As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena builds the critical infrastructure powering the AI era. We’re a technology company shaping the future of networking, guided by innovation, integrity, and collaboration. Through development opportunities, meaningful work, and flexibility, Ciena supports growth and well-being—on and off the job. Connect with a career that matters.
Ciena is seeking a Senior Pluggable Modems Product Engineer to lead the lifecycle of pluggable optical modules and contribute to the delivery of optical networking solutions. This role influences product definition, manufacturing performance, cost optimization, and lifecycle management across coherent and direct detect technologies. Success in this position supports market competitiveness and customer satisfaction through high-quality product execution.
How you will make an impact:- Lead the technical definition and development of next-generation pluggable optical modules, including QSFP-DD and OSFP form factors.
- Collaborate with R&D, NPI Test Team, Operations, and Supply Chain teams to define product specifications and deliver successful product launches.
- Monitor manufacturing yield performance at offshore contract manufacturers and drive yield improvement initiatives with internal component, design, and process teams.
- Perform statistical analysis for NPI and production data, including Cpk analysis, to evaluate manufacturing performance.
- Recommend specification limits for automated test equipment and components in partnership with R&D teams.
- Drive product cost optimization through component selection, design-for-manufacturability practices, and supply chain strategies.
- Manage product lifecycle activities, including product enhancements, obsolescence management, end-of-life planning, assembly variances, product revisions, and technical documentation.
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
- Experience: 4+ years of experience in product engineering, product management, or R&D roles focused on optical transceivers or pluggable modules.
- Application of coherent and direct detect optical transmission technologies, including standards such as OIF and IEEE.
- Knowledge of pluggable form factors including QSFP-DD, OSFP, CFP2, and SFP-DD, and their electrical and optical interfaces.
- Experience with optical component technologies including lasers, modulators, photodiodes, and DSPs.
- Application of statistical yield analysis, semiconductor manufacturing practices, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and trend chart analysis.
- Record of launching and managing optical products throughout the product lifecycle.
- Education: Master's degree OR Ph.D. in a related technical field.
- Communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills applied across technical and non-technical stakeholder groups.
- Analytical and problem-solving capabilities applied in engineering environments.
- Ability to travel internationally as required.
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 Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field
- 4+ years of experience in product engineering, product management, or R&D focused on optical transceivers or pluggable modules
- Experience with coherent and direct-detect optical transmission technologies, including OIF and IEEE standards
- Knowledge of QSFP-DD, OSFP, CFP2, and SFP-DD form factors and their electrical and optical interfaces
- Experience with optical components including lasers, modulators, photodiodes, and DSPs
- Experience with statistical yield analysis, semiconductor manufacturing practices, Statistical Process Control, and trend chart analysis
- Experience launching and managing optical products throughout the product lifecycle
- Master's degree or Ph.D. in a related technical field
- Communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills across technical and non-technical stakeholder groups
- Analytical and problem-solving capabilities in engineering environments
- Ability to travel internationally as required
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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