Senior Product Applications Engineer - Interconnects

Ciena Corporation; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 112,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

Ciena Corporation is seeking an experienced design engineer for an onsite role at our Kanata, ON office. You will lead technical guidance, develop reference designs, and support customer integration of interconnect solutions in a highly technical environment.

The role requires hands-on lab work, collaboration across engineering and customer-facing teams, and the ability to drive timely resolutions from initial bring-up to deployment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of design experience in hardware, embedded software, optics or system integration.
• Experience with optical/electrical module technologies is preferred.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration across teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical guidance with PLM to support design wins and articulate module technologies.
• Develop reference designs (hardware and software) and define API suites for customer integration.
• Facilitate technical sessions with customer teams and document issues.
• Perform lab testing to reproduce issues and coordinate with R&D for solutions.
• Deliver on-site customer support to troubleshoot integration activities.
• Build and run product demos or evaluation boards for customers and industry events.

Skills

Hardware design

Embedded software

Optical modules

System integration

Customer engagement

Education

Masters or PhD in CS/EE

Job description

Job Description

Ready to take your design experience from the lab and into the real world? The Ciena Interconnects Product Applications Engineering team is growing to build on our success. We are a multi-disciplined team with extensive design experience, and are a great fit for an experienced design engineer looking to expand their view and scope.

About the role

Step into a highly technical, hands-on role at the center of Ciena's industry-leading coherent optical module and components business. This position blends deep engineering expertise with direct customer engagement, giving you the opportunity to shape next-generation interconnect solutions while solving real-world integration challenges in the lab and alongside major global content providers. Customers partner with Ciena for mission-critical data communication, our innovative technologies, and proven track record. Together, we enable the next generation of interconnect technologies. This is an onsite role in our Kanata, ON office.

How you will make an impact

• Work alongside and lead technical guidance with Product Line Management (PLM) to support design wins and clearly articulate Ciena's module and component technologies.
• Develop reference designs (hardware and software) and define API suites that accelerate customer integration.
• Facilitate technical working sessions with customer engineering teams, documenting issues and driving timely resolution.
• Perform lab testing to reproduce customer issues and collaborate with R&D to find solutions.
• Deliver on-site customer support as needed to troubleshoot and expedite integration activities.
• Build and execute product demos or evaluation boards to showcase Ciena solutions for customers and at industry events.

The Must Haves

• 8+ years of design experience in a relevant discipline (hardware, embedded software, optics or system integration) and ideally this experience is in optical/electrical module technologies.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and analytical capability through first-product bring-up.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills in fast-paced technical environments.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across engineering and customer-facing teams.

Nice to Haves

• Knowledge of optical module components such as lasers, digital signal processors (DSPs), transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs), and optical receivers.
• Experience with high-speed DSP-based electrical serializer/deserializer (SerDes) architectures.
• Previous customer-facing engineering experience with a strong customer-first mindset.
• Experience writing datasheets, software API guides, or application notes.
• Masters / PhD in Computer Science or Electrical / Computer Engineering.

Pay Range

The annual pay range for this position is $112, 300 - $179, 300 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.

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.