Ciena is committed to our people-first philosophy. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a personalized and flexible work environment that empowers an individual’s passions, growth, wellbeing and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.
Why Ciena?
- We’re a company rooted in people—seeking to create a vibrant and inclusive environment, where everyone feels they can belong.
- Accelerate your career path by gaining hands-on experience and exposure to the latest technology. Our interns and graduates work on real projects in real time in world class labs. Be a part of tomorrow’s future – today.
- Mentoring. Networking. Leadership Opportunities. We recognize that the learning doesn’t stop when you leave school - we champion a team environment for development and provide the tools to achieve success.
- We recognize the importance of well-being and offer programs and benefits to support and sustain the mental & physical health, and financial security, of our employees and their families.
- We are big proponents of life-work integration. Our people make a big difference at Ciena, but we want to shine light on their differences outside of working hours too. CienaCares supports non-profit causes important to employees by matching employee financial contributions and dedicating time for volunteering.
How You Will Contribute:
As a Dataplane Software Engineer, you will enhance Ciena’s Packet Networking Service Aware Operating System (SAOS) to support new Cloud and Routing services, develop Netconf/YANG interfaces, and develop High Availability capabilities for the Packet Network Platforms. You will also provide guidance instrumental to the definition and design of new architectures and technologies needed to drive adoption of Ciena’s Cloud and IP Routing related software products.
- You will develop C/C++ software for packet processing using DPDK underneath.
- You will develop real-time embedded software components that interact with the software based fast path.
- You will participate in all stages of software development, including requirements analysis, design, implementation, test, maintenance, and documentation
- You will be responsible for troubleshooting software issues and work with software and system engineers to identify root cause.
What Does Ciena Expect of You?
- Initiative – you’re a self-starter who works with limited direction and is committed to delivering against aggressive deadlines.
- The flexibility to work independently with little supervision and thrive as part of a broader team.
- You are a problem-solver – you use your creativity, analytical mind and problem-solving skills to achieve key business objectives.
- You are a succinct communicator – possessing the ability to tailor your communications/messages based on the type and level of audience.
- You’re change agile– thriving in a diverse environment of ever-changing priorities and sometimes stressful situations.
- You are self-motivated – always seeking out and methodically solving sophisticated technical issues.
- A dedication to ongoing learning – not only related specifically to your role, but also to new technologies/market developments.
The Must Haves:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering or equivalent coupled with expertise in at least one programming language, preferably C/C++ in a Linux environment.
- Strong fundamental knowledge related to data structures and operating system.
- Proven experience developing and debugging in Linux environment.
- Familiarity with TCP/IP networking and basic understanding of a Broadband Network.
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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.
Top Skills
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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