The Role
The Lead Hardware Engineer designs and develops hardware, evaluates optical/RF components, coordinates with firmware and manufacturing, and supports customers.
Summary Generated by Built In
Lead Hardware Engineer – Optical Transceivers
Help shape the next generation of optical connectivity
What does it take to build an optical transceiver that performs reliably in demanding real-world applications? We’re looking for a hands-on hardware engineer who can turn complex requirements into thoughtful designs, then test, refine and help bring them to life.
In this role, you’ll own hardware activities across assigned designs, working across RF, analogue and digital electronics. You’ll collaborate with firmware, manufacturing and test teams, and contribute to decisions that shape both current products and future architectures.
This is a technical leadership role: you’ll guide hardware design and help colleagues and customers solve problems, while staying close to the engineering work yourself.
What you’ll be doing
- Lead hardware design and development for optical transceiver products, from concept through verification.
- Select and evaluate optical and RF components.
- Design and simulate RF, analogue and digital circuits.
- Create schematics and support PCB layout, testing and troubleshooting.
- Define digital control requirements and work closely with firmware engineers on implementation.
- Plan and carry out design verification, analyse results and resolve performance issues.
- Contribute to design reviews and help shape product architectures.
- Work with cross-functional teams to deliver designs to technical requirements and project milestones.
- Ensure hardware meets relevant industry standards and customer requirements.
- Identify ways to improve product performance, reliability and manufacturability.
- Help develop hardware architectures for future product requirements.
- Share your expertise with colleagues and provide technical guidance to customers when needed.
What you’ll bring
- An advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a related discipline.
- Two to five years of relevant hardware engineering experience, ideally in optical communications, photonics, RF or another high-technology environment.
- Experience with analogue and digital circuit design and simulation.
- Proficiency with schematic capture and PCB layout tools.
- Practical experience designing, testing and troubleshooting PCBs.
- The confidence to work independently and take ownership of technical deliverables.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with clear communication and a collaborative approach.
How you’ll work
You’ll bring Coherent’s ICARE values to your work:
- Integrity: Create an environment of trust.
- Collaboration: Innovate through the sharing of ideas.
- Accountability: Own the process and the outcome.
- Respect: Recognise the value in everyone.
- Enthusiasm: Find a sense of purpose in your work.
Note to recruiters and employment agencies: We will not pay for unsolicited resumes from recruiters and employment agencies unless we have a signed agreement and have required assistance, in writing, for a specific opening.
Skills Required
- Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or equivalent field
- 2-5 years of experience in the applicable engineering field
- Proficient in schematic capture and layout software tools
- Experience in analog/digital design and simulation
- Experience in PCB layout
- Experience with Optical Components
- Experience with modulator bias loop design and implementation
- Experience with CST 3D RF simulation software
- Experience with Agile software
Coherent Corp. Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Coherent Corp. and has not been reviewed or approved by Coherent Corp..
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare Strength: Health coverage includes multiple national and region-specific options (UHC HDHP/HSA, PPO, EPO; Kaiser in CA; Health Net in OR) plus separate dental (Delta Dental) and vision (VSP), indicating strong breadth and choice. This breadth supports a solid total package in certain roles and locations.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity Value & Accessibility: An Employee Stock Purchase Plan allows buying shares at 85% of market price with contributions up to 10% of pay, expanding ownership access. This feature can materially bolster total rewards even when base pay is mid‑pack.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Leave & Time Off Breadth: Paid time off includes 15 vacation days for new hires, 10 paid holidays, and additional paid time during a December shutdown. This structure provides a clear and competitive baseline for time away from work.
Coherent Corp. Insights
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The Company
What We Do
Coherent empowers market innovators to define the future through breakthrough technologies, from materials to systems. We deliver innovations that resonate with our customers in diversified applications for the industrial, communications, electronics, and instrumentation markets. Headquartered in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, Coherent has research and development, manufacturing, sales, service, and distribution facilities worldwide. For more information, please visit us at coherent.com.
