linux-based environments, shell scripting, and containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes
- Experience with data and machine learning frameworks including SQL, Pandas, Spark, scikit-learn, XGBoost, TensorFlow, MLflow, Kedro, or similar tools
- Exposure to generative AI and LLM ecosystems such as LangChain, LangGraph, Hugging Face, vector databases, or related technologies
- Experience with monitoring, evaluation, and observability for machine learning or LLM-based systems
- Familiarity with data visualization, reporting tools, Agile development practices, and CI/CD pipelines
- Domain knowledge in telecom, networking, OSS/BSS, network assurance, or service operations
- The annual pay range for this position is $84200 – $134,600.
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.
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.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Engineering, Physics or related field
- Experience in a Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer or similar role
- Strong proficiency in Python and experience with data science libraries
- Experience building and deploying machine learning models
- Practical experience with Large Language Models and generative AI applications
- Understanding of AI agent concepts and orchestration
Ciena Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Ciena and has not been reviewed or approved by Ciena.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is often characterized as competitive or above-market in certain roles and regions, with references to market-aligned salary ranges and transparency around pay bands.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is frequently framed as comprehensive, including medical, dental, and vision, with indications that coverage can extend to dependents and is viewed as a meaningful component of total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off offerings are described as flexible and generous, including Flex/uncapped PTO in many cases and additional paid time for volunteering.
Ciena Insights
What We Do
Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) is a global leader in networking systems, services, and software. We build the world’s most adaptive networks to enable our customers to deliver richer, more connected experiences for all users. At our core, Ciena is a company rooted in people. We prioritize deep, collaborative relationships within our teams and alongside our customers, partners, and communities around the world. For three-plus decades, we’ve brought our humanity to our relentless pursuit of innovation. We continue to lead the evolution of networking with a strong track record of industry firsts. As end-user expectations skyrocket, our customers and their networks must transform. Ciena powers this transformation by driving next-generation solutions built for maximum openness and agility—today and into the future. Corporate/Brand Values: • Customer First • Integrity • Velocity • Innovation • Outstanding People We're the perfect size for you to make an impact. W Only Ciena has the depth of expertise and the culture of collaboration and partnership required to help our partners evolve. We do this by strategically integrating hardware, services, and software in an open environment to ensure our clients’ networks are ‘fit for flexibility’ today and into the f
Why Work With Us
We are known for our industry-firsts, including the first coherent optical solution, converged packet-optical platform, and intelligence automation platform. Our commitment extends beyond innovation, logging in over 35,000 volunteer hours and $2 million to worthy causes in 2023. We're the perfect size and culture for you to make a difference.
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