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.
The Lab Infrastructure Project Manager will lead the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of critical electrical and mechanical Lab infrastructure across Ciena’s global facilities. This role involves strategic planning, project management, and sustainability integration, ensuring best practices across global sites. The position requires strong cross-functional collaboration and the ability to translate strategic concepts into actionable initiatives.
Key Responsibilities:
Lab Infrastructure Management & Reliability: Ensure system redundancy, reliability, and maintainability through comprehensive assessments and implementation of best practices. Manage high-risk maintenance activities and provide oversight during critical maintenance windows. Perform semi-annual reviews of mechanical and electrical loads to optimize capacity.
Project Management of R&D Capital Projects: Lead global Lab projects from initiation to close out, ensuring scope, schedule, and budget goals are met. Develop strategic project goals, manage consultants, contractors and oversee construction and commissioning. Integrate sustainability into all R&D capital projects following PMP guidelines.
Lab Operations & Equipment Management: Oversee installation, configuration, and maintenance of Lab equipment and network infrastructure. Conduct audits, track capital and expensed equipment, and maintain updated procedures.
Communication & Cross Functional Partnership: Work closely with CREW’s and JLL Teams on planning and managing site infrastructure Projects which have an impact on the Labs. Communicate to R&D Teams on Projects impacts to the Labs.
Strategic Facilities & Lab Planning: Assist in budget development and strategic planning for site infrastructure and major Lab projects. Conduct feasibility studies and provide technical and business justifications. Utilize CAD to design and manage Lab space requirements and update on a continual basis to ensure accuracy.
Health & Safety: Serve as a required member of the local Ciena H&S Team, actively participating in monthly site inspections. Contribute to maintaining lab environments with a strong focus on health and safety.
Business Continuity Planning (BCP): Support BCP efforts by providing precise Lab and building infrastructure data to help mitigate equipment downtime in the event of an incident at one of our sites.
Sustainability: Oversee the development, tracking, and reporting of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to sustainability efforts. Utilize our environmental monitoring system to assess lab and corporate sustainability initiatives and identifying opportunities for improvement. Collaborate with stakeholders to drive eco-friendly practices, optimize resource efficiency, and support the organization’s long-term sustainability goals.
The Must Haves:
- Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Effective communication skills with organizational and situational awareness.
- Adaptable, resourceful, and able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Electrical Degree required.
- Corporate Real Estate and Lab Management experience strongly preferred.
- PMP & CEM Certification or equivalent experience in managing capital projects, with a focus on sustainability.
Pay Range:
The salary range for this role in Ottawa is $110, 100 - $175, 900
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
- Electrical degree
- PMP and CEM certification or equivalent capital project experience focused on sustainability
- Corporate Real Estate and Lab Management experience
- Experience leading R&D capital projects including consultants, contractors, construction, and commissioning
- Proficiency with CAD for lab space design and management
- Experience with environmental monitoring systems and tracking sustainability KPIs
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
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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