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.
This Senior Mechanical Engineer contributes to the development of high-performance, physical design solutions for leading edge circuit packs and optical plugs on various Ciena platforms. The platform portfolio consists of 6500-S/D, 6500-PTS, 6500-R, 6500-T, 5400, 8700, Z-series, and Waveserver.
How you will make an impact:
Develop mechanical designs for leading edge circuit packs and optical plugs incorporating advanced technologies with high-density and thermal constraints
Create mechanical part and assembly designs, engineering documentation, and maintain design databases
Collaborate with systems, hardware, operations, and product line management to deliver products aligned to project timelines and processes
Build cross-functional relationships through technical communication and delivery of quality engineering outputs by considering all requirements
Present technical design reviews to ensure designs are aligned with project requirements, architecture, timelines, and risk identification needs
Apply DFMA methodologies to improve manufacturability and assembly in partnership with operations and manufacturing
Evaluate prototypes and first samples, including development of First Piece Evaluation reports
Address sustaining needs for newly released and mature circuit packs and optical plugs to address customer and/or manufacturing issues and design improvements
Work with electrical hardware teams and operations to support mechanical platform cost reduction activities
Work with customer response teams to assess field issues (as needed) and with supplier for root cause analysis of failed or poor-quality components.
The must haves:
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering required
Experience: 10+ years of mechanical engineering design experience in telecom, datacom or electro-optics
Utilization of CAD software, preferably Creo Parametric
Demonstrated analytical problem solving using structured and methodical approaches
Project management skills applied to engineering development activities
Background in design of plastic components including injection moulding and metal components including sheet metal, machined, and die cast
Application of mechanical and hardware development processes and experience managing design databases
Demonstrated commitment to product and process improvement
Application of interpersonal and communication skills to collaborate across engineering disciplines
Attention to detail in engineering design and documentation
Nice to haves:
Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering
Pay Range: $88,700 - $141,700.
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 Mechanical Engineering
- 10+ years of mechanical engineering design experience in telecom, datacom, or electro-optics
- Experience using CAD software, preferably Creo Parametric
- Demonstrated analytical problem-solving using structured and methodical approaches
- Project management skills applied to engineering development activities
- Experience designing plastic components using injection molding and metal components using sheet metal, machining, and die casting
- Experience applying mechanical and hardware development processes and managing design databases
- Demonstrated commitment to product and process improvement
- Interpersonal and communication skills for cross-functional engineering collaboration
- Attention to detail in engineering design and documentation
- Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Gallery








